Energy Efficiency Benchmarking in Industrial Plants: A Structured Review and Framework Synthesis

Authors

  • Angat Jotiram Ghanwat Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India Author
  • Avinash Somatkar Department of Mechanical Engineering,Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, India Author
  • Viraj Shailesh Patole Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India Author
  • Mahendra Uttam Gaikwad Department of Production Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai, India Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64229/rgmd0771

Keywords:

Industrial energy efficiency, Energy benchmarking, Energy management systems, Key performance indicators, Sustainability, Industrial decarbonization

Abstract

The global industrial sector is one of the main sources of consumer demands that drive the global economy, but it also represents roughly 37%-40% of the total energy demands worldwide, which makes it the largest contributor to emissions of greenhouse gases. As the price of energy keeps increasing and the environmental regulations are becoming stricter, it has been crucial for companies to set up energy efficiency as one of their top priorities. This study is a structured review of industrial energy-efficiency benchmarking literature, complemented by a synthesized framework derived from existing standards and prior studies. Namely, reviewing standards, such as ISO 50001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-established program "Energy Star", and the Indian scheme Perform, Achieve, and Trade, which is cited by various authors in the scientific literature. The study synthesizes key implementation stages reported in the literature to illustrate how benchmarking programs are commonly structured in industrial practice, which is the essence of the PDCA cycle, thorough data collection and the choosing of the most appropriate key performance indicators are being indicated. This research paper can be seen to comprehend efforts on external benchmarking for this wide range of industrial sector dependent on energy-intensive industries dealing with cement and steel. Besides, the authors depict complicated nature of performance by such technological tools as digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence facilitating on-the-spot, predictive optimization. By examining various case studies from all over the world, the paper is able to show that a well-organized method of benchmarking can bring substantial monetary savings, strengthen the market position, and also be in line with various sustainable development and decarbonization objectives of the industry. Lastly, it also talks about the planned research which is about predictive benchmarking practice, the degree of consonance with net-zero roadmaps while extending these activities to small-and medium-sized enterprises.

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Published

2026-04-28

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Angat Jotiram Ghanwat, Avinash Somatkar, Viraj Shailesh Patole, Mahendra Uttam Gaikwad (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Ghanwat, A. J., Somatkar, A., Patole, V. S., & Gaikwad, M. U. (2026). Energy Efficiency Benchmarking in Industrial Plants: A Structured Review and Framework Synthesis. Mechanical Theory and Systems, 2(1), 11-17. https://doi.org/10.64229/rgmd0771