Over 45% of all the fuel burned by U.S. manufacturers is consumed to raise steam. Steam is used to heat raw materials and treat semi-finished products. It is also a power source for equipment, as well as for building heat and electricity generation. But steam is not free. It costs approximately $18 billion (1997 dollars) annually to feed the boilers generating the steam.

Many manufacturing facilities can recapture energy through the installation of more efficient steam equipment and processes. A typical industrial facility can realize steam savings of 20% by improving their steam system. If steam system improvements were adopted industry-wide, the benefits would be $4.0 billion in fuel cost reductions and 32 million metric tons of emission reductions.

There are no current events at this time.

The whole system must be considered for improvements to best pursue reducing operating costs. Upstream inefficiencies will affect process heating and cost of producing steam; while downstream inefficiencies (leaks, bad traps, poor load control) can also affect process heating and have severe effects on the boiler and cost of producing steam. Example opportunities for savings are found in:

• Steam Generation through cogeneration applications, boiler controls, and water treatment;
• Steam Distribution through checking steam leaks, installing insulation and proper steam trap maintenance;
• Steam End Use through heat exchanger maintenance;
• Steam Recovery through condensate return.