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Energy Management
in
Plastics Processing
This page intentionally left blank
Energy Management
in
Plastics Processing
Strategies, targets, techniques
and tools
Third edition 2018

Robin Kent
Tangram Technology Ltd
Elsevier
Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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may be noted herein).

Notices
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understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any
information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be
mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any
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Printed in the United Kingdom

 Contents
Preface ...................................................................................... 1

1 Introduction to energy management ............................................ 3

1.1 Where we are going........................................................................................................... 4
1.2 The drivers for energy management................................................................................... 6
1.3 The importance of energy costs ......................................................................................... 8
1.4 The efforts, opportunities and obstacles ........................................................................... 10
1.5 Energy management systems – the basics....................................................................... 12
1.6 Energy management systems – the standard................................................................... 14
1.7 Energy management systems – the changing standard.................................................... 16
1.8 Energy management – where are you now?..................................................................... 18
1.9 Financial management – where are you now?.................................................................. 20
1.10 Technical management – where are you now?................................................................. 22
1.11 Awareness and information – where are you now?........................................................... 24
1.12 Purchasing – where are you now? ................................................................................... 26
1.13 Project assessment and selection .................................................................................... 28
1.14 Energy management projects – where are you now? ....................................................... 30
Key tips .................................................................................................................................... 32

2 Energy benchmarking ............................................................. 33

2.1 The framework and energy use drivers............................................................................. 34
2.2 The basic internal site data .............................................................................................. 36
2.3 The effect of management ............................................................................................... 38
2.4 The effect of the process.................................................................................................. 40
2.5 Variations on the site base and process loads.................................................................. 42
2.6 What do we want to do?................................................................................................... 44
2.7 Assessing site performance – internal benchmarking ....................................................... 46
2.8 Assessing site performance – past performance .............................................................. 48
2.9 Budgeting for future site energy use ................................................................................. 50
2.10 Complex sites – multi-variate analysis.............................................................................. 52
2.11 Site SEC and production volume...................................................................................... 54
2.12 External site benchmarking – general............................................................................... 56
2.13 External site benchmarking – injection moulding .............................................................. 58
2.14 External site benchmarking – extrusion ............................................................................ 60
2.15 External site benchmarking – extrusion blow moulding ..................................................... 62
2.16 External site benchmarking – rotational moulding............................................................. 64
2.17 External machine benchmarking – general ....................................................................... 66
2.18 External machine benchmarking – injection moulding....................................................... 68
2.19 External machine benchmarking – injection blow moulding............................................... 70
2.20 External machine benchmarking – extrusion .................................................................... 72
2.21 External machine benchmarking – extrusion blow moulding ............................................. 74
2.22 External machine benchmarking – thermoforming ............................................................ 76
Key tips .................................................................................................................................... 78

