Their are 3 main reasons why it’s difficult to develop an effective Energy Efficiency Plan without some outside help:

• Operational Requirements: The demands and complexity of day-to-day operations – getting products out the door – will always override cost-saving considerations.
• The ‘Knowledge Gap’: In most companies there is a knowledge gap between technical/facilities managers who understand the energy needs for plant operations, and financial managers who are charged with negotiating with energy suppliers.
• Engineering Expertise: Few firms have either the breadth of engineering know-how - mechanical, electrical and analytical - in-house, or detailed knowledge about the latest energy efficiency technologies.

As energy prices increase over time, decisions made now will affect your production costs and competitive position for many years. If your energy bill represent more than 3-5% of your total costs, your company urgently needs an overall Energy Efficiency Plan for its future energy requirements.

Developing an energy strategy does not need to be a complicated, expensive or long-drawn-out process. 3 components are needed:

• A framework for thinking about energy sources and uses.
• An understanding of how you are charged for energy, especially in terms of power bills, which are notoriously opaque and user-unfriendly.
• A broad-brushstroke analysis of where your major uses of energy occur, and potential savings using various products and technologies.

Applied Energy can help you develop an overall plan for your company that identifies, costs and prioritizes your energy options for the short-term, and takes steps to minimize price increases in the long-term.