Euromap, the umbrella association of European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers, has announced a study, soon to be completed, on energy efficiency. The study shows that the amount of energy saved by cutting machine-related energy consumption will be comparable to the annual electricity demand of all private households in Hamburg. "This considerable saving can be made despite the fact that around one third of energy consumption is a constant over which we have no control, since it is the energy required to melt plastics".
The potential savings highlighted by the study therefore clearly satisfy the strict criteria laid down by the European Commission. The study draws attention to technological developments in energy efficiency, especially in the fields of blow moulding, extrusion, injection moulding and thermoforming. Its findings are based on an extensive survey of European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers and processing firms. It discusses current reference studies and makes use of relevant statistics. It will be published in instalments starting in summer 2011.