In many industrial companies today, there is an increasing drive to conserve energy. There are several reasons for this push toward energy conservation, and different companies are employing varying techniques with great results. The U.S. Energy Information Administration states that there energy consumption by the industrial sector accounts for more than half of the global consumption of energy. The activities in industry may drain local resources and may lead to pollution, and because of this, some governments around the world have mandated energy conservation requirements that industrial properties must meet. Companies may need to curb energy consumption to comply with government regulations, and some may be motivated to reduce energy consumption in order to create a more environmentally friendly image with investors and consumers or to save money on energy bills. By reviewing some of the steps other companies have taken to conserve energy, you may find that your own company can implement these measure. In fact, when a combination of these efforts is employed, your facility may be one step closer to achieving sustainability in even the most energy-demanding environments.
Solar Energy
It is increasingly common for industrial companies to make use of solar energy. Many manufacturing and industrial facilities are located on large parcels of land. They commonly have large, flat roofs and ample land that is well-suited for the installation of solar panels. In some cases, solar panels can provide a large amount of the total energy required by the facility, but the amount of energy produced will be based on the location and the type of panels installed. In other cases, the solar energy panels may be combined with other energy solutions for a more comprehensive approach.
Wind Energy
Just as the large size of industrial facilities makes them well-suited to produce solar energy, the same holds true for wind energy. Large wind turbines can be installed on the ground around the buildings or on the tops of the buildings. Because these facilities may sit on several acres or more of open land, there generally is a great opportunity for the turbines to produce energy on most days. Jackson Electrical Contractors, Inc. reminders customers, however, that “the actual amount of energy produced may vary based on location, and companies can request an energy consultation or survey to obtain more information about how cost-effective this solution is compared to other solutions that may be available.”
Energy-Saving Equipment
There are many sources of energy consumption on a large industrial facility. These sources may include lighting as well as heating and cooling systems. In addition, many industrial facilities use powerful, heavy-duty equipment and machines. Updating some equipment in these facilities may provide effective results in industrial facility energy conservation efforts. For example, the food industry is one of the largest consumers of energy, and this may be due to the increasing demand on the food industry due to the growing population worldwide. Making small changes may produce big results. For example, the EPA states that replacing all of the outdated large vat fryers in the food industry businesses in the United States with new Energy Star models may reduce energy costs in these businesses by a combined amount of approximately $81 million annually. This is just one of numerous changes that may be made in industrial facilities. Companies can perform an energy audit and review new models of equipment that may be designed to use less energy than current models. Given the fact that some machines and equipment run around the clock with shift workers scheduled to work 24-hours a day, the benefit may be considerable.
Many industrial companies that are interested in conserving energy in their facilities. While some may be focused on saving money, others may have various others reasons why they want to find a way to reduce energy consumption. The companies that are most successful in their efforts may employ a combination of the efforts described here to achieve partial of full sustainability.