3 Targeting and controlling energy costs ........................................ 79

3.1 Understanding energy use – the basics............................................................................ 80
3.2 Understanding energy use – the site energy map............................................................. 82
3.3 Integrating energy into the accounts – monitoring and targeting ....................................... 84
3.4 Data collection and analysis............................................................................................. 86
3.5 Setting targets.................................................................................................................. 88
3.6 Reporting energy costs .................................................................................................... 90
3.7 The energy dashboard report ........................................................................................... 92
3.8 Capital expenditure and equipment selection ................................................................... 94
3.9 Verifying energy savings – the theory............................................................................... 96
3.10 Verifying energy savings – the practice ............................................................................ 98
3.11 The energy manager’s job.............................................................................................. 100
3.12 Targeting and controlling – where are you now?............................................................. 102
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 104
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 v
 4 Services ............................................................................ 105
4.1 Power supply – electricity terms ..................................................................................... 106
4.2 Power supply – reducing electricity costs........................................................................ 108
4.3 Power supply – transformers.......................................................................................... 110
4.4 Power supply – voltage management ............................................................................. 112
4.5 Power supply – electricity supplier data .......................................................................... 114
4.6 Power supply – analysing interval data........................................................................... 116
4.7 Power supply – sub-metering ......................................................................................... 118
4.8 Power supply – gas........................................................................................................ 120
4.9 Power supply – solar and wind ....................................................................................... 122
4.10 Power supply – combined heat and power and tri-generation (CCHP) ............................ 124
4.11 Power supply – what to do when it fails (power outages) ................................................ 126
4.12 Power supply – where are you now? .............................................................................. 128
4.13 Motors – understanding motor use and costs ................................................................. 130
4.14 Motors – the programme ................................................................................................ 132
4.15 Motors – minimise the demand: turn it off ....................................................................... 134
4.16 Motors – minimise the demand: reduce transmission losses .......................................... 136
4.17 Motors – minimise the demand: reduce the load at source ............................................. 138
4.18 Motors – optimise the supply: get the right size motor..................................................... 140
4.19 Motors – optimise the supply: improve the motor efficiency ............................................ 142
4.20 Motors – optimise the supply: slow the motor down ........................................................ 144
4.21 Motors – optimise the supply: the savings from slowing motors down ............................. 146
4.22 Motors – motor maintenance and management.............................................................. 148
4.23 Motors – where are you now? ........................................................................................ 150
4.24 Compressed air – the system......................................................................................... 152
4.25 Compressed air – the programme .................................................................................. 154
4.26 Compressed air – minimise the demand: reduce leakage ............................................... 156
4.27 Compressed air – minimise the demand: reduce use...................................................... 158
4.28 Compressed air – optimise the supply: improve generation ............................................ 160
4.29 Compressed air – optimise the supply: optimise treatment ............................................. 162
4.30 Compressed air – optimise the supply: improve distribution............................................ 164
4.31 Compressed air – heat recovery..................................................................................... 166
4.32 Compressed air – where are you now? .......................................................................... 168
4.33 Cooling water – the programme ..................................................................................... 170
4.34 Cooling water – minimise the demand: reduce heat gains .............................................. 172
4.35 Cooling water – minimise the demand: increase temperatures ....................................... 174
4.36 Cooling water – optimise the supply: reduce cooling costs with chillers........................... 176
4.37 Cooling water – optimise the supply: reduce cooling costs with cooling towers ............... 178
4.38 Cooling water – optimise the supply: reduce cooling costs with free cooling.................... 180
4.39 Cooling water – optimise the supply: reduce cooling costs with ground water ................. 182
4.40 Cooling water – optimise the supply: reduce distribution costs........................................ 184
4.41 Cooling water – where are you now?.............................................................................. 186
4.42 Drying – the programme................................................................................................. 188
4.43 Drying – minimise the demand: dry the right materials.................................................... 190
4.44 Drying – minimise the demand: store materials correctly ................................................ 192
4.45 Drying – optimise the supply: improve control systems and insulation............................. 194
4.46 Drying – optimise the supply: reduce drying costs with desiccant drying ......................... 196
4.47 Drying – optimise the supply: reduce drying costs with other methods ............................ 198
4.48 Drying – where are you now? ......................................................................................... 200
4.49 Vacuum generation........................................................................................................ 202
4.50 Hydraulics systems ........................................................................................................ 204
4.51 Robots ........................................................................................................................... 206
4.52 Fans .............................................................................................................................. 208
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 210

5 Processing ......................................................................... 211

5.1 Processing – where are we going?................................................................................. 212
5.2 Injection moulding – where does all the energy go?........................................................ 214
5.3 Injection moulding – the basics....................................................................................... 216
5.4 Injection moulding – machine selection .......................................................................... 218
5.5 Injection moulding – machine monitoring........................................................................ 220
5.6 Injection moulding – process setting............................................................................... 222

