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Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Introduction

The total primary energy requirement (TPER) of the Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN) network was estimated to be 35,471 GWh in 2021. This represents a total estimated energy spend of €2.242 billion and accounts for approximately 22% of the national TPER. With the publication of the Climate Action Plan 2023 we expect that interest in the network will continue to grow as large energy users come under increasing pressure to decarbonise their operations.

According to the data submitted by members, the total LIEN CO2 emissions reported for 2021 was 4.115 million tonnes, an overall increase of 7.3% compared with 2020 and accounts for 6.7% of national CO2 emissions.

Members are categorised by sector: Pharma/Chem, Food/Drink, Healthcare, Metal and Engineering, Electronics and Other. More information on each sector is provided in the tabs above. Levels of output from the different sectors varied in 2021.

Energy Saving Projects

For the 2021 period, data reported on energy saving projects demonstrated a saving of 389 GWh of final energy. It is estimated that 78.1 kt CO2 emissions were avoided in 2021 due to these reported energy savings and companies saved €20.5 million on their energy bills.

Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Pharma/Chem

Pharma/Chem represents 21% of the overall LIEN membership and 8% of the network TPER. The sector includes the traditional bulk active pharmaceutical companies, final product packaging and the bio pharma industry. The LIEN Pharma/Chem sector CO2 emissions increased by 11.9% on average in 2021, while TPER increased by 3.7%.

Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Food/Drink

Food / Drink has the largest number of members in the LIEN and are collectively responsible for 18.2% of the network’s TPER and 20.7% of the network emissions. In 2021, TPER increased by 4.4%, while output increased by 3%. Food and drink products rely heavily on international trade, and excellence in energy management will continue to be critical to their success in this competitive international marketplace.

Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Healthcare

LIEN members within the healthcare sector account for 4.4% of the network’s TPER. In 2021, output increased significantly by 28.9%, TPER increased by 8.4% and emissions increased by 6.6%. These increases are likely due to the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic during 2021. Regulatory constraints mean that members tend to replicate solutions tested by other industries and use the network to learn from the experiences of others.

Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Electronics

LIEN members within the Electronics sector account for 8.4% of the network’s TPER. In 2021, the sector’s TPER increased by 0.9% and recorded an increase in output of 0.4%. CO2 in the sector accounted for 9.5% of the network’s emissions and increased by 8.1% in 2021. Most of this sectoral representation in the LIEN can be attributed to a single company and as so results can vary compared with other sectors.

Pharma/Chem 8.4
Pharma/Chem 8.4
Food/Drink 18.2
Healthcare 4.4
Electronics 8.4
Other 60.6

Other

The 'Other' sector accounts for 60.6% of the network’s TPER and 11.4% of the national TPER. The sector is made up of a mix of retail, technology, and services companies, and some of the more traditional ‘heavy industries’, such as cement manufacture and refining. These heavy industries unsurprisingly account for a large proportion of the energy consumed by the group.

In 2021, the group’s TPER increased by 14% and emissions by 18.7%. However, a reduction in output was reported, which decreased by 14%.