Effective energy management holds infinite benefits for industrial operators

THERE ARE a plethora of challenges facing industrial operators in today’s climate. Economic factors like inflation, rising cost of materials, labour shortages and downtime arising from unplanned maintenance, are some of the key ones.

But another major area that can affect costs and plant efficiency is energy usage. With prices high and industrial plants being huge consumers, energy management is clearly an area to focus on when looking to reduce operating costs and consider net zero goals.

According to RS, cost savings, reduced downtime from energy-efficient equipment, and the potential to make a tangible contribution to sustainability goals should all be incentives to prioritise a focus on energy management.

Monitoring holds the key to effective energy management

Understanding how and when energy is being used across any plant is key to creating an effective energy management strategy that will yield results. Tracking consumption in real-time will help operators identify the biggest energy-sapping equipment and processes. This is key in creating the approach for impactful improvements, whether that be upgrading of equipment or assessing processes like production schedules.  

There are many accessible energy monitoring equipment types now available that operators can reap the benefits of. Portable wi-fi enabled power energy monitors and data loggers are a useful and relatively inexpensive type of equipment to invest in. They offer a simple way to identify sources of energy waste, and can even create reports from the data collected to provide actionable insights. The data is a real-time view of energy consumption and can be easily shared across multiple departments. 

Getting specialist help with surveys and solutions

Alongside skills shortages comes resource scarcity. This is often where it becomes difficult to effectively create and execute energy management strategies. Getting specialist help can result in effective assessment and solution, with fast return on investment.

But according to a report from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, only 21% of manufacturers had sought information or advice on how to improve their energy usage and/or efficiency. Specialists can execute a range of activities like air leak and pump efficiency surveys, electrical panel thermography and suggest energy-efficient products. These are all activities a business would struggle to dedicate the time to, if operating a tight ship day-to-day.  

Recommending changes in production processes and schedules to maximise lower tariff or renewable energy sources can significantly contribute to energy savings. So can the savings that can be achieved by taking equipment off standby when not in use, like at weekends. And of course, there’s a whole world of energy-efficient products to be discovered that are building-related rather than production. These include LED lighting, and sensors to avoid lights being left on when no one is in the vicinity, helping reduce usage. Effective insulation will prevent energy leakage. 

Energy management can enhance preventative maintenance 

When equipment energy usage is monitored, and data collected and analysed, insights about the health of a machine can also be gleaned. A machine using too much energy, or being subject to power surges, could be susceptible to overheating, which could result in failure and unplanned downtime or this could be indicative of wider issues on the asset. 

The right data on energy usage can inform a preventative maintenance strategy, thus protecting an asset and extending its life. A machine not running efficiently can also affect quality of output, along with the rate of output. 

The significant role of energy management in sustainability goals

Sustainability is no longer an area operators can give a cursory nod to. It’s a necessity, not a lip service,  not least because, according to Our World in Data, industrial operations are responsible for almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

It’s the responsibility of every industrial operator to work to reduce carbon emissions, as major carbon generators, so the benefits of energy management are more than achieving bottom line savings. It’s crucial to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), which no organisation should be side-lining. 

ESG is now both a stakeholder and customer expectation, and an important element in employee retention. Reducing carbon emissions are a big part of the ESG agenda, so using natural resources efficiently and responsibly, and implementing processes and measures to achieve this, are vital for manufacturers in a competitive arena. Furthermore, the bigger the effort from the organisation, the better the engagement of employees who are vital to the mission. Culture change plays a significant role in the effectiveness of any energy management strategy.

The energy management mission is an ongoing effort in an evolving landscape. Wherever an organisation is on its journey, working in collaboration with partners to understand the available products, equipment and solutions to help it along the way is wise. The benefits of energy management are infinite and can be reaped, with real return on investment, with the right approach.

RS has a suite of energy management field services, and products, under its maintenance solutions offering, to help businesses reduce carbon footprint and meet energy efficiency targets.  

For more information:

uk.rs-online.com

Tel: 03457 201201