vi &RQWHQWV

 5.7 Injection moulding – motors............................................................................................ 224
5.8 Injection moulding – new and retrofitted VSDs................................................................ 226
5.9 Injection moulding – all-electric machines....................................................................... 228
5.10 Injection moulding – heating........................................................................................... 230
5.11 Injection moulding – mould temperature controllers........................................................ 232
5.12 Injection moulding – mould design ................................................................................. 234
5.13 Injection moulding – hydraulic fluid................................................................................. 236
5.14 Injection moulding – IMM energy rating .......................................................................... 238
5.15 Injection moulding – where are you now? ....................................................................... 240
5.16 Extrusion – general ........................................................................................................ 242
5.17 Extrusion – motors ......................................................................................................... 244
5.18 Extrusion – heating ........................................................................................................ 246
5.19 Extrusion – profiles ........................................................................................................ 248
5.20 Extrusion – profiles: calibration and cooling.................................................................... 250
5.21 Extrusion – sheet ........................................................................................................... 252
5.22 Extrusion – blown film .................................................................................................... 254
5.23 Extrusion – oriented film................................................................................................. 256
5.24 Extrusion – other processes ........................................................................................... 258
5.25 Extrusion – where are you now? .................................................................................... 260
5.26 Extrusion blow moulding – general................................................................................. 262
5.27 Extrusion blow moulding – extrusion and blowing........................................................... 264
5.28 Extrusion blow moulding – heating and cooling .............................................................. 266
5.29 Extrusion blow moulding – tops and tails management................................................... 268
5.30 Extrusion blow moulding – where are you now? ............................................................. 270
5.31 Injection blow moulding.................................................................................................. 272
5.32 Injection blow moulding – where are you now?............................................................... 274
5.33 Injection stretch blow moulding – general and moulding ................................................. 276
5.34 Injection stretch blow moulding – blowing....................................................................... 278
5.35 Injection stretch blow moulding – where are you now? ................................................... 280
5.36 Thermoforming – general and pre-heating...................................................................... 282
5.37 Thermoforming – heat losses ......................................................................................... 284
5.38 Thermoforming – heating and cooling ............................................................................ 286
5.39 Thermoforming – where are you now? ........................................................................... 288
5.40 Rotational moulding – general........................................................................................ 290
5.41 Rotational moulding – reducing process heat losses ...................................................... 292
5.42 Rotational moulding – other process improvements........................................................ 294
5.43 Rotational moulding – where are you now? .................................................................... 296
5.44 EPS foam moulding – PCL and steam ........................................................................... 298
5.45 EPS foam moulding – process ....................................................................................... 300
5.46 EPS foam moulding – where are you now? .................................................................... 302
5.47 Compression moulding .................................................................................................. 304
5.48 Pultrusion....................................................................................................................... 306
5.49 Rubber – general ........................................................................................................... 308
5.50 Rubber – storage and mixing ......................................................................................... 310
5.51 Rubber – moulding......................................................................................................... 312
5.52 Regranulation – general................................................................................................. 314
5.53 Regranulation – processes............................................................................................. 316
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 318

6 Operations ......................................................................... 319

6.1 Operations – making it work ........................................................................................... 320
6.2 Setting, start-up, stand-by and shut-down ...................................................................... 322
6.3 Using interval data in operations .................................................................................... 324
6.4 Tool changeover and quality control ............................................................................... 326
6.5 Training and employee involvement ............................................................................... 328
6.6 The benefits of employee training................................................................................... 330
6.7 Processing operations – where are you now? ................................................................ 332
6.8 Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 334
6.9 Small power equipment.................................................................................................. 336
6.10 Small power equipment – where are you now?............................................................... 338
6.11 Process control .............................................................................................................. 340
6.12 Process control – where are you now? ........................................................................... 342
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 344

