Where industrial electricity goes
Electric motor-driven systems — pumps, fans, compressors, conveyors — account for roughly 70% of all electricity used by industry. That single fact is why motor-system efficiency, variable-speed control and right-sizing dominate any serious industrial energy programme.
Source: IEA — Motor-driven system electricity use as a share of industry electricity (2023)
What it means
If motors move 70% of the electricity, the fastest electrical savings in any plant are almost always in the motor system — not in lighting or office loads. Variable-speed drives, correct sizing and cutting the system friction around pumps and fans are where the kilowatt-hours actually are.
Context
Across heavy industry, the great majority of electricity never powers a 'process' directly — it spins a motor that drives a pump, fan, compressor or conveyor. Because these machines often run continuously, even small percentage inefficiencies compound into large annual costs. This is the structural reason motor-system optimisation, rather than headline equipment, is the highest-return electrical efficiency lever on most sites.
Related charts
Electricity's rising share of industrial energy
How fast global electricity demand is growing
Renewables' share of global electricity
Related topics
Pump Efficiency: Where the Energy Goes and How to Cut It · Compressed Air Efficiency: Leaks, Pressure and Cost · Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)
Relevant to: Chemicals · Steel & Metals · Cement · Paper & Packaging