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Energy efficiency advice for business customers. For many businesses, the main reason for saving energy is financial. However, there are many other reasons why you should consider being more energy efficient, including minimising harm to the environment.
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Save energyenergy efficiency advicefor business customers
For most businesses, the main reason for saving energy isfinancial. However, there are many other reasons why youshould consider being more energy efficient, includingminimising harm to the environment.
This guide details a number of actions your business could take to become more energy efficient.
Having read through them, draw up an action plan with the 10 priority items listed for attention.
Use a table like the one shown in appendix 1 to identify what you’re going to do, who will do it
and when.
It’s not always necessary to spend money to save energy, but where there is a cost
it can often be minimal and repaid very quickly from the resultant savings. Nor does saving
energy need to be complicated or take a long time to achieve. Many energy savings can be
delivered quickly and simply.
SmartStart benefits 4 – 5
Managing your energy 6 – 7
Lighting 8 – 11
Office equipment 12 – 13
Space heating 14 – 15
Buildings 16 – 17
Air conditioning 18 – 19
Electric motors 20– 21
Compressed air 22 – 23
Boilers 24 – 25
Refrigeration 26 – 27
Process plant 28 – 29
Combined heat and power 30 – 31
Renewable energy 32 – 33
Funding sources 34 – 35
How npower business can help 36 – 37
Enquiries and complaintsSample action plan & energy policy 38 – 39
There is a direct link between burning fossil fuels and the
production of carbon dioxide, so by saving energy, harmful
emissions are also reduced.
Benefits of SmartStart
Money matters (financial)
There has always been a good financial case for saving energy, even
before the sharp increases in energy prices
that have taken place recently. By minimising overhead costs, the
profitability of any business could improve. So by using less energy,
or by gaining more from the same energy use, your business will
operate more efficiently. This will lead to lower costs and higher
productivity respectively.
The cheapest unit of energy is the one you don’t use - but that’s not
all. Electricity and gas bills have VAT added. By using less energy
you’ll also save on VAT, particularly useful if you aren’t VAT registered
or if your business is unable to fully reclaim all of the VAT. If you pay
VAT at 17.5% you’ll most likely be paying the Climate Change Levy*
too, which adds even more to your bills. This provides an even greater
incentive to use less.
For some businesses, energy savings of up to 30% may be achieved.#
This could lead to much lower bills, without the need to spend lots of
time or money to achieve them. And savings could be ongoing year
after year.
Mother Earth (environment)
Oil, coal and gas are the main fossil fuels. When burnt directly
(e.g. as in a gas boiler) at your premises, or indirectly (e.g. in a coal-
fired power station at a remote site), they produce harmful
by-products such as carbon dioxide (a so-called greenhouse gas).
Carbon dioxide is widely accepted as one of the main causes of climate
change. Climate change concerns us all as it can have dramatic effects
on our climate and weather patterns. There’s a direct link between
burning fossil fuels and the production of carbon dioxide. By saving
energy, harmful emissions are also reduced.
At the Kyoto Earth Summit, the Government agreed to
binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
by certain dates. In order to help deliver on these targets, npower
business has produced this Guide to Saving Energy for its business
customers. A companion guide for domestic customers is also
available.
Big Brother (regulation)
In the UK and more widely throughout the European Union,
regulations can apply to the way businesses use energy. This includes
processes covered by the Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control
Regulations. Small businesses may be affected by the amendments
to the Building Regulations as detailed in Part L2 of the regulations.
These amendments cover new build and certain refurbishment work,
all with the aim of increasing energy efficiency.
Quality Counts (quality)
Many businesses operate under a quality assurance scheme such
as ISO14001 (Environmental Management), either because they
recognise the benefits themselves or because their customers or
suppliers insist upon it. Part of the quality assurance process
requires each business to look at its energy use and find ways
to improve efficiency.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 5
* Heavy users of energy and those operating within certain designated business sectors may be eligible for a discount against the Climate Change Levy in exchange for a commitment to reduce energy
consumption by agreed amounts over time. These agreements are generally made via the sector trade associations, where further information and eligibility conditions can be determined.
# The Carbon Trust ‘Better Business Guide’ available at www.carbontrust.co.uk
energy efficiency advice for business customers
5
Managing energy
Responsibility
Depending upon the scale and complexity of a business, managing energy could involve a team of people or it could be the part time responsibility
of just one person. However, it does need to be defined, so that everyone understands their responsibility for energy management.
Policy
Once the responsibility for managing energy is established, you should put in place a policy that best suits the business. For a small business with
limited energy use, the policy shown at Appendix 2 may be appropriate. However for more complex businesses or those with more demanding
energy needs, a bespoke solution may be needed.
