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Introduction
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1.1.Contextofthestudy
Thebackgroundofthetopicandmotivationforthestudyarepresentedinthechapter.
Inrecentyears,energy-consciousmanufacturingasaconsequenceofanincreasein
energydemandinindustrialplantsrelatedtotheimprovementofthequalityofman-
ufacturingprocessesandassociatedreliabilityoftechnologieshasriseninimportance
(Starketal.,2017).TheInternationalEnergyAgency(IEA)seestheworldenergy
demandgrowingmoreslowlythaninthepast,butstillrisingby30%by2040.More
focushasbeenputontherelationbetweenenergy-basedfossilfuelconsumptionand
carbondioxideemissions(CO
2).TheEuropeanUnion`sgovernmentshaveputmore
pressureonmanufacturers,formulatingpoliciesandregulationsfortheindustrialsec-
tors.Theseinitiativescallforchangesin:
-theimprovementofexistingtechnologiesandmanufacturingprocessestoextend
sustainableaspectsofmanufacturing,
-theuseofenergyinamoreefficientway,
-definitionofrelationbetweenenergyefficiencyandsustainability,
-increaseinprimaryenergy-efficientawarenessassociatedwiththesustainability
-awayofpromotingenergyefficientbehaviors,
-improvedcostefficiency(inPolandelectricenergyisabouttwotimesmoreexpen-
sivethannaturalgas,comparingprices,intheU.S.electricenergycostsoverfive
timesthannaturalgas,inGermany-threetimes).
Asaresultofanalysis,manycompaniesarestartingtoimprovetheirmanufactur-
ingprocessesandadoptenergy-efficienttechnologiestominimizetheirimpactonthe
environmentandhealth,increaseeconomicbenefitssimultaneously.Butstill,signif-
icanteffortsareneededtosupportfurtherimprovementsincurrenttechnologiesto
realizeadditionalenergysavingpotentialandreducecarbondioxide.Arelevantand
importantquestionisthenwhyisthispotentialonlymarginallyutilized?Inthiscon-
text,themeasureofenergyisrequiredandappraisalmethodsorexistingassessment
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