Industrial Energy Audits: A Responsible Approach Towards Energy Savings

The Rise In Energy Costs 

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the cost of energy is expected to rise for both the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors in 2020.  Within the residential sector, electricity prices are set to go up from 13.08 to 13.23 cents per kilowatt-hour. In the commercial sector, prices are expected to rise from 10.6 to 10.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. The industrial sector will follow suit, increasing from 6.85 to 6.94 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Steady increases should not be ignored by business owners as increases can affect your budgets and bottom line.  That’s why now is the time to take action and make changes within your home or workplace.

What Is An Energy Audit?

Due to anticipated increases, many businesses utilize energy audits, which showcase and analyze how effectively power is used within a business (or home). An energy audit is a process that analyzes information within a facility (how much energy is lost/used and what they are using) before recommending improvements. The process (which is mentioned below) can produce results that are invaluable to a business.

An energy audit will be tailored to the business or property at hand and can be as detailed as you see fit. There are three types of audits available:

• Walk-through – a simple type of audit which takes little time, taking into consideration that the company doesn’t want to make big changes within its structure to become more energy efficient.

• Targeted assessment – this pays specific attention to areas within the business that have the highest energy-saving potential.

• Comprehensive audit – this type of audit is more detailed and in-depth. It is more suitable for multiple retrofit/upgrade projects that need to make radical changes.

There are five key steps to an Industrial Energy Audit:

The Collection Of Data

The first step of the process is collecting and processing data. The qualified auditor will begin by collecting key preliminary information detailing the energy consumption of the residential/ industrial/commercial facility alongside details such as equipment inventory, process diagrams, and drawings.

Fieldwork, Working Closely With The Staff

The next step includes visiting the site in question. During these visits, the necessary information to complete the report will be gathered – including taking down details about the equipment which is consuming a large amount of energy – from the brand to how long it’s in operation for each day.

Analysis Of Equipment Energy Consumption And Organization Operations

To improve energy performance, there will be an analysis conducted on the equipment and how the organization utilizes them. Through this analysis, the auditor can provide details breaking down the amount of energy used.

The Development Of Energy-Saving Measures 

After all of the analysis and research is conducted, energy-saving measures can be determined. The auditor will look at the data alongside different energy-efficient solutions for industries, looking at how they will not only make the business more energy-efficient but how the solutions will save them money in the long term.

Creation Of The Energy Audit Report 

The energy audit report will then be drawn up, detailing:

• The data that was collected and the analysis that was undertaken
• The devices that were used alongside the methodology that was applied
• Recommended energy-saving measures
• The results and conclusions displaying how much the company will save by switching to a more energy-efficient system

LED Retrofitting For Industries

Before going into the benefits of retrofitting, it’s important to first understand what it is. LED retrofitting is a term used to describe the replacement of an existing lighting system with technology that is designed to not only improve the quality of light within a facility but also increase how energy efficient it is. An LED system is often the update of more outdated lighting technologies, such as HID, CFL, and fluorescent lighting as it is far more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run.

Retrofitting is favored over replacing entire lighting fixtures as it’s more cost-effective. Simply replacing the outdated light bulbs yields fast results and ensures that (if it’s within a warehouse for example), there are no delays in productivity.

Benefits Of Retrofitting For Your Industry

• LED lighting will reduce your utility costs – by decreasing energy demand.

• They are arguably the safest form of lighting – as they do not emit pollution and dangerous radiation, UV or infrared radiation.

• LED lighting improves the quality of light – by providing an even lighting distribution throughout your home or facility.

• The LED lighting is more eco-friendly – which is not only tempting to businesses (energy-efficient companies can benefit from power utility rebates and government tax deductions) but also their potential clients who appreciate a business that is more environmentally friendly.

• Improving productivity and employee satisfaction through a higher-quality of lighting. 

Your Annual Savings

If you want to save money on your energy, it’s important to get an industrial energy audit done. A key step in energy-saving for industries, you will see the impact the moment that energy-efficient solutions are implemented.

When talking about LED lighting, according  to Energy Gov – “By 2027, widespread use of LEDs could save about 348 TWh (compared to no LED use) of electricity: This is the equivalent annual electrical output of 44 large electric power plants and a total savings of more than $30 billion at today’s electricity prices.”  This statistic in itself is incredible, showing the possibilities of savings. Your annual savings, of course, will depend on your facility and the energy-saving changes that you have made.

In order to find out what your exact savings are, we can talk you through the results, after conducting an official audit.

Verde Solutions Provides Experienced And Professional Energy Audits 

Verde Solutions knows that an energy audit is crucial to creating a systematic approach in energy management. Identifying all aspects of the energy systems, the four main objectives of an audit will help prove to be crucial, no matter what the industry:

• To create and establish a baseline of energy consumption
• To analyze and quantify the energy usage according to its functions
• To benchmark the results, analyzing similar facilities
• To identify energy-saving opportunities in order to save you money

We are experts within the business. With years of experience, we should be your first call for energy-saving solutions and energy audits every time. If you want to request an energy audit through us, contact us.

How Verde Solutions Helped Weldbend Corporation 

Weldbend Corporation has been established for over 80 years and is known for producing high-quality domestically manufactured flanges and carbon steel fittings. Handling numerous projects, they are an incredibly influential company within the industry.

Verde Solutions helped Weldbend Corporation by building a custom-built industrial high bay that was capable of reaching 125-foot-candle readings. An innovative and unique design, it featured an up-light module which made the lighting more visually appealing within the space.

It also featured clever wireless controls on the daylight harvesting sensor which distributed the light within the building efficiently. This feature offset the energy consumption by simply adjusting the amount of lighting used, with the amount of daylight that came into the building.

Verde Solutions replaced 987 HID high bays with more efficient 987 LED high bays. The results showcased a significant reduction, in terms of the amount of energy consumption (by 40%) used as well as the maintenance and replacement costs –  transforming from a HID-rated life of 10,000 hours to the LED-rated life of 50,000 hours.

Without Verde Solution’s industrial high bay, Weldbend would have had to replace its LED high bays more than five times. The lighting retrofit will save Weldbend an average of $12,738 on their electric bill, a one-time utility rebate of $116,614, and annual energy cost savings of $152,863. Please read more about this project here.

Conclusion

Overall the impact of industrial energy audits is clear. Creating a huge improvement within your home or business, they are the perfect first step in making it more energy-efficient. Are you interested in having an energy audit conducted? Get in touch with Verde Solutions today by calling us at 800-541-1137.

About Verde Solutions

Verde Solutions is full service, energy efficiency consultant firm founded on three main principles; Innovation, Sustainability, and Efficiency. At Verde, we create value for our clients and communities by providing innovative energy-efficient solutions. By reducing energy use and utilizing renewable energy, we lower costs and set a sustainable path for the future.