Compressed air is often used in industry to drive processes that could be redesigned to use far less electrical energy. Electricity savings of up to 80% may be realized for switching from use of compressed air to direct-drive (via electric motor) for specific applications, such as cooling, drying, conveying, mixing, and cleaning. This type of technology requires familiarity with the specific application, but equipment conversions can yield substantial cost and energy savings.

Energy use reductions of 40% are often identified during compressed air assessments.  Compressed air assessors are taught to look for potentially inappropriate uses of compressed air in industrial plants as many applications can be done more effectively or more efficiently using methods other than compressed air.  The overall efficiency of a typical compressed air system can be as low as 15% to 20%.  It takes 7-8 hp of electrical input power to an air compressor to operate a 1 hp air motor.  Additional potentially inappropriate uses of compressed air include: open blowing (bearing cooling, drying, clean up, clearing conveyor jams), sparging, aspirating, atomizing, mixing and agitation, padding, dilute and dense-phase transport, vacuum generation with venturis, personnel cooling, open hand-held blowguns or lances, diaphragm pumps, cabinet cooling, and some hand held tool applications.

The compressed air auditor seeks to reduce air use requirements (hourly profile) through minimization of leakage and elimination of inappropriate uses of compressed air.  The supply side is then optimized to meet these reduced airflow requirements.  Sometimes a compressor can be turned off, resulting in significant energy savings.