Improved energy efficiency throughout the chemicals, plastics and life sciences industry has led to an impressive reduction of specific energy use. Since 1990, total production* in the sector has more than tripled in Belgium, while energy consumption has increased by only 40%. Moreover, since 2000, energy purchases have stabilized as a result of energy efficiency investments in both processes and utilities, increased attention for energy management, and the growth of less energy-intensive activities in the life sciences industry.

This continuous focus on energy efficiency has been spurred by the voluntary commitments made by the sector since 2003 and renewed in 2015, covering about 90% of the sector’s energy use. Thanks to the efforts of industry, the renewed voluntary agreements fulfill more than half of the energy efficiency requirements by European legislation. 

* based on the production index (cfr methodology)