Discovering new methods to reduce energy use in a manufacturing facility may save an organisation thousands of dollars. Imagine how different the next year's annual report would seem if you were able to significantly reduce the amount that your facility spends on operational expenditures.
You may increase output, recruit more workers, and make investments in more modern technology and equipment. Hence, the potential advantages are almost limitless. You can find the best business energy suppliers UK to help you in this regard.
We have organised the most important recommendations that we have about conserving energy in manufacturing facilities into two primary categories. These are as follows:
- Cutting energy consumption
- Improving energy use
Reduce your overall energy use
The most important step in lowering your overall energy usage is reducing the amount of energy that is wasted by your electrical systems. Finding the equipment in your home that uses more power than is required will provide the most financial benefits for you.
Heat is often produced as a result of this waste of energy. When a piece of equipment generates more heat than necessary, there is a chance for the energy efficiency to be improved. Compare electricity prices and determine where you actually cut off.
Use energy-efficient items like LEDs
Both traditional incandescent bulbs and lamps generate a considerable quantity of heat that is wasted. Simply placing your hand in close proximity to an incandescent light source can allow you to see this phenomenon.
The reason why the lamp seems to be warm to the touch is that it is wasting a significant amount of its power by producing heat.
LEDs, on the other hand, have been shown to use up to 80 percent less energy while also achieving up to 90 percent more efficiency. Because LEDs are directed light sources, they can utilise light and energy more effectively than other light sources.
While incandescent light and heat are released in all directions, visible light may be directed where it is required, and heat management can be controlled through heat sinks that are installed on the back of the fixture.
This results in savings for you in two different ways: first, you will need less power to keep the lights on, which will save you money. Second, since LEDs give out a lower amount of heat, your cooling system won't have to work as hard to keep the room at a comfortable temperature.
Converting or upgrading your industrial facility's conventional light fixtures to LED lighting may result in significant cost and energy savings within one to two years. This is especially true if your building is currently supplied with traditional light fixtures.
Perform routine upkeep and repairs
Equipment that is not adequately maintained is another factor that contributes to waste heat. For instance, motors often overheat for a variety of reasons, including inadequate lubrication, alignment difficulties, and others.
Because of this, it is essential to establish a preventative maintenance approach. Installing condition-monitoring sensors will allow you to determine whether a machine is using more energy than normal and will notify you if it needs to be repaired.
You may also utilise equipment that do predictive maintenance to determine when maintenance will be required. This provides you with enough time to arrange for any necessary repairs. You should also keep checking for the updated business electricity rates UK.
Lessen the effect that the harmonic currents have
Harmonic distortion in electrical circuits results in a loss of energy and, in certain instances, an increase in temperature. Utilise monitoring equipment on a consistent basis in order to accurately quantify the overall harmonic distortion that is produced by a system.
You will be able to make adjustments to counteract the negative effects of harmonics after you have determined which machines are contributing to the problem. One method that has been shown to be effective in reducing the negative impacts of harmonics is to increase the size of the neutral conductors.
The ability of three-phase branch circuits to handle harmonic loads may also be increased by using separate neutral conductors for each phase conductor in the circuit.
Put in variable frequency drives to ensure the proper voltage is supplied and to cut down on the amount of current
A voltage imbalance at the motor stator terminals may generate a phase current imbalance in a three-phase system, and this imbalance can be up to ten times as high as the voltage imbalance.
This ultimately results in torque pulsations, higher vibration stress, increased mechanical stress, and overheating of the motor. Due to the fact that all of these domino effects need more energy, it is essential to distribute loads evenly, conduct voltage tests on a regular basis, and set up preventive measures.
By regulating the amount of power that is provided to an electric motor, variable frequency drives, also known as VFDs, may help you realise considerable savings on your energy bill. The best options for variable frequency drives (VFDs) are centrifugal machineries like fans, pumps, and compressors.
Studies of loads have the potential to uncover these areas for improvement in terms of energy efficiency. Carry out a load analysis for a period of 30 days and make a note of the highest possible demand for power.
Make sure there are no leaks in the air compressor or other equipment
Improving the efficiency of your compressors might be like trying to locate a needle in a haystack if you do not have a reliable approach for locating leaks. However, it is inevitable to check it.
In case of any equipment that needs gas as running fuel, make sure that the gas doesn’t leak. Not only does it reduce consumption, but also prevents you from a lot of hazards. Check out the cheapest gas prices UK, and make sure your supplier is good enough.
Set up mechanisms for the recovery of waste heat
It is possible to recycle the wasted heat even if it cannot be reduced. The surplus heat that is produced during the process of heating may be captured and reused for cogeneration with the help of waste heat recovery systems.
