Delivering in uncertain times: 5 fast, low-cost energy efficiency actions

Challenging times call for fast action; challenging times create opportunity. As resources are funnelled towards maintaining business continuity, manufacturers find themselves under different pressures: some are trying to maximise process efficiency to deliver value at lowest cost while others are reducing utility baseloads to an absolute minimum to avoid parasitic costs.

While challenges might differ, some opportunities to reduce utility consumption have common ground. Here are 5 fast, low-cost energy efficiency actions that will help you meet the challenges in these times of uncertainty.

1. Review your technology setup

We often find that setpoints for energy saving equipment such as VSDs have drifted with time. Returning these to design conditions often results in significant savings.

2. Carry out deferred maintenance surveys

For example compressed air leak and steam trap surveys and rectification pays back within months. If you can’t get contractors on site then many of these issues can be identified by your own team using tools and techniques available to you.

3. Review your baseload consumption

Most businesses will have access to half-hourly (HH) data from their suppliers. Those with no access to sub-metering data often identify trends and opportunities by analysing out of hours HH data. We offer a free trial of our industry-leading Carbon Desktop software to capture this data automatically. You can use this to evaluate potential savings from reducing baseload.

4. Trial metering and monitoring in one area

Set up a mini metering and monitoring programme for a small number of metering points capturing areas of expected highest consumption or known losses. Even if this is initially a manual process at low frequency, savings can still be achieved and the concept will be proved for future, larger programmes.

5. Review alerting on your energy monitoring platform

Several energy monitoring platforms will have an option for alerting users to deviations from the norm – helping you to avoid unnecessary running costs and ensuring business continuity. Now is the time to review your alert settings and speak to your provider to ensure that these are still set up optimally.

Join our 15-minute webinar: Control utility costs and prevent losses with exception alerting.

We will be hosting a short webinar on 12th May at 11.00-11.15 am (UK time). We will explain the benefits of exception alerting and the different means in which it could be used to improve your business performance.

Find out more about the webinar

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