What Manufacturing Company A needed: 

With a strong desire to improve across the board and highlight their sustainability ambition to their investors, they called on Energise for expert guidance. 

Their key goals were to: 

• Understand how energy was used across their site and identify areas of inefficiency 

• Identify cost, energy and carbon savings within their organisation 

• Meet stakeholder demands and demonstrate meaningful sustainable action

Energy surveys are vital for uncovering opportunities to reduce energy use, save costs, and lower carbon emissions. This made surveys the natural solution for Manufacturing Company A. 

Our survey process: 

The survey process began with an opening meeting to review operational practices and identify potential logistical efficiency improvements, followed by a comprehensive site tour. During the walkaround, data was collected to model the energy balance of the site. Models like this are required for a detailed cost-benefit analysis and most energy efficiency recommendations are identified during the site walkaround stage. 

For Manufacturing Company A, we identified 16 energy-saving opportunities that could save a combined total of 5.8 million kilowatt-hours annually, reducing energy bills by £704,000 per year. Put into perspective, this is equivalent to the energy consumption of 1,800 homes per year. 

Outcomes and benefits for Manufacturing Company A: 

The process highlighted an array of energy saving opportunities, from immediate, low-cost fixes through to strategic long-term investments. 

Quick wins included addressing compressed air leaks, implementing LED lighting, insulating chiller lines, and sealing climate-controlled areas. 

Larger investments included installing heat recovery systems on gas-fired casting furnaces and implementing compressed air monitoring systems.  

Energy management tools such as half-hourly submeters and monitoring & targeting systems were also key recommendations. These tools not only help identify further opportunities but also optimise production processes and provide the opportunity to educate employees on energy management practices. This alone can reduce waste energy consumption by 5–10%. 

In addition to these recommendations, we identified sufficient roof space capable of housing a 1.1 MW solar PV system. In India’s sunny climate, this system unlocks the opportunity to generate 1.8 million kilowatt-hours of sustainable electricity annually. Considering the current fuel mix of India’s electricity grid, this would have an even greater impact on reducing carbon emissions than a similar system in the UK. 

The draw of energy efficiency improvements are the large cost reductions we identify; however, the process demonstrates making manufacturing smarter, more sustainable, and future-proof.