Energy

Energy:

The depletion of our natural resources such as oil, natural gas and coal is steadily accelerating. Finding alternative sources of energy will continue to be more critical to long term sustainability. Renewable energy such as photovoltaics, wind, fuel cells, water, and cogeneration are becoming more affordable and are valid alternatives.

Finding areas to reduce energy consumption is a very quick way to lower the costs of operation in your facility and to protect against natural resource depletion. Conducting a comprehensive energy audit is how to identify all forms of energy consumed including electricity and natural gas and where there may be leaks, waste or disproportionate usage.

The United States creates electricity according to the breakdown shown in these pie charts. The Renewable percentage is slowly increasing each year. Our dependence on the fossil fuels that are non-renewable and that are increasingly getting depleted pose a threat to the longevity of our ability to produce electricity. Also, unanticipated spikes in the prices of oil and gas can and have recently cut into profits of those manufacturers who are highly dependent on them.

Source: buy clean energy

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Right size processes, machines and equipment to the size of the job. Deploy Just-in-Time manufacturing and delivery to cut down on waste, and to reduce energy consumption. Train employees to turn off lights and to seek ways to save energy by reporting inefficiencies and problem areas. Work toward becoming a LEED Certified facility.

TOTAL PRODUCTIVE MAINENANCE

Don't wait for equipment to break down before repairing and maintaining them. Train operators on how to repair the equipment they run and perform routine preventive maintenance. This will cut energy costs by ensuring efficient operation and it will also reduce injury, waste and scrap.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Are there available ways to power your facility using renewable resources such as fuel cells, cogeneration, photovoltaics, wind and water? Can you share energy with your neighbor? Wouldn't it be great to sell your surplus energy back to the utilities?

If you don't have direct connection to alternative energy you can still participate in the advancement of renewable energy by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates known as RECs.

RESOURCES:

Department of Energy
DOE Advanced Manufacturing
DOE Software Tools
EPA - Lean Resources
EPA - Lean Manufacturing
EPA - Process Mapping Approach
EPA - Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Energy Star
SME Lean Certification
ISO 50001 - Energy Management
State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
Solar-Estimator
LEED Certification
Association of Energy Engineers

MONITORING

Knowing on an ongoing basis how much energy you are consuming is key to getting your energy costs under control. There are many simple and cost effective monitoring tools available that will measure electricity, water, natural gas, air and much more on a single platform. They can be accessed and controlled by Apps on your phone or through the main operation center in your facility.

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