Assessing Plant Performance for Energy Savings

Today’s discussion

• Critical foundation for plant assessments– a strategic energy management program

• Background on assessments

• Resources for assessments

Energy management

• Can be:– Informal– Decentralized, i.e., not centrally coordinated or

managed– Project-oriented, not program-oriented – Cyclical (support a company gives can wane)

• Thus, many companies:– Miss important savings opportunities because they

lack a means for addressing energy use across the corporation

Effective energy management

Organizations achieving the greatest results have:• A top-down commitment to energy management

• A commitment to continuous improvement

• Embraced an approach that integrates energy management across all aspects of the business

• Management systems in place

• A system to regularly assess and track energy performance

• Measurable performance goals

• An effective reward system for energy performance

• An empowered energy staff

Guidelines For Energy Management

Practical approach based on the success of major U.S. corporations

www.energystar.gov

ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management

Guidelines For Energy Management

ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management

Plant assessment

• An evaluation of the actual performance of a plant’s systems and equipment against the designed performance level or best available technology/practice. The difference is the potential for energy savings.

• A critical part of an energy management program– Looks for opportunities to improve the bottom line of a

company

– Without assessments, an energy management program would have difficulty identifying energy savings and would fail to show improvement.

Examples of assessments

1. Low-hanging fruit walkthrough– Limited in duration, cost to company, & focus– Often a cross company team– Can be done anytime– Findings

» basic (e.g. idle equipment)» impact may be immediate since often adjustments

can be made on-site– May be limited by expertise of team– Example: Toyota’s treasure hunts

Examples of assessments

2. Support system review– Systems that support process are evaluated

» E.g. compressed air, motors, steam, etc.– May be a corporate team supplemented by expertise for major support

systems– Slightly higher cost for expertise– Limited time, although longer duration than a walkthrough– Good specific findings for utility systems– Good design to extend to multiple plants in a company

» lessons learned & best practices shared– Value of potential savings greater than a walkthrough, no capital required

at times for certain findings– May be limited by those systems not covered– Example: study of compressed air system in CalPortland cement plant

Examples of assessments

3. Process/yield studies– Detailed, full site review often precipitated by company

desire to increase plant yield» energy a part of the review» modeling critical to study» often a rare chance to impact energy in this way

– Can extend to months in duration– Usually external expertise on team– More costly but likely greater savings potential here– Can address all major and supporting systems and

touch on process– Example: ExxonMobil refinery study

Observations of outcomes

• Each approach can identify energy savings.– Nature of the outcome will differ depending

upon:• time invested• expertise of team• extent of areas examined• resources available to conduct the assessment

and to make changes

Challenge: implementing the findings of an assessment

– For assessment results that require investment in capital

– secure support from senior management

– incorporate within the business plan or as part of the operating budget

– For low cost/no capital-required projects:– ensure steps identified in assessment are incorporated into the

energy management action plan (with goals, timeline, and accountabilities)

– For projects that require labor to manage the improvement project:

– short-term contractor, ESCO

– students

Your internal resources

• Internal– employees

• in-house expertise with process and plant operation

• presents buy-in opportunity for plant engineers and plant managers

External supports

• Private consultants• Utilities• Department of Energy

• Industrial Assessment Centers

• http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_assistance/iacs.html

• ENERGY STAR’s Focus Industries• Energy Guides identify opportunities in industrial plants

• Plant energy performance indicators (EPIs) score plant energy performance

ENERGY STAR Focuses

– By specific industrial sector• auto assembly, cement, corn refining,

petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and more!

– Focuses produce:• Energy performance indicators (EPIs) help a

company identify plants that need work• Energy guides - report opportunities for improving

energy efficiency in the industry’s plants now - good for use in assessments

• For more information: www.energystar.gov/industry

For more information and resources, visit www.energystar.gov/industry