Best Practices:

This section will lead you to training, technical assistance, case studies, resources, and contacts. Find the tools and resources to bring your facility and operations up to known best practice. Learn from your peers and share your expertise on plant assessment and process benchmarking, industrial system evaluation and optimization - steam, insulation, compressed air, fans, pumps, motors, process heating, combined heat and power.

The PADEP and the Industrial Technologies Program (DOE) can help with self-assessment, technical assistance, free assessments for small facilities, and cost sharing opportunities for large plants.

DEP has several low cost or no cost programs such as the P2E2 Site Visit Program and the Small Business Loan Fund. The visit program involves a comprehensive, plant-wide, and systems approach to evaluate your facility. DEP professionals will profile your entire plant's environmental impact. They will uncover large process and process-to-process optimization opportunities, consider the adoption of best available and emerging technologies, identify opportunities that can lead to substantial improvements in energy efficiency, waste reduction, productivity and global competitiveness.

News:

Fan Sourcebook Helps Improve System Performance

DOE's Industrial Technologies Program, together with the Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA International), offer a new publication to help industrial plants improve fan system performance. Improving Fan System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry is a valuable reference for plant/facility personnel that outlines opportunities. The sourcebook also offers practical guidelines and highlights related resources and tools available through DOE and industry.

This helpful desk reference describes why the "systems approach" is a cost-effective way to operate and maintain industrial fan systems. Using this approach, fan system operators analyze the supply and demand sides of the system and how they interact. For more infomation click here. http://www.oit.doe.gov/cfm/fullArticle.cfm/id=749

Best Practices Plant Wide Assessment in PA has yielded big results

A New U.S. Department of Energy fact sheet identifies Metlab Potero, a metal heat treating plant in Wyndmoor, Pa., with accomplishing significant energy saving saving changes at their facility. Metlab participated in a DOE-led Plantwide Energy Assessment in 2001. since implementing changes, Metlab has reported a savings of nearly $500,000 annually in operation and energy costs, Reduced natural gas usage by 50,000 BTU's per year and reduced electrical use by 329,000 kWh per year. To view the Fact Sheet, Click Here

Steam:
A systematic review of your steam system can identify savings potentials of 20 % or more and reduce your emissions. Optimize your steam system, from generation through condensate return. Learn about burner and boiler controls, water treatment, cogeneration, insulation, leak repair, trap selection and maintenance, heat exchanger selection and maintenance. More . . .

Compressed Air:
The fourth utility, compressed air is probably your plant's most expensive power source. Optimize both the supply and demand sides of compressed air and reduce your cost by 20% or more. View the fundamentals of compressed air, needs, uses, auditing, maintenance, controls. More . . .

Pump and Fan Systems:
Motor-driven equipment accounts for 64% of the electricity consumed in the U.S. industrial sector. Centrifugal fans and pumps comprise a significant portion of these systems. Optimization through systematic analysis or design can result in equipment, energy and maintenance savings. Meeting variable loads with adjustable speed drives can reduce energy costs by more than 50%. More . . .

Buildings:
The buildings associated with an industrial or manufacturing facility are often overlooked, just part of background. The building, its lighting and HVAC systems can, however have a significant impact on productivity as well as energy bills. Optimize building energy use, comfort and productivity through: Purchasing, Operation and Maintenance, Commissioning, and High Performance Design when expanding or building a new plant. More . . .