Energy conservation is an uphill battle, what is the better way?
A bottom up approach to energy cost reduction is a path of heroes: long, hard and massively ineffective, because it requires convincing managers on the way up. The top->bottom approach, on the other hand, is a simple and powerful approach known for decades as management: set goals, allocate resources and assign responsibilities. Now instead of a uphill path of heroes [...]
More energy data may not benefit business – and what does
More energy data is better, right? Data shows what's happening, so we should have lots of it to manager machines, right? Not necessarily. Although various meters are becoming cheaper by day, too many of them may hurt your business instead of helping to manage it. When driving, do you really need to know the exact tire pressure, oil temperature, rpms [...]
How to separate honest energy efficiency vendors from snake oil salesmen?
If you are a plant manager I bet that scores of energy efficiency vendors call and email you daily. All of them want to sell their hardware and most promise extreme profitability. Will you choose a project based on salesman promise alone? If you want to quickly navigate the sea of energy efficiency offers without becoming a professional in every [...]
Why investment with zero return is a top priority at many plants?
Would your company hire 2nd plant manager with a 12-month annual vacation contract? Simple, eh? What about - Will your company invest into energy project with zero return? When company decides to delay an energy cost reduction project ... Wait, nobody makes such decisions. Sophisticated managers of 21st century decide that "energy cost reduction project is a low priority for [...]
How to receive 16c per kWh incentive for lighting retrofit, operational changes and any capital improvements?
IESO has launched a new incentive program that rewards commercial real estate operators for sustained reduction of electricity consumption. Energy Performance Program pays 16c per kWh of actual reduction over 4 years as compared to 5c or 10c paid through other SaveOnEnergy programs. Savings will be determined through M&V procedure based on IPMVP Option C (whole facility). Program has no [...]
New grant for Canadian manufacturers covers up to $500,000 of capex in GHG reducing projects
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association (CME) established Smart Green Program the to help manufacturers implement energy projects leading to CO2 reduction. In a nutshell: Grant consists of two parts – Assessment grant (up to $30K) and Implementation grant (up to $500K) Manufacturers are generally eligible Only future projects are eligible for the grant Project has to be completed within 12 [...]
Rope trick with lighting: more light, less bills and no new bulbs
Lighting retrofit that delivers 20% more lighting for 20% less dollars and requires no new electrical parts, such as bulbs, controls or ballasts. Not even new fixtures. It's like a rope trick, except there is no trick, just ropes. Lighting intensity decreases in reverse proportion to the distance from the source squared. Therefore, it distance is [...]