Energyintensive

Energy-intensive is used to describe activities, industries, or processes that require large amounts of energy relative to the output. Common examples include steelmaking, cement and lime production, aluminum smelting, chemical production, fertilizers, paper, mining, and data centers. Energy intensity is usually measured as energy input per unit of output, such as gigajoules per tonne of product or kilowatt-hours per unit of service. The metric varies by sector and technology.

Factors that raise energy intensity include the thermodynamic requirements of processes (high temperatures and chemical reactions), continuous operation, and heat losses. Technology differences, resource availability, and energy mix also play a role. Some processes demand high-grade energy and large-scale infrastructure, while others benefit from heat recovery and process integration.

Environmental and economic implications: high energy intensity often leads to greater greenhouse gas emissions when electricity and fuels come from carbon-intensive sources, and it influences operating costs and competitiveness. Policy approaches include efficiency standards, energy pricing, carbon pricing, and incentives for cogeneration, waste-heat recovery, and fuel switching to lower-carbon options. Electrification with low-carbon electricity is a common strategy for some sectors, while others pursue advanced materials or process changes.

Trends: energy intensity has declined in many industries due to efficiency improvements, but rapid output growth can offset gains. Ongoing strategies include more efficient furnaces and motors, process integration, heat recovery, and adoption of electrified equipment and novel technologies such as electric arc furnaces for steel and dry processes for cement.