The U.S. chemicals industry is maturing and optimizing its business portfolio for more competitive global markets. Over the past decade, the industry has reduced its energy use, shifting its status from the largest to the second-largest energy user among U.S. industries.
The chemicals industry has worked in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a range of resources for improving energy efficiency.
Some current R&D projects and Energy Management resources will benefit chemicals manufacturers.
Analytical Studies & Other Publications
- Manufacturing Energy and Carbon Footprints provide a mapping of energy use, energy loss, and carbon emissions for selected industry sectors.
- Manufacturing Energy Sankey Diagrams map the flow of energy supply, demand, and losses in U.S. manufacturing sectors (including chemicals), using data from the Manufacturing Energy and Carbon Footprints.
- Bandwidth Study on Energy Use and Potential Energy Saving Opportunities in U.S. Chemical Manufacturing (2015)
- Industrial Feedstock Flexibility Workshop Results (2009)
- Final Report: Evaluation of Alternative Technologies for Ethylene, Caustic-Chlorine, Ethylene Oxide, Ammonia, and Terephthalic Acid (2007)
- Hybrid Separations/Distillation (2005)
Documents for Historical Reference
Combinatorial Chemistry (2001)
New Biocatalysts: Essential Tools for a Sustainable 21st Century Chemical Industry (2000)
Energy and Environmental Profile of the Chemicals Industry (2000)
Chemicals Industry Biocatalysis Roadmap Summary (2000)
Computational Chemistry (1999)
Computational Fluid Dynamics (1999)
Chemicals Manufacturing
Chemicals are the building blocks of many products that meet our fundamental needs for food, shelter, and health. Chemical products are vital to computing, telecommunications, biotechnology, and other advanced technologies.
The chemistry industry is one of the largest industries in the United States. The business of chemistry is energy-intensive; it relies upon energy inputs for raw materials as well as for fuel and power. See our chemicals profile for more information.