Schneider Electric's energy reduction plans

Schneider Electric has achieved an ISO 50001 Energy Management certification at its Gepps Cross manufacturing plant in South Australia that will see the company work on reducing its energy usage at the site by 10% over the next three years.

Several energy-efficient activities were implemented in the plant, including an energy audit and installing meters, as part of the certification process.

“From here on in, every move we make from an infrastructure or procedural point of view needs to be considered in the context of possible energy savings,” said Gareth O’Reilly, zone president, Australia & New Zealand, Schneider Electric.

“The certification is not only about providing energy efficiencies, but it is about fostering a culture of energy awareness and conservation in our people.”

The certification is intended to improve energy performance through tracking goals and key performance indicators. It requires continually reducing energy usage at the site, as well as identifying ongoing improvement opportunities.

Some of the activities included:

• Carrying out an in-depth EnergySTEP Audit, which registered 23 energy opportunities. This included introducing a shut down/start up procedure, reducing the pressure setpoint of air supply and conducting an ultrasonic air leak survey.
• Setting KPIs for machinery and areas identified as using the most energy.
• Installing motion sensors, harmonic filters and LED lighting.
• Installing energy meters to gather accurate recordings of energy usage. The meters are connected to an EGX300 Gateway that allows data to be monitored remotely, and by using Schneider Electric’s Energy Operation software, the figures can be quickly translated into easy-to-digest dashboards and reports.

“These dashboards are being displayed at our site to demonstrate our firm commitment to environment and energy conservation,” O’Reilly said.

“We encourage our employees to speak up if they identify an area where energy savings can be made, and these visual reminders help to keep our energy goals front of mind.”

Schneider Electric’s Global Headquarters in Paris, The Hive, was one of the first buildings to receive ISO 50001 certification globally. The company’s next project is to achieve certification at its manufacturing site in Christchurch, New Zealand.

“In order to be successful, especially in a competitive global market, Australian manufacturers need to think differently,” O’Reilly said.

“Innovative technologies to drive initiatives such as energy efficiency are just the beginning. Energy efficiency is a shift in thinking, especially when considering ways to improve the bottom line.

“It is vital that the manufacturing industry sits up and really puts some thought into their energy goals and what their own energy policies should strive towards.”

Visit the company’s website for more information on its EnergySTEP audits or how it can help your business improve energy usage.

Image caption: A factory fit-out included LED lighting, sensors and harmonic filters.