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Energy Costs
Where is the majority of electricity being used?
Here is what Paul E. Scheihing U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technologies Program Washington, DC has to say about it.
"Over 40 million electric motors convert electricity into useful work in U. S. manufacturing operations. Industry spends over $30 billion (US) annually on electricity dedicated to electric motor-driven systems. Because nearly 70% of all electricity used in industry is consumed by motor systems, increases in the energy efficiency of existing motor systems will lead to dramatic nationwide energy savings."
Electric Motors
"When it is realized that a motor operating continuously can consume its own value in less than 3 weeks... the importance of energy efficiency is clear."
PROBLEMS
AC motors are only efficient at, or close to, full-load; but many motors are over-sized and typically operate well below full-load.
For example, a motor operating below 50% of load can still draw 80-90% of its full-load power draw. This wasted energy takes the
form of heat, noise and vibration - all of which: wastes electricity ($), reduces motor life and increases maintenance issues.
Motor life cycle costs are an important factor in the overall expense analysis.
Power Factor measures inefficient electricity transmission. As electricity is transmitted over many miles (from the generator to your building) and then over many feet (from your meter to the electric motor) it incurs line losses. Thus, utilities must transmit more energy than your equipment requires to operate so as to compensate for these line losses - and you're paying for this wasted energy.
SOLUTIONS
Powerboss, the culmination of 10 years' R&D in the field of optimum motor
efficiency, uses the latest in micro-processing technology to monitor the load requirements (torque) of a motor, and then control
its power-draw to exactly match that load 120 times a second. This intelligent motor control function eliminates the wasted energy -
improving performance and saving energy.
Staco Energy Products, offer proven solutions to Power Factor and Harmonics issues that plague modern industrial facilities.
Energy
Electric utility invoices can be particularly challenging to translate. In addition to charging for kilowatt hours used, your bill
creeps up by marginal increments through charges for: power factor adjustments, peak demand charges, summer/winter ratchets,
on-peak/off-peak time-of-day charges, etc. Some of these charges - e.g., ratchets - are particularly insidious. Under some
tariffs, hitting a high peak demand during the 3 summer months can affect
75% of your demand charges for the other nine
months of the year!
Energy costs are an increasingly significant component of every business' cost structure, and will increase substantially over the next few years regardless of short-term fluctuations in oil or gas prices.
Electricity deregulation, a need for new power plants and more high-voltage transmission lines ensure that the rising trend-line for electric rates will continue; decisions you make now about your energy needs will affect your company's costs and competitiveness for years to come.