The experts at Atlas Copco share their thoughts about energy consumption and how reducing one’s carbon footprint can lead to cost savings.
Compressed air production consumes a large amount of energy, which impacts a company’s bottom line as well as the environment.
However, there are some things businesses can do to immediately and sustainably to make compressed air generation less expensive and more environmentally friendly. Atlas Copco uses a 10-step guide to help companies lower their energy consumption and carbon footprint, which will translate into direct savings. In some cases, these savings will be substantial.
Best of all, while all the 10 steps will save money in the long run, some of them cost very little to implement. In fact, after you finish reading this article, you will be able to take meaningful action right away to make your production greener and more efficient.
Why reduce carbon?
Not a day goes by without reports on the devastating impact of climate change on our planet – and the increase of carbon in the atmosphere contributes to this problem.
More and more people are demanding that their governments take action, which is leading to new legislation in many countries, such as tighter emission standard and carbon taxes.
At the same time, many companies have realised that making their production greener beyond government mandates is not just good for the environment but also for business – and that it can shore up their long-term success.
For example, reducing their carbon footprint by making their compressed air systems more energy efficient has the following benefits for businesses:
- Lower manufacturing costs
- Reduced carbon taxes
- Improved brand image, which helps attract customers, investors and talented staff
- Boost to employee morale
- Compliance with increasingly stringent environmental laws
CO2 levels are increasing despite the use of more renewable energy
Solely focusing on producing more green energy will not solve the problem. At best, it will slow the increase of carbon in the atmosphere. To address climate change in a meaningful way, we have to pay at least equal attention to energy reduction. That is the only way to allow us to achieve a carbon neutral economy in the near future.
Compressed air is a highly effective and safe form of energy for powering production equipment or processes. Unfortunately, generating compressed air traditionally consumes a lot of energy. However, most companies do not realise that there are also tremendous energy savings potentials here that will allow them to drastically reduce their carbon footprint.
In addition to recovering the waste heat from air compression, they can also make compressed air production much more efficient.
In fact, many companies waste up to 50 per cent (or more) of the power required for compressed air generation, for example through the inappropriate use of compressed air or inefficient system designs.
So how can we eliminate these inefficiencies, design more efficient compressed air systems and make a meaningful contribution to a cleaner environment?
A compressor installation that consumes 90 kW for 8,000 operating hours per year represents a yearly energy consumption of 720 MWh or 509 metric tons of CO2. The possibilities for recovering substantial amounts of waste heat via hot air or hot water are real.
Up to 94 per cent of the electrical energy is converted into compression heat. Without energy recovery, this heat is lost into the atmosphere via the cooling system and radiation.
10-step guide to a greener and more efficient production
Atlas Copco’s 10-step process allows companies to drastically reduce their energy requirements and their carbon footprint while also saving money and the environment.
Some of these steps can be taken right away and require hardly any financial commitment while others involve infrastructure investments that will pay off in a big way down the road.
This guide should not be seen as a one-off exercise, but rather as a continuous process to maintain peak production efficiency. Scan the QR code now to find out more about our 10-step guide.
We strive for energy efficiency
From the research and development of compressors, through production to the project planning of systems and service: as a compressor manufacturer, we always strive for efficiency in the use of resources, for the highest possible profitability and sustainability for our customers.
Regardless of your industry, we have the right solution for your compressed air, oxygen or nitrogen generation for all.
Our local team
We have employees nationwide across Australia available for advice, planning, installation, service, maintenance and the optimisation of existing compressor systems and offer you the range of services of a global compressor manufacturer.
Compressor Service
Service is our strength: Project planning, optimisation, servicing and maintenance are just a few of the pillars of our service philosophy:
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- Air energy audits to determine the compressed air requirement;
- Compressed air management and continuous energy saving solutions;
- Remote monitoring with Smartlink;
- Original spare parts with manufacturer’s guarantee; and
- Tailored service options to suit your production.
The next big thing
We know that your next compressed air product purchase will be a huge decision, especially when there are other products in the market. We can assure you, once you chat with one of our friendly salespeople, that you will indeed be onto the next big thing, when you can actually prove that we can save you a substantial amount of money off your bottom line. As well as cost savings, the next big thing is our future. Together we can reduce your carbon footprint with our proven energy efficient air solutions. So, are you ready to be a part of the next big thing for your business?