Table 3 Energy consumption in healthcare vs. industrial sectors.
Process | Sector | Energy Use/Consumption and Technology |
|---|---|---|
Sterilization | Healthcare | Autoclaving and sterilization chambers using steam; 1.9 kWh/kg34; using steam and electric autoclaves. |
Industrial | Food and beverage sterilization using steam; 1.98 kWh/kg35 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix A); industrial autoclaves. | |
Cooling | Healthcare | Refrigeration (for medicines and blood) using electricity and chilled water; 39.72 kWh/(m\(\vphantom{0}^2\cdot\)a)36; employing chiller systems. |
Industrial | Cold storage in food and chemicals using electricity and chilled water; 0.297 kWh/tonne/year37 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix B); using chiller systems. | |
Heating | Healthcare | Space heating and hot water provided by heat and electricity; 35.88 kWh/m\(\vphantom{0}^2\) (35.88 kWh/bed annually)38 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix C); using heat pumps and boilers. |
Industrial | Industrial furnaces and space heating in the textile industry, using heat and electricity; 0.101 kWh/km (energy intensity per kilometre of processed material; see Supplementary Information, Appendix D); using electric furnaces and boilers. | |
Drying | Healthcare | Laundry and medical waste drying using electricity and steam; 0.31 kWh per kg of IMW39 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix F) and 0.174 kWh per article for laundry drying40 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix E); using industrial dryers. |
Industrial | Textile and grain drying using electricity and steam; 0.139 kWh/kg41 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix G); using industrial dryers. | |
Incineration | Healthcare | Medical waste incineration using electricity and heat; 0.21194 kWh/kg42 (see Supplementary Information, Appendix H); using waste incinerators. |
Industrial | Waste treatment and hazardous waste incineration using electricity and heat; 0.0822–0.4291 kWh/kg43; using waste incinerators. | |
Compressed Air/Medical Gases | Healthcare | Applications in anesthesia, oxygenation, and surgical tools using compressed air and oxygen; 0.158 kWh/Nm\(\vphantom{0}^3\) (case study)44; employing medical air compressors, on-site oxygen generators, and medical vacuum systems. |
Industrial | Use in pneumatic tools and process control; 23 kW per 100 cfm at a Canada Bread plant45; using air compressors. | |
Electricity Supply | Healthcare | Powering biomedical equipment and lighting using grid electricity (with backup generators and PV systems); 384 kWh/m\(\vphantom{0}^2\)46. |
Industrial | Powering industrial machinery and lighting; 123–160 kWh per ton in a cement plant47; supplied by grid, transformers, and diesel generators. |
