Strategic perspectives on energy management: A case study in the process industry

Energy issues and energy management gain more interest within the society at large as well as amongst companies of different sizes. Yet, even in energy-intensive companies, like process industries, energy management is seldom treated strategically. The purpose of this study is thus to investigate the necessary prerequisites for putting energy management on the strategic agenda in energy-intensive process industries. This is done by the means of a literature review and a case study, and the analysis is based on how energy management is treated from three perspectives; a strategic perspective, an energy system utilization perspective, and an alternative revenue perspective. The case study shows, similar to other process industry companies, that the strategic importance of energy management, to a large extent, is neglected. The research also indicates necessary prerequisites, for each perspective, for highlighting the strategic importance of energy management for a typical company in the process industry sector. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.