Industrial EnergyDrivers_web_2013 v1-0

IndustrIal EnErgy DrivErs

Which ones impact your facility?

1. WEATHER

2 INDUSTRIAL ENERGY DRIVERS © CopYRIGhT 2013

When it comes to energy efficiency in an industrial setting, it’s easy to

get lulled into a false sense of accomplishment with an unexpectedly

lower-than-usual utility bill. A temporary reduction in costs might have

you thinking, “I must have done something right last month.” In reality,

you could be mistaken. In fact, you could be headed in the opposite

direction.

EnErgy DrivErs can causE your EnErgy usE to varyGetting at a facility’s true energy performance – or

its energy intensity – doesn’t have to be a mystery.

The first step involves being able to identify your

facility’s energy drivers.

Energy drivers generally fall into two groups:

1 Those you can and should manipulate.

For example, you can (and definitely would

want to) determine the efficiency of the equipment

you purchase, or recognize the positive influence of

operations and maintenance (O&M) actions on the

energy efficiency of the systems at your facility.

2 Those you usually can’t or wouldn’t want to.

For instance, you can’t control the weather and

you likely wouldn’t slow production simply to save

energy.

The point of identifying energy drivers is to remove

the ones you typically can’t or wouldn’t want to

control from your facility’s overall energy-use

equation. In the grand scheme of things, this group

of energy drivers blurs the true picture of energy

consumption at your facility. All of the other drivers

that you can and should control constitute the

purview of energy efficiency.

Factoring out this first group of energy drivers

from your facility’s energy data is done through

sophisticated statistical regression analysis. Don’t

worry; we’re not about to get stat crazy. Our

objective is to help you understand which of the

drivers you can’t control, are in play at your facility.

As you identify them, you’ll be more prepared to

pinpoint your facility’s true energy performance

with the help of statistical modeling (and the data

geeks that do the analysis). Gaining insight into your

facility’s energy drivers won’t make you an expert in

screening every potential variable, but an increased

familiarity could help you save time and money in

building a viable statistical model that accounts for

them.

GAS

WATER

ELECTRICITY

METER 1 - 23kWhMETER 2 - 23kWhMETER 3 - 23kWh


common inDustrial EnErgy DrivErsRather than examine an extensive list of all possible hard-to-control energy drivers,

we’ll focus on the four that appear most frequently in an industrial context.

2. ProductionWhen you produce, your facility energy use

typically varies with production volume. Even

your facility’s re-work or scrap-work rates can

have a measurable impact.

1. WEAtHErFor buildings or processes that heat or cool,

weather drives energy use over the course of

the year. Its impact on your energy bill can

be high.

3. ScHEdulEFacility schedules – the normal daily and

weekly patterns of activity when a facility is

in production or idle – may have a stronger

influence on energy use than you might think.

4. rAW goodSFrom a productivity standpoint, differences in

the quality of the raw goods used in production

can impact your processing time as well as the

amount of saleable output. Inconsistent quality

in raw goods can also cause energy use to vary.

Accounting for some (or all) of these four common energy drivers is key to lowering your energy spend

and understanding your true energy performance.


1. WEAtHErDoes your energy use vary seasonally, over the course of

the year?

You might guess that thermal systems work harder

to heat in the winter, while refrigeration systems

use more energy to keep product cool during the

summer. If your facility’s industrial process requires

maintaining the temperature of a space, product,

process, or tool, then weather will play a hand in

how much energy the facility consumes. In fact, the

same driver is in play for human-occupied spaces

when an HVAC system keeps office temperatures

comfortable, in spite of the scorching summer sun.

Temperature plus humidity play a role in energy

used for drying processes. Before a lumber mill

finalizes its production of dimensional lumber,

roughly cut wet timber is kiln-dried then run through

a planer to achieve its final dimension. Colder, wet

weather affects how much energy is required to dry

the lumber.

And, wouldn’t you know it—inclement weather (read:

rain and snow) in some climates even determines

how much energy is used to process wastewater.

Precipitation, snow accumulation, storm events, and

saturated ground conditions can increase influent

flow substantially during non-summer months or

a monsoon season. The extra water in the system

means more energy is required throughout the

collection and treatment processes.

Ask Yourself: Is WeAther An energY DrIver?

Check your utility bill history for a pattern of

seasonal peaks and valleys—a strong indication that

weather is an energy driver at your facility.


Ask Yourself: Is ProDuctIon An energY DrIver?

Do you have equipment that operates

intermittently, with significant idle time? For

example, do you ever have to fire up additional

equipment at a certain capacity, or use a different

process for a given product line? If the answer is

“yes,” it will be easy to identify how your production

process influences your energy data.

If your operation runs 24-7 with infrequent variance

in production levels, it might be hard to detect

a production influence. You may need to look at

energy data over a much longer time horizon and

compare a 12-month rolling average of production

with energy use in order to determine any long-term

trends.

