Industrial energy efficiency in the climate change debate: comparing the US and major developing countries

International comparisons of industrial energy efficiency can be helpful in selecting countries where emission reduction action is most effective. The aim of this paper is to analyse the energy efficiency of two energy-intensive industries in major developing countries. The energy efficiency in the two sectors is compared to that of the US. The analysis shows that the iron and steel sector is most energy-efficient in South Korea and Brazil and that Mexico, India and China have achieved an energy efficiency level comparable to that of the US in recent years. Among the countries analysed, the specific energy consumption in the iron and steel sector ranges from 25 to 70% above best plant energy consumption in recent years. For cement production, we found that South Korea is the most energy-efficient country analysed, followed by Brazil, Mexico and in recent years India. The US and China are the least efficient countries in our analysis. The specific energy consumption in the cement sector ranges from 2 to 50% above best plant energy consumption. The differences in energy efficiency are largely explained by the differences in the type of clinker kilns used. Data on energy use are to some extent uncertain and our results should be used with care. However, on the basis of the statistical data available now, we conclude that developing countries are not always the least efficient and that it is not necessarily true that the cheapest greenhouse gas emission mitigation options can be found there.