We Can Help with Your Facility Energy Use

Written by: Gary Huddleston   |   August 25, 2021

Member value, Environmental footprint

Have you ever walked through your plant on a weekend when no one was there and no production was happening? What did you see and hear?

If you were lucky, you will be like the monkey and “see no evil, hear no evil.” But more than likely, you probably heard the low hiss of air leaks and saw evidence of steam leaks and steam trap malfunctions. Have you ever stopped to think about how much this “evil” could be costing your plant in wasted energy?

These are just a few of the topics that are covered in the American Feed Industry Association’s latest Energy Management for the Feed Industry guidance document. The AFIA’s Production Compliance Committee and Equipment Manufacturers Committee worked together to produce this comprehensive guide for developing an energy management program in a feed production facility.

One of the most useful parts of the document is the energy audit section beginning on page 11. Conducting an energy audit is the first step in developing a robust energy management program. It’s a good idea to complete an energy audit at least annually.

In addition to the energy audit section, there are sections on calculating your energy requirements and energy conservation opportunities. Our industry typically measures energy requirements in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per ton. It’s difficult to compare BTUs/ton between plants since there are so many variables in energy requirements, but charting your plant’s BTUs/ton from year-to-year is a good way to see how effective your energy management program is working.

As energy is used more effectively, product costs can be reduced and profits improved. Not only that, you are reducing your energy use, a great metric that can be used in your sustainability program.

Why not take a look at this AFIA resource and begin your journey toward a more effective energy management program? You might be pleasantly surprised at what you can accomplish by reducing the “evil” of wasted energy! If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a comment below.