Typical manufacturing energy consumption
Consumption depends heavily on the manufacturing process, machinery age and number of shifts run per day. Light assembly work differs substantially from heat-intensive processes such as metalworking or food production.
| Facility scale | Electricity (kWh/yr) | Gas (kWh/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Small unit, single shift | 100,000 - 300,000 | 50,000 - 200,000 |
| Medium plant, double shift | 300,000 - 1,000,000 | 200,000 - 800,000 |
| Large plant, continuous shifts | 1,000,000 - 5,000,000+ | 800,000 - 4,000,000+ |
What drives the cost
- Production machinery and motors running across shift patterns
- Process heat, drying, curing or steam generation
- Compressed air systems, often a significant and sometimes overlooked electricity load
- Ventilation and extraction for process safety and air quality
- Lighting across large factory floor areas
Gas versus electricity split
Facilities relying on process heat, such as drying, curing or steam-based operations, often see gas consumption match or exceed electricity. Facilities driven mainly by mechanical or electrical machinery without significant heat processes tend to be electricity-dominant.
Shift patterns and peak exposure
Single-shift operations concentrate demand into daytime hours, increasing exposure to daytime peak rates. Multi-shift or continuous operations spread demand more evenly across the day, which can reduce relative exposure to peak charges but increases total annual consumption and capacity requirements.
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Half-hourly metering and capacity charges
Most manufacturing sites of meaningful scale are on half-hourly electricity settlement, which exposes them directly to time-of-use pricing and capacity charges based on maximum demand. Reviewing agreed supply capacity against actual peak demand can identify savings where capacity is set higher than required.
Contract length and renewal timing
Manufacturers often fix for 1 to 3 years, balancing budget certainty against the flexibility to respond to changing production volumes. Given the scale of consumption, renewal comparisons should begin 4 to 6 months ahead of contract expiry to allow time for detailed supplier tendering.
How to compare manufacturing energy prices
- Provide half-hourly consumption data where available for accurate quoting
- Review agreed supply capacity against actual recorded maximum demand
- Separate process gas usage from space heating gas usage if possible
- Consider flexible or bespoke contract structures for larger, complex sites