Save Energy cost with Energy Audit

In process industries, one of the major cost component of product cost is Electrical Energy and is a significant factor in economic activity at par with factors of production like capital, land and labor. Further, environment concerns compel industries to bother to reduce electrical energy and in turn reduce carbon dioxide emission at the source. Also energy shortage situation also calls for energy conservation measure which essentially mean using less energy for the same level of production. Energy Audit attempts to find out the complete energy scenario, clearly showing uses and compared to national and international benchmark consumptions wherever auditor discovers higher use than it could have been. Energy Audit helps in saving energy cost, pollution control, improve safety aspects and  suggest methods to improve the O&M practices.

Objectives of Energy Audit

The Energy Audit provides the detailed information base for overall energy conservation program covering essentially energy utilization analysis and evaluation of energy conservation measures. It aims at:

  • Identifying the quality and cost of various energy inputs.
  • Assessment of current pattern of energy consumption in different operations.
  • Relating energy inputs and production output.
  • Identifying potential areas of thermal and electrical energy economy.
  • Highlight wastage’s in major areas.
  • Provide energy saving potential for different operations.
  • Implementation of measures for energy conservation & realization of savings.

Benefits of Energy Audit from 3E Solutions:

  • 3E Solutions conducts energy audit with a team of process experts in the field of electrical and mechanical processes with more than 20 years of experience.
  • The Electrical Engineer team conducts Thermography and field audit by an expert in electrical having 28 years experience in industries like ABB, Kota Thermal, Suratgarh Thermal, Instrumentation Limited, Gravitaetc
  • PCRA has a qualified and well experienced pool of manpower drawn from oil sector PSUs and to undertake such jobs.
  • During the last 25 years, PCRA conducted more than 12,000 energy audits in small, medium and large industries.

Methodology

Board guidelines indicating the methodology for such an energy audit is given below. Possible stages for interaction/conference are also indicated.

Phase-I

  • Collections of data on operational parameters, energy consumption both normal and electrical, coal, diesel and LPG/Natural Gas, power quality etc., through a questionnaire.
  • Study the existing plant capacities and their performance
  • Study of the specific energy consumption (both thermal and electrical) department-wise and plant as a whole.
  • Study of the power sources, distribution system and drive controls, load factor and efficiency of large motors, process automations, illuminations etc.
  • Collection of requisite data and analysis and identification of specific areas with potential for conservation of thermal and electrical energy.
  • Field measurements of operational parameters to carry out heat and mass balance.
  • Study of limitations, if any, in the optimal use of thermal and electrical energy.
  • Specific recommendations along with broad system concept for conservation of thermal and electrical energy.
  • Preparation of capital cost estimates and establishing techno-economic feasibility for recommended measures.
  • Process improvements – No investment and/or marginal investment by doing system improvements and optimization of operations.
  • Major investment due to incorporation of modern energy intensive equipment and upgradation of existing equipment.
  • Tentative time schedule for implementation of the recommendation.
  • Undertaking broad cost benefit analysis in terms of savings in energy consumption per unit of production and pay-back period.

Phase-II

Follow-up with the industry to ascertain the level of implementation of recommendation and assist, if require, in implementation of the measures to achieve energy user efficiency.

Assistance required from Client Side:

  • Nomination of one Energy Manager – as coordinator from client side and to provide the relevant data / record about equipment etc. (maximum available), during course of the Energy Audit. Any other requirement would be conveyed at site, as & when required.
  • As and when required, our team of energy auditors will make visits in building / plant therefore arrangement of entry pass and gate pass for instruments carried by our team.

Preliminary Energy Audit

The Preliminary Energy Audit focuses on the major energy suppliers and demands usually accounting for approximately 70% of total energy. It is essentially a preliminary data gathering and analysis effort. It uses only available data and is completed with limited diagnostic instruments. The PEA is conducted in a very short time frame i.e. 1-3 days during which the energy auditor relies on his experience together with all the relevant written, oral visual information that can lead to a quick diagnosis of the plant energy situation. The PEA focuses on the identification of obvious sources of energy wastage’s. The typical output of a PEA is to  recommend immediate low cost action that can be taken up immediately, plan resources for detailed energy audit and suggest possible outcomes of the detailed energy audit.

Detailed Energy Audit

The detailed audit goes beyond quantitative estimates of costs and savings. It includes engineering recommendations and well-defined project, giving due priorities. Major  energy is accounted for during the detailed audit. The detailed energy audit is conducted after the preliminary energy audit. Sophisticated instrumentation including flow meter, flue gas analyzer and scanner are use of compute energy efficiency.