Energy efficiency in the manufacturing industry — A tertiary review and a conceptual knowledge-based framework

Abstract

In the context of scarce primary resources and rising energy prices, the scientific community is becoming all the more engrossed in finding innovative solutions liable to increase energy efficiency. The industrial sector, and in particular the manufacturing industry, have a significant share of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, energy efficiency has come to acquire a prominent position in the research literature related to managerial decision making in the manufacturer sector. This is evident in the constant progress in lines of research of primary (original articles) and secondary (review articles) grade on the topic. Taking into consideration this rich body of literature, the objective of this study consists in surveying the recent systematic literature reviews published on energy efficiency in the manufacturing industry between 2016 and 2022. Following descriptive and content analysis, the present study generates and schematizes six categories that represent the current status of research in the area: Energy Diagnostic, Energy Metering, Energy Optimization, Energy and Technology, Energy Efficiency Strategic paradigms, and Energy Efficiency Drivers and barriers. Subsequently, we elaborate an integrative conceptual framework of energy efficiency that illustrates the classification of the six identified categories in terms of three overarching forms of knowledge (Process, Technical, and Leadership Knowledge). This tertiary review offers, thus, a comprehensive overview of the studied field for academia, industry, and policymakers.

Keywords

• Energy efficiency
• Manufacturing industry
• Conceptual framework
• Systematic literature review
• Tertiary study