Reporting Energy Costs and Use

After energy targets are set, it is essential to report energy costs and use so that site managers can see the results of their actions. Setting targets is of no use if the results are not reported or no reports are made.

Every process has a different energy intensity. That is, injection molding uses more energy than extrusion, and reporting needs to take the process into account. The site or area performance characteristic line (PCL) is essential to the reporting process (see “Energy-Saving Tip #56” on p. 44 in last month’s edition of this magazine).

Reporting should vary with the target audience, but the data should be consistent across the site. Operational managers will be interested in relating energy use to the amount of plastic they have processed, accountants and general managers will be interested in the financial aspects, and all staff will be interested in carbon savings as a result of energy efficiency actions.

Reports should show the benefits of operational decisions and energy efficiency projects. If you have installed a new chilled-water system, then the report should look at the actual performance of the system. Good reports can provide the justification for additional investment in energy-saving technologies.

Actions:

Report energy costs and use the reports widely to show that you care. Reporting is not only for the accountants, it’s for the operational managers and all staff.
Make sure that the reports get to the right people.
Divide energy costs into processing areas and/or types so that each area manager knows that they are being monitored.
Use reports to provoke action. Reporting is only useful when the result is action; otherwise reports are simply wasted paper.

Note: Dr. Robin Kent is the author of Energy Management in Plastics Processing, published by Plastics Information Direct, and managing director of Tangram Technology Ltd., consulting engineers specializing in energy management in plastics processing. rkent@tangram.co.uk.