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Remanufacturing and energy savings
Timothy G Gutowski1, Sahil Sahni, Avid Boustani
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. gutowski@mit.edu
Environmental Science & Technology
|April 26, 2011
Summary
Remanufactured products may not save energy when the product use phase is considered. Energy savings depend heavily on use-phase efficiency, which often favors new products over remanufactured ones.
Area of Science:
- Sustainability Science
- Industrial Ecology
- Energy Systems Analysis
Background:
- Remanufacturing is often promoted for its energy-saving potential, primarily by analyzing materials production and manufacturing phases.
- However, the energy consumption during the product's use phase can significantly alter the overall energy balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the net energy savings of remanufactured products compared to new ones, considering the entire product lifecycle.
- To analyze how use-phase energy consumption impacts the viability of remanufacturing as an energy-saving strategy.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 25 case studies across eight diverse product categories (furniture, clothing, computers, electric motors, tires, appliances, engines, toner cartridges).
- Compared energy consumption across materials production, manufacturing, and use phases for both new and remanufactured products.
Main Results:
- For most studied products, the use phase energy consumption is more significant than combined materials and manufacturing energy.
- Efficiency improvements in new products and degradation in remanufactured products can negate claimed savings.
- Out of 25 cases, 8 showed clear energy savings, 6 did not, and 11 were inconclusive.
- Energy savings potential of remanufacturing diminishes with product design trends favoring increased power and efficiency over time.
Conclusions:
- Remanufacturing's energy-saving benefits are not universal and are highly dependent on the product's use-phase energy requirements.
- When use-phase energy is negligible or constant, remanufacturing can be an effective energy-saving strategy.
- Product evolution towards higher energy efficiency in new models challenges the energy-saving advantages of remanufacturing.
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