For all industrials, energy is simply a means to an

end. You’ve got a product to make, and you need

energy to do it. Your business is about converting

raw materials into something that meets customer

needs. Though every facility would love to slow

the rate at which their meter spins, you certainly

wouldn’t turn down orders for finished goods to

do it.

But production as an energy driver isn’t just about

volume or the rate at which product is moving

down the conveyor belt. Energy use per product

will jump if the product doesn’t meet customer

specifications after the initial run and must be

reprocessed. In extreme cases, you could double

the amount of energy that goes into a product by

processing it again. More likely, you might have to

repeat a portion of the process again. For example,

food processors of seasonal frozen products are

often at the mercy of the harvest. As a result, a

facility could be up to its eyeballs in raw goods all at

once. The pressure to process more quickly creates

the potential for inadequately frozen products

that need to be reprocessed. From an energy-per-

finished-product standpoint, maintaining a proven

production process is a more efficient approach.

2. ProductionDoes energy use vary based on long-term production volume?

Does your facility have high re-work or scrap-work rates?

Bonus EnErgy tIpRe-work or scrap work is the bane of efficiency (based

on the amount of energy used to produce one unit of

finished goods). If your “do over” rates seem high or

erratic, consider having staff or third-party experts take

a second look at your facility’s process. You could save

not only energy, but also time and money.

Bonus EnErgy tIpIt’s important to examine energy use when a facility

is idle. This is the “base metabolism” of the facility. If

your facility shuts down on weekends and holidays,

comparing energy data from the two could be beneficial.

Suppose your facility uses 25 percent less energy on

average over the weekends than on weekdays. Now,

what if holiday use is 50 percent less than your average

weekday use? Since you don’t manufacture on either

weekends or holidays, comparing your shut-down

procedures on weekends to your procedure before

holidays could help you save more energy.


Ask Yourself: Is scheDule An energY DrIver?

If you have access to energy data, compare your

energy use during week days with weekends or

compare shifts with more personnel on the clock

to lighter shifts. If major differences exist, schedule

could be an energy driver at your facility.

Schedule has to do with the time when a facility is

in production and when it is idle. Because operators

run equipment, the amount of energy consumed

is typically tied to the number of employees on the

floor. Whether you realize it or not, employees make

energy efficiency decisions every day by powering

up and keeping equipment running, or turning it off

when it’s not needed.

If you have an office located within a facility that is

closed while the facility operates over the weekend,

you might notice that the energy per unit produced

(energy intensity) decreases. Since no one occupies

the office on Saturdays and Sundays, overall energy

use at the facility drops. This doesn’t mean that

firing your accounting staff will make you more

energy efficient. (Try explaining the overdue power

bills to your utility!) It does mean, however, that an

energy model created for your facility may need to

account for the missing personnel on the weekend.

3. ScHEdulEDoes your energy use vary throughout the week?


Ask Yourself: Is the nAture or QuAlItY of rAW gooDs An energY DrIver?

Pay attention when product yields fluctuate despite

the same per unit input of raw goods or despite

employing the same process. If you don’t have an

indication that this is a driver already, chances

are personnel close to production know which

characteristics of raw goods influence output levels.

Ask them.

Raw goods entering a facility aren’t always of

uniform quality which may cause your production

process to slow down. Since most facilities have

multiple fixed loads that are on when producing,

a slowdown in the process increases the amount

of energy cost per unit of finished goods. At a

lumber mill, for example, when the head rig handles

logs that are comparatively small in diameter, the

process slows and energy intensity climbs. In the

food industry, cold storage facilities often blast

freeze their product. If the temperature of incoming

food products is higher than normal, the process

may take longer and require more energy to get

product down to final temperature.

In some cases, the same amount of energy is

expended with diminishing returns. For example,

in solution mining an underground cave is flooded

with water to dissolve water-soluble mineral

deposits, so they can be pumped out for more

processing. Over time, the concentration of soluble

minerals decreases and the mine realizes less

saleable product for the same amount of energy.

4. rAW goodS [the nAture or QuAlItY of ]

What factors constrain your processing time and/or the amount

of saleable output? Is the same amount of energy used for

operating systems regardless of the rate of manufacture?

dIsEntanglE your drIvErsLooking at your utility bill history to get a read on your

facility’s energy efficiency is kind of like sorting through

a crowded power strip to locate the cord belonging to

a particular device. It’s messy, the cords are interwoven

and indistinguishable, and you might unplug something

important before finding the right cord. Energy drivers

are like the jumbled tangle of cords. By taking the time

to tease them out, you can get a much better sense

for your facility’s overall energy picture. Better still, by

accounting for your energy drivers in order to track your

facility’s true energy performance, you can then turn

your attention to lowering energy intensity knowing that

you now have an accurate measure of progress. And

when you see the resulting cost savings on your utility

bill (or the avoided cost from your energy model), then

you’ll really have cause for celebration.

