Energy Efficiency: A Strategic Priority for France’s Energy-Intensive Industries.

Efficacité énergétique : une priorité stratégique pour les industries françaises fortement consommatrices d’énergie.

A study conducted by ABB and Alfa Laval in partnership with Ifop, involving 175 decision-makers from energy-intensive companies in France, highlights the growing commitment of industrial companies to improving energy efficiency.

Growing awareness and commitment: 94% of companies consider energy efficiency a high priority, while 99% have already implemented at least one energy-saving initiative, with an average of six initiatives per company. Their main motivations are reducing environmental impact, controlling energy costs and improving competitiveness.

Tangible results: Existing initiatives are already delivering measurable benefits, including lower CO₂ emissions and energy consumption, improved industrial performance and better cost control. The most common measures include steam network insulation, machinery optimisation and the installation of energy meters.

Increasing investment: 79% of companies plan to increase their investment in energy efficiency over the next two to three years. However, progress remains constrained by high investment costs, limited budgets, long payback periods, and technical and operational challenges. Financial support is therefore seen as a key driver in accelerating the transition.

Accessible and effective solutions: Process optimisation, variable speed drives, energy monitoring systems and high-efficiency motors are among the solutions considered most effective. The priority is now to modernise existing installations and optimise industrial processes without disrupting production.

Conclusion: French energy-intensive companies have reached a significant level of maturity in energy efficiency and are keen to accelerate their efforts. The main challenge is now to turn this commitment into tangible investments by overcoming financial and operational barriers. Energy efficiency is therefore emerging as a key driver of decarbonisation, competitiveness and industrial performance.