The role of managing energy needs
to be defined, so that everyone
understands their responsibility.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 7
Simple steps to saving energy
LightingEvery business needs lighting in one form or another and uses a
significant amount of energy simply so that people can see to move
around, operate machines, play sports, etc. Retail outlets need display
lighting so that their goods are correctly lit to make them visible and
appealing. Lighting is used everywhere and comes in a variety of
forms, some more energy efficient than others. Many will agree that
the best lighting comes from natural daylight. However, natural light
isn't available in every situation nor is it available at a constant level,
so artificial light is here to stay.
The need for artificial lighting can vary from hour to
hour and day to day. This is because of atmospheric conditions, which
are constantly changing and affecting the available natural daylight
and because of the relative
position of the sun. Also many businesses have changing needs
throughout their work hours. To be more energy efficient with
lighting, you need a system that produces the maximum amount of
light for the input power and is flexible and responsive to changing
circumstances. The control system is therefore crucial.
Lighting
Check lighting levels You may have more light than you need. Removing an unnecessary 100 Watt incandescent bulb could save about £20 a year.
Turn off fluorescent lights when not needed A popular myth is that it’s not worth turning off fluorescent lights for short periods. This isn’t true. Turning off a single
65 Watt fluorescent fitting at break times could save around £4 per year.
Turn off unnecessary lights Each twin 58 Watt fluorescent fitting costs about £23 a year to run.
Rewire lighting controls for small groups of lights, or even individual lights Better control over what light you use is energy efficient. Each twin 100 Watt fluorescent fitting costs about £44 a year
to run.
Fit a time switch to control fixed hours of lightingEach 70 Watt lamp lit all night, when part night operation would do, costs about an extra £14 per year.
Label light switches Only turning on lights that are needed will save money – a fitting with 4 x 18 Watt lamps will cost about £17 a year to run.
Fit daylight and/or occupancy sensors to lights For a group of 6 x 80 Watt fluorescent fittings, savings in the order of £51 per year could be achieved.
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs Standard incandescent lamps (bulbs) are inefficient – 10% light and 90% heat. A 20 Watt low energy lamp in place of a 100 Watt
incandescent lamp could save you around £16 a year.
Use task lighting rather than light the whole area A single 18 Watt task light instead of an overhead fluorescent light with 4 x 18 Watt tubes could save about £12 per year
– enough to cover the cost of the task light.
Replace 38mm fluorescent tubes with 26mm tubes For each 65 Watt lamp substituted with a 58 Watt lamp, savings of £3 per year will result – more than the cost of the lamp.
This will usually work with lamps that have starters – excluding 8ft fittings. If in doubt, try one first.
Fluorescent fittings have been around a long time but modern technology has improved the energy efficiency of the fittings significantly
increasing the lamp life. At the same time, colour appearance has been improved and flickering eliminated. Some can even be dimmed.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 9
Need to know more about lighting? The following organisations can all help with queries about internal and external lighting and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
UK Lighting Manufacturers' Trade Association www.lif.co.uk Tel 020 8675 5432
Lighting continued
Consider whole life cost approach when buying lighting By replacing twin 80 Watt fluorescent fittings with new twin 58 Watt high frequency fluorescent fittings, energy savings
in the order of £13 per fitting will result. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of lamps that last twice as long and operate flicker-free.
Replace or remove flashing fluorescent tubesA 100 Watt fluorescent tube flashing every couple of seconds could waste £72 worth of energy in a year.
Consider turning off external lightingRather than leaving lights on all night, fit motion sensors. For a typical 300 Watt tungsten halogen lamp, you could save up to £20 a year,
which is about the cost of a fitting. Where lights are required to be lit all night, choose discharge lighting – a 70 Watt high pressure sodium
lamp rather than a 300 Watt tungsten halogen lamp saves around £42 over the year.
Consider: does external lighting need to be on all night?
Why not opt for sensor activated security lights?
energy efficiency advice for business customers 11
Need to know more about office equipment?The following organisation can help with queries about office equipment and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
Office equipmentMany offices have an abundance of equipment that uses energy.
This can include computers, printers, faxes, photocopiers, fans, etc.
Typically an office can be responsible for up to 30% of the energy
used in some small businesses, so keeping this under control can
make a significant difference.
Office equipment
Only switch on what you need
A photocopier left on unnecessarily could increase your energy bill by up to £194 a year.
Consider whole life cost approach when you buy equipment An energy star compliant laser printer could reduce your energy bill by over £19 per year.
Turn off computer monitors when you leave A 17” tube monitor left on unnecessarily could cost up to £37 per year.
Save up photocopying until you have a batch Photocopiers use a lot of energy when they’re first switched on and when they’re left on because they need to be warm to work.
For best performance, save up copies into a batch and then turn the copier off again. This could save you up to £194 a year.
Avoid copying documents unnecessarily Cutting down on paper, toner (or ink) and energy could lead to a saving of around £50 per year.
