The Heat Is On

Waupaca Foundry

Environmental - Jun 15, 2023

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The Heat Is On

The world is serious about sustainability, and foundries will face increasing pressure in the supply chain to control their energy consumption and thereby lower CO2 emissions. Two foundries talk about the strides they've made.

Reducing your carbon footprint. It can be worrisome thought. For the heat-intensive metalcasting industry, the pressure to change how the foundry creates, consumes, and discharges heat is slightly reminiscent of the famous 1977 "Star Wars" trash compactor scene. Walls slowly closing in, no way out, try not to panic, and then, wait, there's a tentacle-waving slime monster in there, too?

Yes, the heat is on - both from customers demanding sustainability from their suppliers, and eventually from government regulation - but the situation is far from hopeless, and far, less desperate than the cinematic machinations of George Lucas. In fact, some proactive foundries have already faced the "monter" and disarmed the threat of the unknown by mapping realistic goals and achieving big wins in energy efficiencies.

The decarbonization of the industrial sector is the object of increaing scrutiny, but sustainably-generated electrification and elimination of carbon production won't happen overnight - there's simply too great a dependence on the combustion of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In 2018, 100 quadrillion (15 zeros) BTUs were consumed in the U.S., and 81% of the energy sources comprised the burning of petroleum, natural gas, and coal. The industrial sector used slightly more than one-quarter of the total energy consumption, and transportation took another 28%...

#environment #sustainability