Implementation Strategies

Policy Theme 6

Encourage Industrial Energy Efficiency Ecology

Strategy 1: Develop targets for reducing energy intensity in industries 

Strategy 2: Create an inventory of industrial greenhouse gas emissions 

Strategy 3: Create plans for tackling industrial waste

Strategy 4: Promote Industrial Ecology/Industrial Symbiosis

Strategy 5: Introduce incentives and awards for voluntary sustainable actions

Some of the important aspects of encouraging Industrial Energy Efficiency ecology is encouraging the reduction of energy used per unit of output, using waste heat for driving industrial processes, recycling or responsibly disposing of waste, etc. Some of the strategies have been defined below.

Develop targets for reducing energy intensity in industries

It is important to work with key stakeholders to develop targets for reducing the energy intensity of industrial processes. Such a reduction in energy intensity of industry has several benefits such as reducing air pollution, reducing environmental impact, increasing industry output, reducing energy use in industries, saving on fuel costs, etc.

Create an inventory of industrial greenhouse gas emissions

To reduce greenhouse gas pollution it is important to create an inventory and track emissions. This inventory can then be used to design policies to target certain gases and penalize industries that emit more than the specified mandate. Industries should be mandated to report their respective emissions and third-party evaluators must be nominated for cross-checking these emissions.

Create plans for tackling industrial waste

Develop a document that defines the specific ways in which industrial waste will be dealt with. Measures could include mandating industries to recycle 30 percent of their waste and disposing of waste in an environmentally sound way. Strategies such as waste pooling should be employed to increase the efficiency of waste disposal.

Promote Industrial Ecology/Industrial Symbiosis

Very often, the industrial sector contributes to a large share of waste, emissions, and energy and water usage. To mitigate this, cities must actively promote industrial ecology or symbiosis. Industrial ecology/symbiosis is primarily the exchange of materials between different industrial sectors where the waste of one industry can become raw material for another. Examples include using fly ash from the power sector for the cement industry. This has been shown to reduce the energy intensity of the cement industry greatly.  Thus, the city must evaluate the potential, develop a comprehensive plan, and should provide support to encourage such industrial ecology.

Introduce incentives and awards for voluntary sustainable actions

As has been mentioned above, industrial efficiency could be achieved either through mandates or through voluntary actions taken by companies. However, since the cost of validating compliance is often high due to audits and other processes, encouraging voluntary actions could reap similar benefits without added costs. Thus the cities must provide incentives to the industry, such as tax rebates for voluntary actions. Further, the city must also have awards for industries that show the highest decrease in energy intensity voluntarily.