Enable energy saving features on all equipment Power consumption could be reduced by up to 80%. Enabling power save on a laser printer could save up to £11 per year or more.
Avoid using screen savers as they rarely save energy Sometimes screen savers use more energy. Turning off a screen saver and activating the power save function on a computer
monitor could save £25-£45 per year.
Keep photocopiers outside air conditioned spaces This may save up to £200 per year for each copier.
Avoid printing emails You can save paper, toner and energy by not printing documents and the energy alone could be worth
£6 or more per year, per printer.
Once equipment has been used, turn it off if it’s not needed
again soon.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 13
Need to know more about space and water heating?The following organisations can all help with queries about space heating and hot water and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900(provides information on local contractors)
The Combustion Engineering Association www.cea.org.uk Tel 02920 400670
Space heatingYou need space heating to regulate the temperature for people
(and sometimes for perishable stock) while they’re in the building.
You should match your space heating to the occupancy of the
building and regulate it to maintain the desired temperature.
Hot waterHot water for catering and washing should be heated to 60– 65°C
to avoid Legionella. The temperature should be no higher to reduce
excessive heat loss and limit limescale build-up.
Space and water heating
Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature For every 1ºC of extra heat your heating bill increases by 8%. For warehouses, 16ºC is acceptable and 20ºC is usually acceptable for offices.
For hot water, between 60ºC and 65ºC is usually suitable for catering and washing to avoid Legionella.
Reset timers after clock change from BST to GMT If the space heating goes off an hour early, you could be paying for an extra hour of heat made up from portable heaters –
up to £95 per heater per year.
Ensure radiators are unobstructed Using portable heaters to make up for insufficient heat can be expensive and costs up to £95 per heater per year.
Fit thermostatic radiator valves If your radiators are on full without any form of regulation, you could be overheating a room and increasing your heating bill.
Get a new boiler If your boiler is over 20 years old and you spend £1,100 a year on your heating bill, you could save around £330 simply
by fitting a new condensing boiler.
Have boilers professionally servicedMaintaining your boiler could save you up to £120 per year, if you currently spend £400 on space heating bills.
Fit insulation material behind radiators on outside walls This could save you around £10 in a year, although circumstances do vary.
Turn off boilers during the summer months Using an immersion heater during the summer could save £20 per year, although circumstances vary.
Ensure hot water cylinder (calorifier) is well insulated If you spend £160 per year on hot water this could be halved with an insulated cylinder.
Ensure adequate insulation on all hot water pipes Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves to prevent heat loss and cut down on your hot water bills.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 15
Need to know more about buildings?The following organisation can help with queries about buildings and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
BuildingsEffective insulation and draught proofing is essential to reduce
heat loss from buildings and to limit noise and airborne pollution.
Most buildings have scope for improvement.
Good insulation is best fitted during the construction or
refurbishment of buildings when it is more cost effective and
less disruptive. However, there are still changes that you can
make to existing buildings that aren’t due for major overhauls.
Buildings
Seal external doors and windows with draught excluders By fitting self-adhesive draught excluders to outside doors and windows you could save £20–£40 on a typical heating bill of £400.
Keep doors closed between heated and unheated areas This could reduce your energy bills by £20–£40 on a typical cost of £400.
Add a lobby to cut down on heat loss If your reception costs £100 per year to keep warm, £25 could be wasted by allowing heat to escape through a frequently used door.
Fit automatic sensors on loading bay doors If your loading bay costs £160 per year to keep warm, you could save about £40, depending upon how many times the door is opened,
by adopting this measure.
Insulate cavity walls and roof spaces Prices will vary depending on circumstances but your investment could be recouped within 5 years.
Ensure room temperatures are thermostatically controlled If you spend £600 per year on space heating, you could reduce your energy bill by about £48 for each degree the temperature is reduced.
Don’t heat unoccupied rooms Check to make sure that radiators are turned off in unused rooms.Draught excluders can reduce heat loss by around 10%.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 17
Air conditioningAir conditioning is usually required to regulate the temperature for
the benefit of people, but it’s only needed for as long as they’re in
the building. You should match the operation of the air conditioning
to the occupancy of the building and regulate it to maintain the
desired temperature.
Air conditioning
Ensure thermostats are set to the desired temperature For every 1ºC below 24ºC, you could be adding 8% to your air conditioning bill so check regularly that your room temperature thermostats
are set correctly. Cooling to 23ºC or 24ºC is normally quite acceptable.
Reset timers after clock change from BST to GMT If the air conditioning comes on an hour early because the timer is set wrong, you could be paying for cooling before it’s needed. An extra
hour’s cooling each day adds around 9% to your air conditioning bill.
Avoid simultaneous heating and cooling If you spend £40 heating a space in winter and a further £60 cooling the same space in the summer, your annual bill is £100.
But if the systems are both running simultaneously it could add up to £25.
