Ripe for the Picking: Have We Exhausted the Low-Hanging Fruit in the Industrial Sector?

Informed by interviews with over 40 experts across ethylene operators, engineering companies, national labs, benchmarking firms, and more, this paper conveys key aspects about what is actionable, where improvements are needed, and the paths that should be pursued to advance technologies that will meet evolving customer demands, address competition, and significantly lower the environmental impact of ethylene production. 

This paper highlights a central lesson for policymakers: Industrial innovation requires alignment across government programs (grants, procurement), financing mechanisms (tax credits, loans), and institutional capacity. When these three are backed by sustained commitment from the public sector, private industry, and external stakeholders, the transition from demonstration to deployment becomes viable.

Utility energy efficiency programs have increased investment in low-income households, but significant gaps remain. This report examines spending and savings trends across 48 major U.S. utilities, identifies barriers to expanding low-income programs and highlights policies and program strategies that can improve energy affordability and equitable access to efficiency upgrades.