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Embodied energy is the total energy required to produce a product, counting every energy input from the very start—extracting raw materials, processing and manufacturing, assembling, transporting to the factory or site, and even energy used in disposal or recycling later. This concept captures the full energy footprint embedded in the product itself, not just the energy you use to operate it after it’s made. That’s why it’s the right choice for describing the total energy needed to produce something.

Other terms don’t describe this full picture. Energy distribution is about delivering energy from a source to where it’s used. Energy storage concerns holding energy for later use. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a technology that co-generates electricity and usable heat to improve efficiency. So they don’t refer to the complete energy demand of making a product. In practice, people estimate embodied energy through life cycle assessment, summing all energy inputs across the product’s life cycle.