Check humidity controls Unnecessary humidity control could double the energy required.
Replace air handling unit dampers with variable speed drives Variable speed drives could pay back within 3 to 5 years.
Use the right filters and keep them clean Blocked or incorrect filters could be adding to your energy costs and lowering the overall efficiency of your air
conditioning plant.
Keep condensers clean Blocked, damaged or dirty condensers could add to the cost of your air conditioning bills by as much as 25% and may lead
to inadequate cooling.
Remove or insulate all heat sources in air conditioned spacesIdentify and eliminate all heat sources – uninsulated hot pipes, photocopiers, etc.
Minimise the use of other office equipment that generate heatOne 17” desktop PC monitor left on unnecessarily could cost around £74 per year in direct energy costs plus a further
£20 per year for additional air conditioning costs. Circumstances vary.
Minimise solar gain Control excessive heat from the sun by using blinds or shades.
All chilled water pipes should be well insulated By insulating chilled water pipes you could be saving on your energy bills, as the chiller plant could operate more efficiently.
Portable air conditioners should reject heat directly outside Maximising the efficiency of portable air conditioners could save as much as £50 per year for each externally ducted unit.
Need to know more about air conditioning?The following organisations can all help with queries about air conditioning and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005The Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900(provides information on local contractors)
If you have air conditioning, for every 1ºC below 24ºC, you could
be adding 8% to your energy bill!
energy efficiency advice for business customers 19
Electric motorsElectric motors are major users of electricity in industrial plant and
commercial premises. Motive power accounts for almost half the
total electrical energy used in the UK and for nearly two thirds of
industrial electricity use.
Consider what the motor is actually doing. Is it doing useful
work? If not, turn it off.Need to know more about motors?The following organisation can help with queries about motors and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
Electric motors
Prevent unwanted motors runningA 4kW motor turned off for an hour a day could save about £100 a year. A 50kW motor turned off for an hour a day could save over £1,200!
Slowing down a motor could make significant energy savings Fitting variable speed drives could lead to significant energy savings with paybacks between 3 and 5 years. A motor taking 14kW at 1,500 rpm
and costing £1.19 per hour to run could only take around 1kW at 750 rpm and cost about 9p per hour to run.
Use direct drives rather than belt drives A 12kW motor driving a pump directly, rather than via a belt, could save about £260 throughout the year.
On belt driven systems, ensure pulleys are properly aligned A 10kW motor driving a pump with pulleys that are not properly aligned could add £220 to the annual energy cost.
Changing pulley ratios on fixed speed motors could lead to significant energy savingsSlowing a motor down by simply changing the pulley ratio is very cost effective for fixed speed motors and could achieve paybacks
in under a year. A motor taking 6kW at 3,000 rpm and costing 51p per hour to run could take less than 1kW and cost less than 7p per
hour to run at 1,500 rpm.
Connect oversized motors in permanent star configuration An oversized motor costing £200 per year to run normally could cost £180 if connected in permanent star formation.
Use high efficiency motors A high efficiency EFF1 rated motor used in place of a 25kW basic motor running continuously all year, could save about £400.
High efficiency motors are not much more expensive
than standard motors and could
save around - 3% on your energy bills.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 21
Compressed airCompressed air is a convenient and often essential utility, widely used
in industry. However, it takes a lot of energy (usually electricity) to
generate compressed air and consequently it’s very expensive.
For example, it costs up to ten times more to run air tools than their
electric equivalent, because only 10% of input energy to a
compressor is doing useful work. The other 90% is rejected as heat.
Up to 30% savings could be possible by some simple good
housekeeping measures, often achievable at no or low cost.
Need to know more about compressed air?The following organisations can all help with queries about compressed air and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
British Compressed Air Society www.britishcompressedairsociety.co.uk Tel 020 7935 2464
Compressed air
Consider heat recovery It could yield up to 40% of the compressor’s input power as a ‘free’ heat source.
Ensure compressed air is used appropriately As an energy source, compressed air costs 10 times that of electricity (90% is wasted as heat in the compressor) so it should be used
sparingly. Using compressed air to dry products when a simple 3kW blower would do, means that you could be wasting more than
£2 for each hour of continuous use, maybe as much as £4,000 in a year.
Locate and fix air leaks If you have a 30kW compressor running on load for 8 hours per day and 40% is wasting away, then you could be losing the equivalent
of £1,600 per year.
Switch off compressors when not needed A 30kW compressor running offload over lunchtime all year round, could be costing you over £200 a year.
Maintain compressors properly A 15kW compressor running inefficiently could be costing you over £850 a year.
Reduce compressed air generation pressure Compressors that cost £1,500 a year at 7 bar pressure could only cost around £1,400 at 6 bar.
Avoid unnecessary filtering or drying Providing ultra clean air when basic filtered air is all that is required could be costing you dearly in energy and filters.
