Embodied Energy

Embodied energy is the total amount of energy required to produce a material or industrial product. Unlike the energy consumed directly to use or operate a product, embodied energy is "hidden". It corresponds to the sum of the energy used in a material or product's lifecycle, from extraction and processing to manufacture, transportation, installation, maintenance and recycling. To give a few examples, the embodied energy of a computer is estimated at 6,275 kWh, while that of a 45 kg dishwasher comes to around 1,000 kWh. Looking at cars, a vehicle with an internal combustion engine has an estimated embodied energy of 21,000 kWh, compared with 35,000 kWh for an electric vehicle. The embodied energy of an alkaline battery corresponds to 50 times the energy it stores.