Energy efficiency in manufacturing (non-durable)
Energy costs are a big part of fixed costs in this sector so any measure taken to be more efficient can help with budget certainty. You might be doing some of the no cost steps already, but we have a few suggestions for low-cost and investment-based options which could make a real difference to your energy management.
Showing commitment to the environment could also boost staff morale and help you retain them for longer. Being proactive about energy efficiency measures and taking steps to reduce your consumption could result in bills that are 18-25% lower, getting your investment back in less than 18 months.
Who is this for?
Food processing businesses
Drink processing businesses
Other consumables or short-life product producers
Simple no cost changes
Refrigeration
- Accounts for 50% of the energy use in this sector, which is why even simple measures can make a difference.
- Introduce a maintenance programme and appoint someone responsible. Make sure you check for scaling, ice build-up, damaged vent fins, and that drip pipes are not iced up. Also check the refrigerant - if you can see bubbles, there are leaks in it and this should be addressed as soon as possible.
- Check the pipe insulation is in good condition and seals are in good state.
- Don’t overload the refrigeration systems, but don’t run it too empty either. One will make the system work too hard to maintain the temperature and the other one is wasteful.
- Don’t overcool! Every 1°C warmer can save 2-4% of costs. It’s best to check the correct temperature for what you’re storing. For example, a change from -25°C to -20°C in a freezer can save 10-15% of refrigeration energy and still keep food safe.
- Keep doors closed as much as possible and they can account to up to 30% increase in heat load. If you see ice build-up, it’s a sign that shows too many air changes occur.
Compressed air
- Identify whether compressed air is really needed for certain tasks. For example, could a vacuum cleaner or air blown from a fan do the job cheaper? Using cordless tools instead of tools powered with compressed air is far cheaper.
- Remember to switch it off – an idle compressor uses 40% of its full load
- Regular maintenance can lead to 10% increase in efficiency
- Check for leaks – it’s an issue that is estimated to affect 30% of industrial sites. One way to check is to listen in silence. Alternatively, use soapy water and see if it comes out. You can find more detailed instructions in this Carbon Trust guide.
Distillation, drying and evaporation
- Could waste heat be reused as space heating or elsewhere on site for another purpose?
- Regularly record and check product yield against energy use. Anomalies will indicate a problem.
- Can you use less water in the initial stages or use alternative techniques such as centrifugation to reduce water before the drying stage?
Motors and drives
- Switch off motors when not required rather than keeping them idle.
- Lowering the speed of a motor by just 20% can save up to 50% energy, so judge the speed required by the situation.
Heating
- Check the boiler regularly. If it’s broken it will have warning lights, pressure drops, burn marks or make more noise than usual.
Cooking
- Use product planning in baking to reduce the number of changes in temperatures; go from coolest to highest in temperature wherever possible.
- Use ovens at capacity as they are most efficient when they are full.
- Bringing cooking equipment to temperature uses a lot of energy so check to see how long it takes and plan accordingly. Don’t turn on equipment too early and waste energy.
Straightforward low-cost changes
Compressed air
- Are there parts of the system like pipework for the compressor line that aren’t needed? Try isolating them to reduce waste.
- Use cool air to reduce load on the compressor – for every 4°C drop, you increase efficiency by 1%.
Motors and drives
- Maintain motor systems and save up to 10%. Perform regular cleaning, lubricating and checks for belt tension and alignment.
- If you turn off a 4kwW motor for an hour a day, you could save about £114 per year. If you do the same with a 50kW motor, the saving goes up to £1,425.
Heating
- Maintain boilers and pipe work. Having your gas boiler serviced annually and the oil coiler serviced twice a year could save you 10% on heating costs.
Cooking
- Uneven baking? Your oven seals might be broken or the insulation might be damaged. Perform regular maintenance checks and replace as soon as you notice a problem.
Long-term savings from the right investments
For larger savings from energy efficiency you might need to spend some money upfront, especially when you’re planning refurbishments already.
Refrigeration
- If your output varies, and provided you have the space, it could be more cost-effective to use two or more smaller refrigeration units than one large one. If you need to refrigerate less, you can turn the unused equipment off.
Motors and drives
- Are any motors too big for what is required? Consider replacing with smaller, more efficient motors.
- When replacing equipment, think of choosing Higher Efficiency Motors which are up to 5% more efficient or install Variable Speed Drives which are up to 30% more efficient.
Heating
- Install an isolation damper to save up to 12% of heat loss when the boiler is on standby
- Hard water? An automatic water treatment system can save 2% of energy usage.
- Investigate the potential for recovering waster heat or look into using automatic controls and isolation to meet demand at varying rates of heat.
- If you have varying needs for heating, could several smaller boilers be better than a big one to match demand?
Distillation, drying and evaporation
- Make sure equipment is well insulated – distillation, drying and separation often suffers from loss of insulation.
- Consider reduced pressure distillation which uses lower temperatures.
Action plan
Start by making a note of your current consumption.
By default, your smart meter will record consumption data in 30-minute intervals. You can use this starting point as a benchmark.
Do you notice any variations during the year?
Make a note of them and think about what could cause them. For example, if your business is affected by the weather, you could save energy by investing in better insulation and save money in the long term.
Benchmark your current energy use
How does it compare to last year or last season? Make sure you analyse similar time periods (for example, December 2018 with December 2019) to make sure the improvement in efficiency isn’t influenced by other factors.
How much are you going to reduce your consumption by?
Set a realistic goal and a target date of when you’ll measure consumption again to track how you’re doing.
Choose the steps you’ll take to achieve those goals
Use the categories above to put advice into practice and involve your employees. To motivate staff, try to make it into a competition. Why not offer a free meal out to the team that comes up with the most energy saving ideas or commit to donating the savings to a local charity that they choose?
Make the changes and measure the results
Communicate all improvements with your staff, no matter how small, to encourage an energy efficient state of mind. And when you're ready to make more changes to become energy efficient, come back to this action plan and start again.
The facts, figures and advice have been sourced from the Carbon Trust, Energy Trust and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (formerly known as the Department of Energy and Climate Change).