Drying also costs significant amounts as the air has to be cooled to separate the moisture. Ensure that you
are filtering and drying to the required standard and no more as this could lead to good financial savings.
Ensure that multiple compressor installations are properly sequenced Exact savings will depend on your own system.
Ensure air inlets are clear and unobstructed If your 40kW compressor is drawing air from within a room with an ambient air temperature of 33oC, you could be adding about
4% to the running cost, which could mean an extra £800 per year, based on a 40 hour week.
Isolate redundant pipework to areas that no longer need compressed air Exact savings will depend on your own system.
You could save up to 30% by implementing
a few very easy measures.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 23
BoilersMany boilers are small and compact and are used for space and water
heating applications, particularly in the smaller commercial and retail
business sectors. Some larger buildings and many industries will have
much bigger boilers (or a combination of boilers) and these need to
be considered more specifically than the smaller, individual packaged
boilers. Larger boilers may be providing heat in the form of hot water
or steam, depending upon the need, and they tend to be located in
specific plant rooms.
It’s worth noting that not all of the heat produced by a boiler is
useful. Some is lost up the flue, some through the boiler case and
some through leaks in the system. With steam boilers heat will also
be lost during blowdown (a process that helps to prevent the boiler
clogging up with particles left over when water is converted to
steam). Further losses will occur if the condensate (what’s left when
the steam turns back into water) is not collected and re-used.
Boilers
Replace old boilers All modern boilers have a better efficiency than their older counterparts so replacing an old boiler with a new one could
save as much as 30% depending upon individual circumstances.
Downsizing a boiler could lead to savings Boilers were often oversized, so there may be an option to downsize, which could lead to additional savings.
However, replacing a boiler can be an expensive option and may cause considerable disruption, so it may be worth
considering other measures first.
Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves Insulate all hot water pipes, flanges and valves to prevent heat loss and you could save up to 10% of supplied energy.
Ensure the boiler is only running when it needs to
Ensure the boiler is only heating to the required temperature
Deal with variable needs for heat Where there’s a variable need for heat in particular areas, ensure that the steam or hot water pipes can be isolated
when not needed.
Check for water or steam leaks and rectify as necessary
Ensure servicing of boilers Boilers should be professionally serviced at least once a year to ensure optimum efficiency.
Insulate boiler casing Insulate (or add extra insulation) to the boiler casing. Consult an expert.
Act to detect problems with boilers Regularly monitoring flue gas temperatures and the composition of the flue gas itself can lead to early detection
of a problem with the boiler. Use an expert, or have automatic monitoring equipment fitted.
Ensure that a minimum number of boilers are running In multiple boiler installations, a sequencing control device should be used to ensure that the minimum number
of boilers are running fully loaded, rather than all boilers running on part load.
Maximise condensate Maximise the amount of condensate being returned to the boiler, as this could save heat energy and save
on water treatment costs. Consult an expert.
Position new boilers effectively If you’re considering getting a new boiler, site it as near to the heat demand as possible.
Need to know more about boilers?The following organisations can all help with queries about boilers:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005The Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association www.hvca.org.uk Tel 020 7313 4900(provides information on local contractors)
The Combustion Engineering Association www.cea.org.uk Tel 02920 400670
You could save up to 10% of supplied energy by insulating all
hot water pipes, flanges and valves.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 25
RefrigerationRefrigeration energy consumption costs British industry some £300
million a year and rising. In certain sectors – notably food and drink,
chemicals, food supermarkets and cold storage, it accounts for
a significant proportion of overall site energy costs.
A small percentage reduction in refrigeration energy could represent
huge financial savings. Many refrigeration plants can be improved to
save up to 20% of their energy consumption. Much of this can be
done at little or no cost with paybacks on investment of well under
two years being the norm.
Need to know more about refrigeration?The following organisations can all help with queries about refrigeration and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
The British Refrigeration Association www.feta.co.uk Tel 0118 940 3416
The Institute of Refrigeration www.ior.org.uk Tel 020 8647 7033
Refrigeration
Is cooling really needed? A freezer cooling 2ºC lower than necessary and costing £190 a year to run could be wasting around £30.
Minimise the number of times that doors are left open Each time the door is opened the cold air escapes and warm moist air enters, both of which lead to greater energy use.
The warm moist air has to be cooled down and in the process ice forms, leading to more frequent defrosting as the ice builds up.
Keep evaporators and condensers clean and unobstructed If your freezer costs £1,500 a year to run, then it could cost you an extra £150 if you allow the evaporator temperature to rise by 3ºC,
twice this amount if the condenser temperature also rises by 3ºC.
Fix all refrigerant leaks Refrigerant gas is expensive and lack of it will severely limit the performance of your system and add to the running costs.
