Key Areas

Energy Purchase, Supply and Management

Energy purchase arrangements require regular review to ensure that the terms of supply most appropriately fit business activities. Internal events such as changes in productivity levels, routines or number of product lines can all influence the quantity and profile of energy consumption and energy cost. External factors such as greater competition of energy suppliers can lead to opportunities for lower energy costs by renegotiating with the existing supplier or switching to a new one.

Lighting Systems

Poor choice of light fittings, lamps and lighting control can impact negatively on energy consumption.

Lighting has a huge impact on employee productivity and appropriate lighting standards are regulated under AS 1680.

Motors, Belts and Drives

Motor loading, maintenance routines and energy transfer between processes impact on energy consumption.

Ensuring that motor size and performance is adequately matched to the process is important for minimising energy costs.

Air Conditioning and Ventilation

Space heating and cooling is essential for employee comfort and equipment functionality.

Seasonal variations result in large demand fluctuations throughout the year for heating and cooling.

Optimising space conditioning by reducing building heat loss/gain can lower energy bills and create a more comfortable work place.

Fans and Pumps

Understanding process demands enables correct selection of fans and pumps.

Compressed Air Systems

Compressed air is essential in most industrial applications and is a common area where unnecessary energy is consumed.

As system loads change over time compressor suitability is often overlooked. Losses in compressed air circuits contribute significantly to high energy costs.

Steam Systems

Steam generation is another area highly susceptible to losses any consequently energy waste.

Regular maintenance, review of boiler suitability and performance monitoring are critical to reduce over consumption in steam systems.

Hydraulic Systems

Hydraulics systems are high energy users.

A poorly designed system or one that is not in keeping with current production trends is likely to be using more energy than an optimum system.

Procedural changes can be a cheap option to reduce energy consumption of hydraulic systems.

Refrigeration Systems

Industrial chilled water and refrigeration systems are designed to operate for considerable time before requiring replacement and as they near end of life the option of repair and replacement of fatigued items can appear a cost effective solution in contrast to entire system redesign and replacement.

Refrigeration, like air conditioning systems, have improved significantly in terms of performance, efficiency and environmental friendliness in recent years and can offer potentially great cost savings in some cases to upgrade despite the capital cost involved.

Carbon Intensity Mapping/Information collection

Knowledge of the energy intensity of critical production stages and different business outputs enables informed decision making with respect to reducing waste and costs.

Knowledge of your process is critical prior to making positive changes to your business processes. Collecting knowledge is the difference between recording data to be filed away and never looked at again and collecting information that is used to improve the business. How is your energy data collected and stored?

Other areas:

• Injection Moulding and Extrusion
• Drying Systems
• Materials Handling