in industry, the savings “are not in production”, according to Pannier-Runacher

The government is firing on all cylinders to achieve its goal of reducing energy consumption by 10% within two years. As part of its energy sobriety plan, it launched a new sector working group on Wednesday, dedicated to industry. The eighth of its kind, after in particular those devoted to the organization of work in companies, housing, establishments open to the public, sports or transportation.

During this first meeting, which brought together the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the Minister Delegate for Industry, Roland Lescure, as well as federations and industrial groups, a series of measures to reduce energy consumption in industry.

Read alsoTertiary companies would be the first to be affected by rationing this winter, according to Roland Lescure

At the end of this workshop, the ministers were very clear: the paths to sobriety in the secondary sector are not linked to production. “The industry has made enormous efforts on the energy consumption at the heart of its processes. Production has been optimized to consume as little energy as possible, this is not where the energy savings lie“, assured Agnès Pannier-Runacher. Roland Lescure followed suit: “The objective of this sobriety plan is to make, in industry as in all sectors, all savings that are not directly linked to production processes, (…), which will allow us to avoid significant declines in activity.»

Temperature, lighting and heating

Measures were discussed during this first meeting:temperature control in offices, workshops“, or “lighting measures” and “on the use of the buildings when they are not open to the public, for example at weekends or at night“, enumerated Agnès Pannier-Runacher. “There are also all the adjustment measures for domestic hot water, boilers and heat pumps and the various heating systems“, she added, saying that they could lead to reductions in the consumption of “5.7, 10%“. The minister also mentioned thedigital installations that can run at night, on weekends, without necessarily being useful at that time“.

Not a word on the other hand on the possible energy cuts of which the industrial companies could be victims in the event of too much tension this winter on the supply of electricity and gas. A threat agitated by the executive, in particular on gas, since households will not be affected by potential gas shedding, repeated Elisabeth Borne. “Industry is a big consumer of energy, but it is a sector that we want to preserve as much as possible“, reminded Roland Lescure this Wednesday.

Read alsoCompanies: what forms will any gas cuts take this winter?

According to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the signals of sobriety sent for several weeks by the government and companies have already made it possible to lower energy prices on the markets. “The information that we have been able to provide to the market at both government and corporate level has helped to calm these prices down a bit, but they remain high“, underlined the Minister of Energy Transition.