Industrial decarbonization is essential for addressing climate crisis, report shows

May 19, 2020 — With industry accounting for more than one-fourth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, its decarbonization is essential for combating climate change, according to a report released today that shows energy efficiency is a key way to slash these industrial emissions.

Decarbonizing industry by midcentury will require a transformation in what we make and how we make it. Doing it right could not only reduce emissions, but also protect the United States’ 20 million (predominantly well-paying) industry jobs. As the report explains, we will need a multi-faceted approach that emphasizes energy efficiency but also includes electrification, low-carbon fuels, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

This research, the first in a series of ACEEE reports on the topic, is part of ACEEE’s Industrial Decarbonization Initiative. For more than a year, we have led a coalition to lay the groundwork for decarbonization (or carbon removal) by convening NGOs, labor, and industry stakeholders. We have identified priorities for policymakers, including longer-term research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) work and shorter-term stimulus measures, such as teams of experts to do energy audits of the 500 largest U.S. industrial facilities…

To continue reading the blog post, visit: https://www2.aceee.org/e/310911/ng-climate-crisis-report-shows/p9szsz/570896573?h=fnsytEmOKVRVYJ62ZQ_wPbonl0UhuwdueDwswhGTaDI

To download the report, visit: https://www2.aceee.org/e/310911/research-report-IE2001/p9szsx/570896573?h=fnsytEmOKVRVYJ62ZQ_wPbonl0UhuwdueDwswhGTaDI