Don’t Even Say Energy Conservation— It’s “Energy Productivity”

Abstract

The strategic energy related opportunities in manufacturing which
sharply reduce production costs are often never identified. Even when
identified, these low-risk investments, which provide very compelling
financial returns, are often rejected when non-energy related invest-
ments, which have a higher risk and less compelling financial results,
are implemented.
In part one of this article, we explained why the energy opportu-
nities which will radically improve business results must be built upon
manufacturing initiatives, not conservation. Energy productivity is the
focus.
It’s not about energy savings. It is about optimizing energy as a
factor of production, leading to an energy epiphany. The best opportu-
nities will improve the production rate, which may increase or decrease
energy use.
With the conventional, less effective, energy conservation methods,
the “energy auditor” (a word we shouldn’t use) looks for which of the
usual energy saving technologies “fit” at a plant. This is like a solution
seeking a problem, and often leads only to superficial improvements. It
is far more effective to find the root opportunities first