They are also a concrete approach to cutting down on pollution, which contributes to efforts to preserve the environment for future generations. However, as this kind of cogeneration may be rather expensive, you will need to take into account the size of your facility in order to establish its worth.
Optimizing energy consumption patterns
Next, one of the easiest ways to reduce energy consumption at your manufacturing site is to alter and then automate the times when it is used. Make sure that in addition to electricity, you compare gas price as well.
Make use of the light controls
Lighting controls are an excellent purchase to make if you are planning on installing LEDs in your manufacturing facility as part of an effort to reduce your energy use. Lighting controls save overall energy usage by lowering the brightness of the luminaire or turning it off entirely when it is not required.
Controls known as occupancy or vacancy sensing controls employ infrared and vibration sensors to determine whether or not there are people present in a given space. This works well in unoccupied warehouse high bay aisle sections as well as office portions of the building. It's also great for office spaces.
You have the ability to establish a time schedule for the lighting in your facility's outdoor areas, such as parking lots, loading docks, and courtyards, and to enable dimming using motion sensors.
You are able to monitor and make adjustments to the energy use across the whole facility if you use a mix of wired and wireless controls.
Nearly every kind of luminaire, whether for the interior or the outside, comes with its own built-in lighting controls. It is possible to install a lighting control system that covers the whole building or campus.
Schedule your energy use during off-peak hours wherever possible
If your electric company utilises pricing based on time of usage, the price of power might change throughout the day depending on when it is used. You may save money on power costs by scheduling your facility's operations to avoid peak hours when it is in the highest demand.
During times of high demand, it is best to keep your equipment turned off. Find out which machines have the highest energy demands, and try to avoid using them during those times of the day when demand is the highest.
It is mportant to keep in mind that setting up equipment may also cause sudden spikes in the amount of energy used.
Insulation
Insulation serves as a barrier against temperature variations, making it much simpler to maintain a consistent temperature in the workplace throughout the year (both warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer).
You may lower the amount of energy required to maintain the temperature of the room by putting insulation in the ceiling and walls of your office. This will allow you to save money.
This is one of the most simple and practical approaches to enhancing the energy efficiency of your facilities, and it also represents a significant cost savings opportunity.
Provide insulation by shading walls and windows
Unprotected windows are often the most significant contributor to the amount of heat that is let into a structure.
Radiant energy from the sun can produce the same amount of local heat as a single bar radiator, but you can save energy by protecting your workplace from radiant energy by using shading that is fixed or adjustable.
Planting trees and other vegetation, or installing sun filters on the windows and walls of your workplace, particularly industrial sheds might be helpful.
Utilise the natural airflow
Using natural ventilation as your primary method of temperature regulation rather than artificial means may be a straightforward way to save energy and money. Simply cracking a window or opening a door in a structure can make a significant difference.
Especially considering that there are up to one hundred days each year in a lot of regions in Australia when the weather is beautiful enough that you can leave your windows open or your roller door open.
Make sure to inspect the lines for the air conditioning
Insulation is of the utmost importance, thus it is imperative that you check the pipe lagging on all of the lines carrying refrigerant to ensure that it is in good shape. This is particularly important if the air conditioner is an outdoor unit.
If the piping for the air conditioner does not have insulation, it will simply take in heat from the surrounding area and chill the air outside rather than the air within the structure. Conversely, in the winter, it will warm the air outside rather than the air inside.
Make it a group effort rather than a hierarchical one
Any project aimed at reducing energy use should be carried out in conjunction with the other staff and engage everyone. If you want different behavior from your workers, you need to give them the opportunity to act differently while you are not in the room.
Therefore, be sure to disclose the true expenses of the company. Make sure they are aware of how it will impact the bottom line, and bring up the topic of energy at regular intervals, such as at toolbox meetings or monthly company get-togethers, in order to keep it in the forefront of everyone's mind. People will volunteer to help if given the opportunity to do so.
Conduct lighting and energy audits
An energy audit may be carried out with the assistance of a lighting and energy solutions professional for the purpose of making the most productive use of both your time and energy.
An audit that involves walking around the building might discover possible areas for cutting energy use in unexpected locations. In addition, your regional Account Manager or Lighting Specialist is able to assist you in locating utility provider rebate programs in your area, which will provide you with further opportunities to save money.
Conclusion
You may make a significant dent in your annual energy use by instituting a few little adjustments to the lighting, air conditioning, and equipment utilisation at your organisation.
As soon as you have a firm grasp on the fundamentals, you should think about implementing energy efficiency methods such as power factor correction or energy monitoring in order to get a more in-depth knowledge of which processes use the most power.
If you think you need the best business gas and electricity suppliers in the UK, you should contact Hintt Utilities, and compare the prices. You contact them to get the best advise on the following:
- Call at 0800 0472626
- Email at info@hinttutilities.com
- Fill up the online query form on the Contact us page
