CHAPTER 8, U.S. EPA Facility Pollution Prevention Guide, EPA/600/R-92/088
ENERGY CONSERVATION
AND POLLUTION PREVENTION
                                                                           

    Energy conservation and pollution prevention are complemen-
tary activities.  That is, actions that conserve energy reduce
the quantity of wastes produced by energy-generating processes,
and actions that reduce production process wastes lower the
expenditure of energy for waste handling and treatment.

Energy conservation goes hand-in-hand with pollution prevention.

PREVENTING POLLUTION BY CONSERVING ENERGY

    Nearly all energy used in the United States is generated by
processes that consume materials and create wastes that pollute
the environment if released directly.  These wastes require
treatment or the even less satisfactory measure of long-term
containment.

Wastes are produced in almost all energy-generating activities.

Wastes Produced by Energy Generation 

    Fossil fuel and nuclear power generation create a variety of
wastes.  The gaseous and particulate byproducts of fossil fuel
combustion include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen
and sulfur oxides.  The processes used to treat these gases
create other wastes.  The use of nuclear energy presents the risk
of accidental release of radioactive gases.
    Water used in generating energy from fossil fuels is
contaminated with the chemicals used to control scale and
corrosion.  Before discharge, the water must be treated to remove
these contaminants.  The water used in nuclear power plants can
become contaminated accidentally, requiring that it be disposed
of in a secure site.   
    Burning fossil fuels creates solid waste in the form of ash
and slag.  In addition, the treatment of waste gases and water
causes the formation of solid waste.  Waste nuclear fuel is
another form of solid waste resulting from energy production.

Ways to Conserve Electrical and Thermal Energy 

    Production facilities consume enormous amounts of
electricity in both their production processes and the operation
of their facilities.  Aside from environmental considerations,
the rapid increase in the cost of electricity provides a strong
motivation to conserve its use.  Box 22 lists several ways to
conserve electricity.

Consumption of electricity is a major cost for most facilities.

    Your company can conserve electricity by:

           Implementing housekeeping measures such
            as turning off equipment and lights
            when not in use.
           Placing cool air intakes and air-
            conditioning units in cool, shaded
            locations.
           Using more efficient heating and
            refrigeration units.
           Using more efficient motors.
           Eliminating leaks in compressed air
            supply lines.
           Improving lubrication practices for
            motor-driven equipment.
           Using energy-efficient power transfer
            belts.
           Using fluorescent lights and/or lower
            wattage lamps or ballasts.
           Installing timers and/or thermostats to
            better control heating and cooling.

                                                                 Box 22    

    Combustion of fossil fuels in primary heat sources such as
boilers or fired heaters provides a major source of heat input to
industrial processes.  Thermal energy can be conserved by taking
care to prevent its loss during transport from the combustion
site to the specific processes where it is used.  Box 23 lists
some measures that can be taken to conserve thermal energy as it
is transported and used.  It may also be possible to recover and
use heat generated by production processes.

    You can reduce loss with thermal energy conservation by:

           Adjusting burners for optimal air/fuel ratio.
           Improving or increasing insulation on
            heating or cooling lines.
           Instituting regular maintenance to
            reduce leakage and stop steam trap
            bypass. 
           Improving the thermodynamic efficiency
            of the process by options such as:

            -   Using condensers or
                regenerative heat exchanger to
                recapture heat.
            -   Using heat pumps or similar
                equipment to recover heat at
                distillation columns.
            -   Using more efficient heat
                exchangers.
            -   Using cogeneration of
                electricity and steam.
                                                                Box 23     
    

CONSERVING ENERGY THROUGH 
POLLUTION PREVENTION

    Energy consumption is reduced when waste generation is
controlled.  Treating and transporting pollutants represents an
enormous drain on the energy reserves of the United States.  
    Pollution prevention activities result in improved
efficiency of resource use, with a consequent reduction in the
amount of energy required to process input materials.  For
example, reuse of metals such as copper or aluminum requires
considerably less energy than is expended in extracting and
processing the ores.  Additional savings in energy can be
realized by reducing the amount of metal used in a production
process, thereby saving on energy required to recover the metal.
    Two books listed in Appendix G deal specifically with
facility energy conservation (Glasstone; Hu).  They provide
information on conducting energy audits, identifying conservation
alternatives, and other topics related to improving the
efficiency of energy use within a facility.