Nearly 50% of the energy used within the industry is
transformed into chemical products. For example, liquefied petroleum gases (a mixture of
gases such as ethylene, ethane, propane, propylene) serve as feedstocks for the
manufacture of polyethylene, polypropylene, and a host of other products. Also, natural
gas is used to produce ammonia, a raw material used in the production of many fertilizers.
The chart below shows total inputs for heat and power (no feedstocks). The largest use of
energy for heat and power (43%) is in boilers used to produce steam to drive chemical
reactions and perform product separation and finishing operations. Other process heating
and cooling accounts for about 27% of energy use. Electricity is used to power equipment
and drive electrochemical processes, as well as to heat, light, and cool industry
facilities. [MECS 1994]
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