Trends in Industrial Use of Energy

Abstract

Industry's use of energy, accounting for approximately 40 percent of U.S. consumption, changed significantly after 1973. In 1982 industry consumed one-third less energy than trends established before 1973 would have predicted. Part of this reduction resulted from improvements in the efficiency of industrial process technologies. Most is attributed, however, to slower growth in industrial economic activity and unprecedented changes in the composition of industrial output away from industries that consume large amounts of energy.