Keep door seals in good condition Replacing a bad door seal with a good one will often pay for itself in less than 12 months.
Insulate refrigerant pipes Pipe insulation is very good value for money and will keep running costs down. Often the outlay can be recovered
in less than 2 years.
Ensure adequate insulation around the cooled space Insulation is very good value for money and will keep running costs down. Often the outlay can be recovered in less than 3 years.
At little or no cost, your business could save
up to 20% off your refrigeration energy
consumption costs.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 27
Process plantProcess plant covers a diverse range of equipment, including dryers,
furnaces, baking ovens, mixers and blenders, crushers and grinders,
tanks and vats, treatment booths and many others used for specialist
jobs in industry.
Process plant is often overlooked when people are thinking about
energy efficiency because it’s seen as too specialist. Also product
quality comes first and there’s often a great reluctance to change
anything in case the product is affected.
Need to know more about process plant?The following organisation can help with queries about process plant and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
Process plant
Shut down unnecessary plant Preventing any unwanted plant from running will save the full input power to the plant. For example, a 15kW kiln turned off at night when
not needed could save over £2,000 in a year.
Plan for energy efficiency in new installations An investment in energy efficiency at an early stage could yield good results in the longer term.
Ensure plant is used at its optimum level It’s always better to run plant at its optimum, as this is when efficiency is greatest. At quiet times, it may be better to shutdown the plant
and allow for the workload to build up again.
Monitor energy performance of key processes Monitoring consumption patterns on a regular basis will help keep track of costs, but may also give an early indication of equipment failure,
as increasing consumption is often associated with imminent plant failure.
Ensure plant is properly maintained Poorly maintained plant could use up to 30% (sometimes more) energy for the same production and is more likely
to break down.
Consider options for improved controls for existing processes A control system that maximises throughput but minimises costs is the ideal set-up and could lead to savings.
Consider opportunities for heat recovery This could yield up to 40% of your compressor’s input power as a ‘free’ heat source.
Why leave plant switched on when
it’s sitting idle?
energy efficiency advice for business customers 29
Combined heat and powerCombined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of
heat and power, usually electricity, in a single process. Because the
heat is recovered and used, the overall efficiency of the process is
much greater than the more traditional methods of generating
electricity where the waste heat is generally discarded.
The Government is promoting CHP as a key technology and is looking
to substantially increase both the output and the number of plants
operating by 2010.
Generally, CHP plant produces twice as much heat as power,
so where there’s a need for heat (or cooling) and power in the ratio
2:1 for long periods (typically 4,500 hours per year or more), CHP
may be a valid option. The heat doesn’t need to be used directly
where the CHP plant is located. However, the further it needs to
travel, the greater the costs become and the overall efficiency will
also drop. By using absorption chillers, it’s possible to produce cooling
from heat but this will add to the cost.
Most CHP plants run on natural gas and fuel inputs. Electricity
outputs from Good Quality CHP are exempt from the Climate
Change levy.
CHP plant is available in a wide range of sizes and therefore can
be tailored to many applications.
CHP plant is capital intensive. In the right circumstances energy services
companies may fund the plant in exchange for long term contracts to
supply heat and power from the plant.
Need to know more about CHP?The following organisations can all help with queries about CHP and the various methods of control:
The Carbon Trust www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy Tel 0800 085 2005
Combined Heat & Power Association www.chpa.co.uk Tel 020 7828 4077
Combined Heat & Power Club www.chpclub.com
By utilising waste heat, CHP is a more efficient process than
traditional generation methods.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 31
Renewable energyRenewable energy is the name given to energy sources that occur
naturally and continuously in the environment such as energy from
the sun, wind, biomass, river flows, waves, currents and tides.
They tend to be inexhaustible supplies of energy, which are
mostly non-polluting.
Renewable energy hasn’t been widely available in the past but
it’s a developing area and will continue to grow into the future.
Renewable energy is exempt from the Climate Change Levy.
Need to know more about renewable energy?The following organisations can all help with queries about renewable energy and the various methods of control:
The Renewable Power association www.r-p-a.org.uk Tel 020 7747 1830
The Energy Saving Trust www.est.org.uk Tel 020 7222 0101
Renewable energy is exempt from the
Climate Change Levy.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 33
Funding for energy efficiency
Own resources
Many energy efficiency opportunities cost nothing to implement and
others can be done at minimal cost, making them very attractive
propositions. The payback period can also be quite short. However,
some energy efficiency improvements may require greater
investment (time and money) so will require more careful
consideration. When your own resources are not sufficient to cover all
of the cost, there may be help available from the following sources:
Grants
Grants are available to assist with the capital costs of an energy
efficiency investment. All have eligibility criteria, so not all businesses
will qualify. Grants may be for specific customer groups, particular
types of investment projects, or only available in certain areas of the
country. A good starting point for information on grants is the Energy
Saving Trust visit www.est.org.uk or call 020 7222 0101.