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 vii
 7 Buildings and offices............................................................. 345
7.1 Buildings and offices ...................................................................................................... 346
7.2 Lighting – general .......................................................................................................... 348
7.3 Lighting – controls and maintenance .............................................................................. 350
7.4 Lighting – where are you now?....................................................................................... 352
7.5 Heating – general........................................................................................................... 354
7.6 Heating – controls and maintenance .............................................................................. 356
7.7 Heating – where are you now? ....................................................................................... 358
7.8 Hot water – where are you now? .................................................................................... 360
7.9 Air conditioning .............................................................................................................. 362
7.10 Air conditioning – where are you now? ........................................................................... 364
7.11 Building fabric ................................................................................................................ 366
7.12 Building fabric – where are you now? ............................................................................. 368
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 370

8 Site surveys........................................................................ 371

8.1 A mini site survey – the energy walk-around (the treasure hunt) ..................................... 372
8.2 Preparing for a site survey – information ........................................................................ 374
8.3 Preparing for a site survey – tools .................................................................................. 376
8.4 Planning the initial site survey ........................................................................................ 378
8.5 Carrying out the initial site survey................................................................................... 380
8.6 Reporting the initial site survey....................................................................................... 382
8.7 Following up the initial site survey .................................................................................. 384
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 386

9 Carbon footprinting .............................................................. 387

9.1 The basics of carbon footprinting.................................................................................... 388
9.2 Site carbon footprinting – Scope 1.................................................................................. 390
9.3 Site carbon footprinting – Scope 2.................................................................................. 392
9.4 Site carbon footprinting – Scope 3.................................................................................. 394
9.5 Site carbon footprinting – putting the scopes together..................................................... 396
9.6 Product carbon footprinting ............................................................................................ 398
9.7 Country plastics processing carbon footprints................................................................. 400
9.8 Carbon footprinting – where are you now? ..................................................................... 402
Key tips .................................................................................................................................. 404

Appendices .............................................................................. 405

Appendix 1 – Submitting site data ............................................................................................... 406
Appendix 2 – Submitting machine data ........................................................................................ 408

Postscript ................................................................................ 410

Abbreviations and acronyms ......................................................... 411

