Evaluation of environmental impact from APCA/CW partnership

This paper examines the APCA/Climate Wise Partnership and its potential energy and environmental impacts. The authors discuss the issues surrounding greenhouse gas emissions from the production of cement, new and future technologies, and the primary drivers and barriers associated with reducing emissions. The APCA/CW Partner actions and the aggregated impacts of these actions that are undertaken through this partnership are examined. These impacts include cost and energy savings and emission reductions for the current year, and estimated for the year 2000. Comparing these impacts to industrial CO2 benchmarks indicate the level of effort and what additionally needs to be accomplished. The current results from this partnership indicate that in the remainder of the industry adopts their level of effort, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced well below the business-as-usual benchmarks. The US cement industry accounts for about 1.5% of US industrial energy use and about 5% of US industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In 1997 Climate Wise and the American Portland Cement Alliance (APCA) embarked upon a unique partnership to turn energy efficiency and pollution prevention into a corporate asset. This partnership consists of the 16 APCA member companies, representing nearly 60% of US cement manufacturing capacity. Climate Wise, working with APCA and industry representatives, developed the cement industry Action Plan Software, reporting workbook, and sample Action Plan. Through these tools, continued technical support, and the hard work of the APCA companies, this partnership is showing positive results. Over half of the APCA Climate Wise partners have submitted Action Plans - detailing a comprehensive array of current and future actions to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These Action Plans have supplied valuable information about how this industry is reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions