Energy studies can help reduce costs

Manufacturers seeking to reduce energy costs and improve their profitability can benefit from studies in three broad areas, according to the Rockwell Automation Energy Consulting Services program: tariff analysis, power quality studies, and plant energy audits.

Tariff Analysis helps energy users understand their tariff structures and provides valuable insight on how energy bills are calculated. Using information compiled from energy bills, energy tariffs, and electrical supplier contracts, analysts can identify alternative methods to reduce energy costs, such as aggregating multiple meters or evaluating new supplier, delivery and tariff options.

Power quality studies measure, analyze and quantify the health of an organization's power distribution system. By understanding how incoming power is distributed throughout a plant and uncovering the root cause of such power quality issues as voltage excursions, momentary power losses, phase reversals, and harmonics, companies can improve process efficiencies, reduce lost work-in-process, and increase equipment life. The productivity correlation between power quality, premature equipment failures, and the cause and frequency of plant shutdowns.

Plant energy audits help manufacturers better understand their utility bills and the intricacies of how energy costs are calculated and use this knowledge to identify savings opportunities and optimize power usage. An energy audit should list energy consumption patterns and shows how modified manufacturing processes can reduce energy costs. It should also include an action plan on ways manufacturers can save energy.

Source — Rockwell Automation phone: 800-223-5354, Ext. 1530