Ten tips to reduce waste energy in your production line

It’s not easy being a facility manager in the food and drink industry. Aside from keeping your operation running, there are mandatory regulations around greenhouse gas emissions, EU targets to comply with, and industry sustainability goals to be met. So, it’s essential that any energy wastage that can be cut, is cut.

Here are our ten tips to improving the efficiency of your production line:

Tip 1: Optimise the use of your refrigeration and chilling units

• The energy management system, energy insights would allow you to monitor your units to prevent overcooling – minimising energy costs and improving efficiency
• Keep up with the basics like maintaining pipework and closing doors as much as possible to help reduce your energy costs by up to 50%

Tip 2: Regularly maintain boilers and heating distribution systems

• Poorly operating boilers add 30% to heating costs
• Ensure burners are working efficiently - if not, replace them
• Switch off burners when not in use, or install automatic controls
• Fit heat recovery systems to boilers (especially gas), e.g. reclaim heat energy for use in process preheating
• De-steam non-critical systems and replace with less expensive hot water systems
• If a boiler is inefficient, don’t persist with it – upgrade or replace it

Tip 3: Ensure all pipework is well insulated (refrigeration, heating and steam systems)

• Pipework should always take the shortest route to minimise any potential energy losses
• The insulation needs to be in good condition

Tip 4: Operate costly compressed air systems efficiently

• Idling air compressors can still use 40% of their full load – so switch off
• Reduce the system pressure wherever possible
• Carry out regular maintenance checks

Tip 5: Improve your lighting systems

• Fit high efficiency lighting and controls – this will reduce your energy costs by up to 30%
• Install motion sensors in unoccupied areas to automatically switch off lights

Tip 6: Use the right motor and drive for the job

• Correctly sizing motors and drives for their application can reduce running costs by 3-5%
• Switch off motors when not in use, or fit auto sensors to control operation
• Install higher efficiency motors
• Fit variable speed drives to pumps and fans

Tip 7: Take measures to save water

• Ensure your water systems are well maintained
• Wherever possible, recycle process water
• Fit self-closing taps

Tip 8: Use process measurement and control

• Ensure process equipment is utilised and controlled efficiently
• Equipment should be regularly calibrated
• Do this and you can cut energy costs by up to 10%

Tip 9: Integrate energy management systems

• To determine where further savings can be made, measure energy use and pinpoint consumption on every piece of equipment with energy insights
• If you don’t use equipment at night or over the weekend, turn it off

Tip 10: Consider Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

• A CHP system captures the heat created in the generation process to provide low-cost heating, cooling and electricity to buildings
• It helps you achieve energy cost savings of up to 40%
• It can reduce CO₂ emissions of up to 30%
• You can install CHP as a replacement for inefficient boilers or to work alongside existing boilers

Find out more about CHP and what it could do for your business.