The 5 Biggest Energy Wins Manufacturers Can Achieve in 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for energy performance in manufacturing. Costs remain volatile, regulations are tightening, and customers are demanding cleaner supply chains. But for forward-thinking manufacturers, this pressure also creates opportunity. The businesses that invest in smarter energy management now will unlock significant savings, strengthen resilience, and gain a competitive edge.

Here are the five biggest energy wins manufacturers can achieve in 2026 — and why they matter.

Baseload is the silent profit-killer in manufacturing. These are the machines, systems and processes consuming power even when nothing is being produced — often without anyone noticing.

In 2026, manufacturers are expected to make major gains by:

• Installing real-time monitoring to identify night-time and weekend waste
• Optimising shutdown procedures
• Addressing plant-wide behavioural habits

Many sites discover 10–30% of their energy use is unnecessary baseload. Reducing it is one of the fastest and most cost-effective wins — no major capex, just visibility and action.

Energy procurement has become a strategic function, not just an annual renewal. With continued price uncertainty in 2026, the manufacturers who win will be the ones who:

• Understand their load profile
• Choose the right contract structure (fixed, flexible or hybrid)
• Benchmark supplier offers
• Take advantage of timing and market dips

For many, simply aligning procurement to actual operational demand can unlock tens of thousands in avoided costs. Smart contract optimisation is now essential to protecting margins.

Controls are often overlooked — but when tuned correctly, they deliver huge savings.

Key opportunities include:

• Resetting BMS schedules
• Optimising air handling and ventilation
• Adjusting temperature setpoints
• Improving compressor sequencing
• Training staff on energy-efficient operation

A strong behavioural programme paired with improved controls typically adds up to a 5–10% site-wide reduction. In a high-consumption facility, that’s substantial.

Manufacturers can’t manage what they can’t measure. In 2026, expect to see a surge in:

• Sub-metering on high-load assets
• Dashboards and alerts to track anomalies
• Automatic data collection to support ESOS, SECR and customer reporting
• Granular energy KPIs for production teams

Better visibility helps identify inefficiencies early, target improvements where they matter, and build the data evidence needed for future investment cases.

For many businesses, these insights are the foundation for long-term transformation.

Renewables aren’t just about sustainability — they’re about long-term cost security and energy independence.

In 2026, the biggest manufacturing wins will come from:

• Preparing sites for on-site solar (structural checks, consumption mapping, connection capacity)
• Exploring PPAs or shared-generation models
• Integrating battery storage to offset peak charges
• Understanding the business case for EV charging and fleet electrification

Even if capital projects aren’t planned for 2026, being renewable-ready ensures manufacturers can act quickly when funding, grants, or incentives appear — and stay ahead of competitor moves.