Industrial Energy Saving Tactics

Amongst all developed countries, the U.S. is at the bottom of the list for energy efficiency. Government data has shown that industrial energy usage is responsible for around 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions, making manufacturing operations the #1 main contributors to this ranking. While consumption and waste are inevitable side-effects of progress, managing use by implementing industrial energy saving tactics can make a significant impact on the environment and on energy bills.

Regardless of whether you are making steel, canning vegetables, or refining oil, the potential to improve energy efficiency and the status of the country as a waste offender is there. By reducing the amount of energy consumed, the plant will be able to maintain its competitiveness, especially when it comes to the global uncertainties and ever-growing concern for operations to become more environmentally friendly. Using new and quality-made products to meet your company’s energy demands can help to replace more outdated solutions in favor of more modern and efficient technologies.

The energy that is used by the United States’ manufacturing facilities totals around $180 billion every year. It is estimated that up to 30% of all energy in buildings is wasted. The Better Buildings Challenge is challenging American business owners to become at least 20% more energy efficient by the time 2020 rolls around. It also helps to improve the bottom line in businesses everywhere. A focus on energy efficiency translates to a focus on profitability and overall operational efficiency.

Natural Ventilation

Gravity ventilation systems represent one of the most common and oldest methods for obtaining clean airflow into enclosed spaces. Industries throughout the world utilized natural ventilation systems to cool their facilities. By using the natural forces of air pressure and wind to cool a space, the energy normally used to move that air can be saved.

Utilizing ventilators to bring the cool outside air into the building, while eliminating contaminated and heated air through vents in the roof, a cooler work environment is created. Focusing on how the air naturally moves through a building, can make the workspace cooler. Furthermore, when workers stand directly in the path of the cool air flow it improves worker conditions and comfort. This ensures that the workers stay comfortable even during the hottest times of the day. Natural ventilation is the ultimate green energy ventilation.

Scheduling

Coordinating work schedules to equalize temperatures and energy use throughout the day is another way to improve efficiency. Analyzing energy that is used in off-shift periods and reallocating resources will help can result in big energy savings. This data shows changes in demand and might indicate when machinery can be shut or reallocated.

Studying consumption will guide energy-saving efforts and show where efforts should be focused. Furthermore, accessing historical information will allow users to establish performance benchmarks. In plants that operate on a 24-hour production cycle, redirecting energy consumption to off-peak hours can add up.

Even in facilities that don’t operate 24-hours a day can see a cost benefit. Start-up spikes occur when several mechanical systems are all start at once. These voltage jumps can lead to higher energy usage overall. By gradually ramping up the mechanical equipment in a staged pattern, excessive changes in overall energy can be avoided.