Improving energy efficiency of manufacturing processes requires knowledge about the energy consumption as a function of the machine tool and cutting process itself. Both theoretical and empirical models of unit process energy consumption have emphasized the relevance of fixed energy consumption which ensures the machine readiness. However, the machine tool behavior during the stand-by mode is lack of thorough study. This paper presented the investigation of fixed energy consumption from definition and description to improvement strategies. Six machine tools covering different manufacturing processes are selected for this investigation in order to evaluate the future savings.