The challenges of energy sobriety for industry
Industry is a major emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 20% of national CO2 emissions, according to Réseau Action Climat. According to the French Ministry of Sustainable Development, industry (including construction) is the third largest emitter of CO2 in France, behind transport and agriculture.
Would you like support in decarbonizing your industry?
As you can see, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a major challenge for the industry. Not only to achieve
One solution is to move towards
The challenge is to reduce consumption while maintaining the same volume of production. To guide manufacturers in this approach, discover the energy sobriety plan.
Energy efficiency plan 2024: definition
The French government has set itself the target of reducing consumption by 10% by 2024, compared with 2019 levels. This represents a first step towards the 2050 goal of carbon neutrality.
To achieve this, the government has set out broad guidelines in a document called the Energy Sobriety Plan. This plan was announced by the French President in 2022, during his speech on July 14. The aim was to anticipate the risk of energy shortages due to the war in Ukraine.
Who is affected by the energy efficiency plan?
We are all affected by the energy efficiency plan, regardless of our status or sector: private individuals, local authorities, businesses, establishments open to the public, the tertiary sector, industry, housing, transport, the digital sector, sport, and so on. Sobriety must be adapted to each sector.
For the time being, only the 120 largest French companies are required to draw up an energy efficiency plan. For the rest, the measures are based on common sense and good will. It is particularly in the interest of industrial companies to implement energy-saving measures, as they are among the first to be affected in the event of electricity shortages/rationing.
How is energy efficiency applied in industry?
Here are the key measures of the energy sobriety plan for the industrial sector:
- Carry out an energy audit to identify areas of energy loss and possible areas for optimization.
- Implement energy management and a global strategy to reduce consumption.
- Invest in energy-saving devices such as smart sensors, waterproofing of networks and thermal insulation of heating networks. For this purpose, it may be worth joining the
PACTE Industrie program, which trains and supports industries indecarbonization . Among other things, assistance can subsidize investments such as those mentioned above.
Dametis can help you carry out an industrial energy audit and set up an energy management system!
For example, Dametis’ implementation of an energy management system at Toshiba reduced energy consumption by 50% in 1 year. Thanks to our EMS software, My Dametis, the teams are now autonomous in the management and ongoing optimization of their consumption.
What gestures should you adopt?
We’ve seen some of the measures in the energy efficiency plan designed for industry, but other measures are common to all sectors:
Saving energy in buildings:
- Follow the temperature instructions:
- When the premises are in use: limit heating to 19°C in winter and air conditioning to 26°C in summer (and ideally not use it at all).
- When the premises are not in use: limit heating to 16°C (when unoccupied for between 24 and 48 hours) or 8°C (when unoccupied for more than 48 hours).
- Use a building automation and control system (BACS decree): intelligent control will considerably reduce energy wastage. For example, this system automatically turns down the heating during hours when the building is not occupied, and adapts lighting according to outside light levels.
- Renovate industrial buildings: change boilers, insulate roofs and walls, replace lighting with LEDs, etc.
- Insulate water systems / pipes: to prevent heat loss, for example when a pipe runs through an unheated area.
- Maintain equipment, particularly boilers and heat pumps. Carry out regular de-silting to keep them running efficiently.
Practicing more sober mobility:
- Introduce a sustainable mobility package (FMD) for employees: this can be used to purchase a bicycle, reimburse public transport costs, etc. It is exempt from social security contributions up to a maximum of It is exempt from social security contributions up to €800.
- Encourage public transport, carpooling and cycling.
- Avoid unnecessary travel: use videoconferencing whenever possible.
- Encourage people to travel by train rather than by car.
We also recommend selecting partners and subcontractors who are themselves committed to energy efficiency.
The 2024 energy efficiency plan: results and developments
Results in 2024
So in 2024, what are the first results of the energy sobriety plan? The winter of 2022-2023 saw a 12% reduction in gas and electricity consumption. The target has been reached.
However, we must continue our efforts and anchor the measures of the energy sobriety plan in the long term. Experts estimate that we need to reduce our energy consumption by 40% (compared with 2019) to reach our 2050 targets. We need to make energy efficiency a part of everyday life for all French people: citizens, manufacturers, businesses, local authorities, etc.
New measures in the energy sobriety plan Act 2
Following the initial results, the French government has published the Energy Sobriety Plan Act 2. The new objective is “to make France the first major industrial country in the world to move away from fossil fuels”. The aim of this new energy efficiency plan is also to promote long-term measures adapted to the summer (when the first part of the energy efficiency plan focused more on the winter).
In concrete terms, here are some new actions for the industrial sector:
- Sober travel:
- In the goods transport sector, optimize deliveries, in particular by installing software to optimize routes.
- Encourage employees to drive at 110 km/h on the freeway (instead of 130) for business purposes. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption by 20%. And more generally, develop eco-driving training courses.
- Improve vehicle maintenance.
- The malus on the heaviest, most CO2-emitting vehicles has been increased.
- Employers can now reimburse the cost of private bicycle hire.
- Extension until December 2027 of the tax reduction for companies providing their employees with a fleet of company bicycles.
- Encourage telecommuting whenever possible to limit travel.
- Digital sobriety:
- Promote the purchase of reconditioned business phones, as well as re-use.
- Encourage companies to train their employees in digital practices.
Evolution of the plan over the next few years
Over the next few years, the energy sobriety plan should continue to add new measures to encourage the French to reduce their energy consumption. We’ll be keeping a close watch to let you know if there are any new government subsidies to support manufacturers in their energy transition.
How to set up an energy-saving plan for industry?
Here are the steps to follow to set up an energy-saving plan for industry:
- Identification of the main consumption items through an energy audit
- Raising awareness and training teams in good practices
- Drawing up an action plan and implementing measures to optimize consumption
- Measuring the impact of actions
- Continuous monitoring of consumption and identification of new reduction opportunities
Dametis helps you implement your energy efficiency plan
As a manufacturer, it’s in your interest to implement an energy-saving plan. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- Reduce costs and increase margins
- Helping to move towards carbon neutrality
- Take a step towards France’s energy independence and limit the risk of energy shortages
Dametis can help you implement it in your industry. We start by carrying out an energy audit. This will enable us to identify precisely where energy is being lost or wasted. We’ll then put in place measures to optimize your consumption:
