Somewhat ironically, the most neglected area for energy efficiency evaluations in the
process industries is within the process itself. In part, this reflects a reluctance to tamper
with facilities that directly impact product quality and production rates. While this can be
a legitimate concern, it is unfortunate, because many viable energy-saving opportunities
are left on the table. A second issue is that each process is to some degree unique, so it is
often not possible simply to replicate ideas. Instead, each plant needs to be evaluated and
understood in order to define and develop improvement options, and this typically
requires specialized expertise. The tendency, instead, is to focus on utility systems (e.g.,
steam) and specific items of equipment (such as furnaces) where there is a well-known
set of parameters to assess and a recognized set of options for improving energy
efficiency.