Chauvin Arnoux UK

WATT a Turnaround: Power Logging Slashed Energy Use by 50%

(Originally published on Professional Electrician & Installer Magazine)

Even before the recent surge in energy prices, many businesses had the potential to slash their energy bills, often significantly, just by taking a closer look at how they were using power. By analysing their energy consumption and spotting areas for improvement, companies could uncover simple, cost-effective ways to boost efficiency. One major fresh fruit processor did exactly that, and the results were impressive: they cut their energy costs by 50%. Here’s how they did it!

While the fruit processor was not aware of any specific energy-related issues, they recognised the value in identifying the major energy consumers within the factory and exploring opportunities for energy savings and efficiency improvements. The first step was to engage Smart Energy Solutions NI, an expert in energy efficiency, to inspect the production processes and, where possible, take manual readings from panel meters to provide an indication of energy usage. Discussions were also held with the Operations Manager at the factory to determine which items of equipment were likely consuming more energy. The data collected was used to design a real-time, cloud-based monitoring solution for key circuits. This allowed energy reduction efforts to be precisely focused on the areas with the greatest potential for savings.

Continuous monitoring enables quick and reliable assessment of energy efficiency measures taken, while also allowing their long-term performance to be verified months or even years after implementation. As part of the initial steps in the project, Chauvin Arnoux three-phase power and energy loggers (PELs) were installed on the plant’s main power-consuming equipment. Almost right away, the data revealed something both interesting and alarming: the refrigeration system for the main cold store was running non-stop, racking up an energy bill of around £650 per week based on the energy prices at the time. When the cold store service provider was called in to investigate, they discovered the system had been set to manual override — likely a result of some earlier issue with the control system.

A new control system was installed for the cold store, featuring an energy-efficient variable speed drive for the compressor. Following the upgrade, energy performance was carefully monitored, and the results spoke for itself. Energy usage dropped by more than half, cutting costs down to just £300 per week. Smart Energy Solutions subsequently installed a full energy monitoring system, covering the incoming main supply, two cold stores, a deep chill store, three production lines, and two compressors. They carried out all aspects of the work, including network cabling, IT configuration, cabling to mains cable chamber, hard-wiring the current transformer connections, and providing a three-phase reference supply.

This work led to the installation of a 288 kVA voltage optimisation system, sized specifically to allow headroom for future expansion of the plant. Savings from this measure alone were predicted to be around 6% of the energy bills, which meant, even with the constantly rising energy prices, the voltage optimisation system could recover its costs in under three years.

 

With all the energy-saving measures in place, especially the new control system for the main cold store, the fruit processing plant cut energy bills by a remarkable 50%. Could other businesses achieve similar results? Absolutely. But without accurate and reliable power and energy monitoring solutions such as the PEL113, those opportunities remain unexplored. So, ask yourself: could a small investment in understanding your energy usage unlock big savings? The answer could be the key to unlocking major savings for your business. Visit cauk.tv/pel-series/ to learn more.

Clicky