Debate over cost of emissions reduction policy

Having talked in-depth with manufacturers in energy-intensive
industries about the bottomline benefits of running manufacturing
processes in a cleaner, more energy efficient way as part of
researching an upcoming feature article for Manufacturing
Business Technology, it was a bit surprising for me to learn
that the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce is gearing up to oppose aspects of the
Obama’s Administration’s plans on emissions reduction, claiming it
will be expensive for businesses.

As The New York Times‘ “Green
Inc.” blog points out today in covering this debate, some
industrial companies, specifically members of World Wildlife Fund’s
“Energy Savers” program, have found that emissions reduction
efforts usually bring hefty costs savings. Members include
Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, and Catalyst, a paper
company. The reason here is pretty simple: burning cleaner means
burning more efficiently, which requires less fuel for the same
amount of output.

Of course I understand that groups like the Chamber need to lobby
in advance of pending regulations. And certainly under cap &
trade many companies could end up paying more if they generate more
emissions. But at the same time, emissions reduction efforts
constitute a huge savings opportunity for manufacturing companies,
especially those in energy intensive industries like cement, pulp
and paper, or even food and dairy. I say let the interest groups
lobby away on cap & trade, but don’t allow the political noise
distract from the potential savings from emission reduction efforts
within companies.

To get a visual overview of typical processes in a plant that could
be running more with higher energy efficiency, take a look at this
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Industrial Technologies Program’s Web site, especially its
excellent (and free) set of “energy use and loss foot prints.” For
most people in manufacturing management, the focus should stay on
how to best apply technologies such as plant intelligence software,
advanced process control, and variable speed control to potential
energy black holes in our plants, rather than getting too worked up
about the inevitable lobbying that will ensue on cap & trade.