Putting it all Together: Closing the Gaps

3.4 Developing energy management programs further

A successful energy management program in a foundry is more than just a sum of EMO projects. Using all the various inputs we mentioned earlier, one should make a focused effort on preparing the following:

• First-year detailed project plan;
• Medium-term energy-saving plan for the entire foundry;
• Long-term energy-saving plan; and
• Plan to improve energy management in general, including the setting up of an energy-monitoring system.

The last point involves an education and awareness campaign to improve housekeeping practices. Quite assuredly, as mentioned, these will generate energy savings of 10–15% simply through the elimination of wasteful practices, with no capital investments required.

Setting energy conservation targets
Setting a target presumes the availability of data. It also involves establishing a measurement base, to which the improvements can be related. Often, however, one quickly discovers that there is only rudimentary measurement equipment in place (and consequently minimal data available), particularly in smaller foundries. Gathering data is an obstacle, but not impossibility. We can start an energy management program with this, too. As the program picks up steam and shows results, it will be much easier to convince management to invest in more metering equipment, gauges, sensors and controllers. These will allow data to be generated for key energy-consuming equipment.

You may find that you lack essential indicators of performance because it has never been measured. Use the results of the energy audit or calculate energy requirements to establish some benchmarks against which to set future targets. Measure your current performance against industry standards (some of which are stated elsewhere in this guidebook).

Once a target has been met on a sustained basis over a period of several weeks, it is time to review it. It can become the new standard and a new, progressive target can be set at a new, progressive value. Target setting helps to involve the entire work force in energy projects by giving them goals to achieve.

The energy champion in the foundry should manage the energy management plan as an ongoing program, and coordinate a number of the energy-saving projects together. In this, consider interactions (beneficial or otherwise) between them as well: you would not want to see one project’s implementation negating the projected savings of another.

Setting priorities
Establishing priorities will involve consideration of business needs and some of the decision-making tools described in the previous section. It pays to remember one worn but true cliché: one has to walk before one can run! Start the program with projects that will bring in results quickly and rather easily – harvest the low-hanging fruit. That will be a great source of motivation to employees – to see that it can be done and that they are successful. It will give the members of the energy management team the confidence to start more complex and longer-term projects. You may want to include in the initial projects those that will correct the obvious sources of waste found in the initial energy audit.