Loans
Interest free loans for energy efficiency investments may be available,
particularly for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s), where the loan
is repaid from the energy savings realised. The amount available from
The Carbon Trust scheme is currently £5,000 to £100,000 at 0%
interest and no fees. More details are available on their website at
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy/pages/page_72.asp
The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme
The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme offers tax incentives
to businesses that invest in energy saving equipment and enables
them to claim 100% first year capital allowances on investments
in approved energy saving equipment. Businesses are now able to
write off the whole cost of their investment against their taxable
profits for the period during which they make the investment.
The energy technology list contains all of the equipment that qualifies
for the ECA scheme. The list is updated regularly. The technologies
that currently appear on the Energy Technology List include: air-to-air
energy recovery, automatic monitoring and targeting, boilers,
combined heat and power (CHP), compact heat exchangers,
compressed air equipment, heat pumps for space heating,
HVAC zone controls, lighting, motors, pipework insulation,
refrigeration equipment, solar thermal systems, thermal screens,
variable speed drives, warm air and radiant heaters. For full details
visit the scheme’s website at www.eca.gov.uk or call
The Carbon Trust Energy Helpline on 0800 085 2005.
Where greater investment is required there are
many sources of funding.
energy efficiency advice for business customers 35
The Energy Saving Trust
(EST) is the UK’s leading
organisation working towards
the sustainable and efficient
use of energy by households and small organisations. The EST runs
a network of local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres (EEACs) providing
free, impartial and bespoke advice to small businesses and
households throughout the UK. EST provides practical assistance and
advises on potential sources of grant funding to help SME’s realise the
cost and environmental benefits available from the adoption of
energy saving measures. The EST is a non-profit organisation funded
by government and the private sector. For further information on
these issues or advice on energy efficiency measures, contact:
The Energy Saving Trust
www.est.org.uk
or phone 020 7222 0101
Other sources of information:
Further information on the Climate Change Levy and
Climate Change Agreements can be found on the Department
for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and
HM Customs and Excise websites:
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/index.htm
www.hmce.gov.uk/business/othertaxes/ccl.htm
The Energy Systems Trade Association (ESTA) is an energy
management trade association, focusing on demand side energy
efficiency of buildings, building services and process services in the
non-domestic sector. ESTA represents over 100 suppliers of products
and services covering the energy efficient monitoring, control,
operation and management of buildings, building services and
process services. For further information contact:
ESTA
www.esta.org.uk
or phone 07041 49 20 49
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
produces a range of publications (there may be a charge) on energy
efficiency issues related to buildings. CIBSE also offers professional
training, education and membership services. For further
information contact:
CIBSE
www.cibse.org
or phone 020 8675 5211
The Energy Institute provides individuals and organisations with
professional training, education and membership services in energy
and environmental management and awareness. It is an NVQ delivery
centre and accrediting body for a variety of company and university
courses. For further information contact:
The Energy Institute
www.energyinst.org.uk
or phone 020 7467 7100
The National Energy Foundation manages the Energy Efficiency
Accreditation Scheme which provides independent verification of the
achievements of organisations implementing energy efficiency and
management measures. For further information contact:
The National Energy Foundation
www.nef.org.uk
or phone 01908 665555
Help from npower
Business
npower business has an energy efficiency helpline that provides
access to industry experts who are skilled in a wide range of
energy-related disciplines. They provide informed and up-to-date
energy efficiency advice for business customers we can answer your
questions and provide details of other specialist organisations that
may be able to help further.
npower business energy efficiency helpline
0845 070 4019†
Residential
npower has a booklet called ‘Using Electricity and Gas Efficiently
in your Home’ which you can get by calling our free energy efficiency
helpline line. We can also provide fact sheets containing low-cost
hints and other ways to use energy efficiently. Customers may also
be able to get advice on grants towards a range of energy efficiency
measures. This may include financial help towards insulation,
replacement boilers and heating controls, energy efficient appliances
and low energy lighting.
npower residential energy efficiency helpline
0800 02 22 00††
For more advice on energy efficiency measures for your business
and home visit npower.com
Help from other organisations
The Carbon Trust has been established by the
Government to provide a range of programmes
and initiatives to help businesses exploit
commercial opportunities available by moving towards a low carbon
economy. The Carbon Trust is the UK’s principal energy efficiency
information and advice programme for organisations in both the
public and private sectors. The Carbon Trust provides information,
advice, practical help and financial support to help businesses save
energy. They promote best practice through free publications and
events. They also encourage action with advice and support at every
stage from planning to design, implementation and management.