AGRICULTURE

CHEMICALS

FOOD PROCESSING

HIGH TECHNOLOGY

GENERALMANUFACTURING

MINING & PRIMARY

METALS

OIL & GAS

PULP & PAPER, WOOD PRODUCTS

REFRIGERATED STORAGE &

DISTRIBUTION

WATER & WASTEWATER

FREQUENCY

If process includes evaporative cooling.

Driven by frequent use of pumps to distribute water for irrigation.

When operations shut down for weekends, holidays, or maintenance.

When operations are seasonal, or shut down on the weekend, over holidays, or for maintenance.

When production schedule is not continuous.

When production is not continuous.


If operation is not continuous.


When operational constraints are imposed by incoming product.

When the type or quality of raw goods varies.

If operational constraints limit throughput or yield.

When ore quality or feedstocks affect processing intensity.

When operational constraints and product quality are driven by feedstock.

When properties or species of wood impose operational constraints.

When storage temperature and incoming product temperature are signi�cantly different.

When changes in in�uent properties impact aeration load.

When shipping/receiving hours are not continuous or if housing seasonal goods.

If refrigeration dominates electrical load.

If space conditioning and process cooling are used.

When space conditioning and chilled water are used in the process.

If process cooling is used.

If evaporative cooling is part of the process.

When space conditioning, process cooling, and kiln-drying are used.

More signi�cant in cold storages that offer blast freezing.

If facility has an open-system design and tighter regulations for summer ef�uent discharge.

MODERATE HIGH NOT OFTEN SOMETIMES OFTEN

INTENSITY

LOW

WEAtHEr Production ScHEdulE rAW goodS


What DrivEs EnErgy usE in your inDustry?

AGRICULTURE

CHEMICALS

FOOD PROCESSING

HIGH TECHNOLOGY


MINING & PRIMARY

METALS

OIL & GAS



DISTRIBUTION

WATER & WASTEWATER

FREQUENCY




























INTENSITY

LOW

AGRICULTURE

CHEMICALS

FOOD PROCESSING

HIGH TECHNOLOGY


MINING & PRIMARY

METALS

OIL & GAS



DISTRIBUTION

WATER & WASTEWATER

FREQUENCY




























INTENSITY

LOW

WEAtHEr Production ScHEdulE rAW goodS

AGRICULTURE

CHEMICALS

FOOD PROCESSING

HIGH TECHNOLOGY


MINING & PRIMARY

METALS

OIL & GAS



DISTRIBUTION

WATER & WASTEWATER

FREQUENCY




























INTENSITY

LOW


What DrivEs EnErgy usE in your inDustry? [continuED]

DAY WK MO YR

This Year

Last Year

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

SPLIT BY

TIME PERIODS

Give FeedbackLog Out

JOHN MCCLUDGEYDASHBOARD EXPLORE REPORT ACTUSER

Modify Set-points

Fix Compressed Air Leaks

Repair Sticking Valve

Clean Condenser Coils

LOW-COST ACTION ITEMS


A data review performed by reputable industrial energy experts can confirm hunches

or help you unmask drivers you had no idea were influencing your facility’s energy use.

With help, you can determine true energy performance and start down the road to saving

energy and cutting costs.

nExt stEps: hoW to KnoW if you’rE rightEvery set of energy data has a story to tell. Sometimes the impact of drivers you expect

to find could be overshadowed by another variable in your operation, lack of process

controls, or because the driver isn’t variable at all–it’s constant.

123 NE 3rd Ave, Suite 400Portland, OR 97232503.287.8488 main 503.287.8788 fax

LEARN MORE ABOUT SENSEI AND CASCADE ENERGY 866.321.4573

[email protected]

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energysensei.com cascadeenergy.com

DAY WK MO YR

This Year

Last Year

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

SPLIT BY

TIME PERIODS

Give FeedbackLog Out

JOHN MCCLUDGEYDASHBOARD EXPLORE REPORT ACTUSER

SENSEI is an energy efficiency platform designed to drive

continuous and cost-effective savings by connecting people to

energy information, actions to results, and projects to measureable

returns. SENSEI allows you to factor in the key energy drivers

you can’t change, so you can see the true results of your actions.

Traditional energy software monitors consumption – SENSEI

encourages action to reduce it.

aBout cascaDe enerGy

Cascade Energy provides corporations

and utilities with the industrial strength

expertise needed to realize their

energy efficiency potential. With a full

complement of services and engineering

know-how based on twenty years of

hands-on experience, Cascade has a

proven track record of reducing industrial

energy consumption and costs.

sEnsEI – your EnErgy roi starts hErE

ebook-006-2 rev 18-oct-2013

mailto:%20info%40cascadeenergy.com?subject=

mailto:[email protected]

https://energysensei.com

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https://cascadeenergy.com

https://cascadeenergy.com

Industrial EnergyDrivers_web_2013 v1-0

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