For further information on these services or for advice on energy
efficiency measures, contact:
The Carbon Trust
www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy
or phone 0800 085 2005
Contact the Carbon Trust to access the following services:
• Free information and advice, whether basic or technical
• Professional, independent and objective advice about energy
efficient and environmentally conscious
building design
• Free on-site energy surveys, conducted by a professional energy
consultant who will draw up an action plan showing how your
business could save money, save energy and reduce emissions
(usually for larger customers spending over £50,000 per year
on energy and subject to availability and eligibility criteria)
• Possible funding for energy efficiency improvements
(subject to availability and eligibility criteria)
energy efficiency advice for business customers 37
Enquiries and complaints
You should contact npower business in the first instance
if you have a problem. You can find our contact numbers
on your energy bills together with details about our
complaints procedure.
In the unlikely event that we haven’t been able to resolve
your complaint, you can contact energywatch for advice.
energywatch is an industry watchdog, set up by Parliament
to offer free impartial help and advice about complaints.
Consumer Helpline: 08459 06 07 08
email: [email protected]
Fax: 020 7799 8341
www.energywatch.org.uk
Textphone for deaf or hearing impaired consumers:
18001 08459 06 07 08
Appendix 1Action Plan
Item What will be done Who will do it When will it be done1 Ensure all computer monitors are turned off at night All Every night2 Fit door closer to external door Fred By 20 March3 Change T12 fluorescent tubes to T8 Bill By 25 March4 Undertake compressed air leak test Harry By 2 April5 Check thermostat settings on space heating Bill By 25 March678910
Appendix 2, sample energy policyXYZ Co Ltd Energy Policy
XYZ Co Ltd is determined to conserve all forms of energy to reduce operating costs and to minimise damage to the environment. With fuel prices set to rise by significant amounts over the next 5 years, it has become imperative that we all seek to use less energy. As well as moving towards more efficient use of energy, XYZ Co Ltd will strive to source its energy needs from renewablesources, which will further protect the environment.
It is hoped that over the next 10 years XYZ Co Ltd will have saved a minimum of 10% of its energy use by the adoption of best practice, modern engineering solutions and by theencouragement and commitment of its employees to use less energy. These savings can be channelled into further energy saving initiatives and front line services in support of our mainbusiness activities.
We’ll renew this energy policy at regular intervals and update it to take into account changing circumstances and to ensure it provides opportunities for continuous improvement. The responsibility for overseeing the energy policy and for subsequent reviews has been delegated to Mr Somebody, who will be supported by Mrs Someone. Please give them your whole hearted support.
President’s, Chairman’s or Chief Executive’s signature Date
Energy Policy Statement
This document sets out the goals, objectives and targets for the sustained reduction in energy use throughout the XYZ Co Ltd organisation. This energy policy forms the basis of a 10 year energysaving plan, which will lead to environmental benefits and lower operating costs. The energy policy will run between August 2008 and July 2018 and will be reviewed every 6 months to ensure the goals, objectives and targets are on track and to incorporate any necessary changes.
It is the intention of XYZ Co Ltd to:
• Publish our corporate energy policy
• Purchase environmentally friendly energy, where we are not disadvantaged by so doing
• Adopt a whole life costing approach to purchases, where particular attention is paid to energy efficiency
• Reduce energy consumption, and thus reduce carbon emissions
• Improve overall energy efficiency
• Engineer solutions for saving energy rather than rely solely on manual intervention
• Encourage and motivate employees to save energy
• Publicise these objectives
• Ensure all items identified in our action plan have been implemented
• Introduce energy conservation into the induction process for all new employees
Targets
XYZ Co Ltd has agreed to a sustained reduction in energy consumption, year on year, by the adoption of the 10 year energy saving plan. The individual targets for reductions in gas and electricityare detailed below. The base year for statistical purposes will be 2008 and all targets will be set and measured against this.
Gas
For gas, the 10 year plan will be for a sustained reduction in use of around 1% per annum, leading to a reduction overall of 10% by 2018. The preferred measure will be kWh/m2 adjusted by degree day data to take account of changing weather conditions.
Electricity
For electricity the 10 year plan will be for a sustained reduction in use of around 1% per annum, leading to a reduction overall of 10% by 2018. The preferred measure will be kWh/m2.
Signature Date Signature Date(Mr Somebody) (Mrs Someone)
energy efficiency advice for business customers 39
Fact
For further information go tonpowerbusiness-energyefficiency.com
† Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for security, quality or training purposes. Calls from BT landlines to 0845 numbers will be charged up to 4p per minute. A call set up charge of 5p applies. The price of calls may vary with other operators. Please check with your operator for exact charges. Correct as of May 2008.
†† Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for security, quality or training purposes.
npower business is a registered trademark and the trading name of Npower Direct Limited (registered in England and Wales No. 3782443) and Npower Commercial Gas Limited (registered inEngland and Wales No. 3768856). Registered Office: Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon SN5 6PB.npm2600/06.10
Printed on recycled material.
your business could profit fromintelligent use of energy!