viii &RQWHQWV

Preface to the 3rd Edition
There have been many technical changes
since the previous edition (2013) of this
workbook and these continue to be both
rapid and wide-reaching. Energy
management and energy efficiency have
continued to move up the management
agenda for plastics processing companies.
However, some processors think that they
have ‘done’ energy management and that
there is nothing more to do. Nothing could
be further from the truth – energy
management is a never-ending journey to
reduce use and costs.
In my work with companies around the
world, it is apparent that there is a real
divide. The companies that are moving
fastest are those in Asia and Latin
America. The reason for this is that the
cost of energy is a ‘world cost’ and does not
vary greatly around the world but the cost
of labour is highly variable throughout the
world. In low labour cost countries, the
energy cost is a very high proportion of
total costs and manager’s actions are
focused by the size of the costs. Many
companies in these areas are now not only
benefiting from low labour costs but also
from reduced energy costs. This is a real
threat to Western plastics processors.
This book provides a structured approach
to energy management and covers the
main topics for plastics processors. It is
designed as a practical workbook and does
not cover all aspects of the topics but
focuses on the key energy issues for each
topic. Each topic is dealt with in a single
two-page spread and most can be read
independently of each other – this is not a
‘cover-to-cover’ book. It should be easily
Preface
understood and the actions recommended
should be easily undertaken by most
people in the plastics processing industry.
Energy management is not ‘rocket science’;
it is good management and engineering.
The are two approaches to reducing the
cost of energy are:
• The ‘£/kWh’ approach which seeks to
reduce the cost of each kWh used.
• The ‘kWh/kg’ approach which seeks to
reduce the amount of energy used to
process each kilogramme of material.
Good purchasing can temporarily reduce
the cost by up to 10% but good engineering
and technology can remove the need to
purchase the kWh – a permanent 100%
saving. This is the approach generally
used in this book.
All data used in this book are real
industry data from plastics processing
sites around the world and has only been
modified to prevent identification of the
sites.
All financial calculations are based on
electricity prices of £0.10/kWh and gas
prices of £0.03/kWh. Cost data are based
on UK prices that are correct in 2017.
I would like to dedicate this edition of the
book to my first grandchild, Lucas Kent,
but now I will have to write more books to
make sure there is no favouritism.
Robin Kent
Hitchin, 2018
rkent@tangram.co.uk
www.tangram.co.uk
Note: Additional resources are available
at www.tangram.co.uk/energy.html.
1
This page intentionally left blank
Chapter 1
Introduction to energy
management
Energy efficiency is still one of the ‘hot’
topics of the 21st century and it is not
going to get any easier in any area of the
world. Many plastics processors are still
trying to come to terms with this new
world but lack guidance on where to turn
and how to make real progress. It doesn’t
matter whether a site is trying to reduce
their energy use to improve their ‘green
credentials’ or simply to reduce their costs
– the issues are the same and the
solutions are largely common.
In the 1990s, energy management was a
‘minority sport’ and it was difficult
attracting industry interest in energy
management. When the first edition of
this book was written (2008) the concept of
energy management was rapidly gaining
credibility but there was still little real
information devoted to the particular
concerns of plastics processors. Energy
costs have now attracted the attention of
every plastics processor and energy
management is rising in importance as a
business issue. However, this book still
remains the sole text on energy
management for plastics processors and is
both widely quoted and plagiarised
throughout the world. Perhaps this should
be accepted as praise for some of the
concepts developed in the First and Second
Editions.
Energy costs are now entrenched as the
third largest variable cost (after materials
and direct labour) and, in many low labour
cost countries, energy is the second largest
variable cost.
This is not a ‘green’ issue, it is not a
‘carbon management’ issue, it is a real
Energy Management in Plastics Processing
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102507-9.50001-5, Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
business issue and in many cases is a
survival issue. Getting energy
management wrong can be fatal to a site.
Energy prices have continued to increase
and the desire to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions has become even more critical
(and political). Both factors have raised
the profile of energy management in the
plastics processing sector and this has
prompted many sites into action. However,
all too often the efforts have been poorly
directed or ineffective. Sadly, this has led
to some sites abandoning their efforts to
improve energy management when the
basic techniques are very simple and
easily applied. Where sites have been well
informed and have diligently applied the
basics then the results have been
exceptional – energy use reductions of 30%
are not uncommon and some sites have
achieved even greater reductions. Simple
techniques can have dramatic results.
This chapter looks at energy management
in the broad sense so that use and cost
reduction efforts can be effectively
targeted. It is designed to provide the
essentials of the management framework
for energy management.
Readers should not be tempted to rush
into the practical engineering aspects of
energy management without first
understanding the management
framework.
‘I am not a tree-hugger’.
Jonathan Churchman-Davies
3
1.1 Where we are going
The destination
Most plastics processing sites want to
reduce energy use and costs and most
have also made some efforts in this
direction. The problem is that most sites
do not have a structure for these efforts or
any method of assessing the value of the
ideas that they may have to reduce energy
use. They also have no methods of
assessing performance of either the site,
the machines or the projects that they do
carry out.
The results are:
• They cannot tell how efficient they are
already (at either the site or machine
level).
• They have no method of monitoring and
targeting performance or they measure
the wrong things.
• They carry out projects with no idea if
these projects are the best for the site.
• Their main sources of advice are either
suppliers who want to sell their products
or consultants who do not know the
processes.
These sites then wonder why their efforts
did not deliver significant benefits and
they lose motivation to continue because it
is ‘too hard’.
The reality is that it is not too difficult for
most plastics processors to reduce energy
use by up to 30% within a period of 2–3
years even though there are still sites who
proudly proclaim that they intend to
reduce energy use by 5% in the next year.
The major problem is that they know that
they want to reduce energy use but they
really have no idea of the steps that they
have to take to get there. They set off on
the journey with no real planning about
where they want to go, how they are going
to do it and how they will measure their
progress (if any).
Some sites install an ‘energy management
system’ in the hope that this will reduce
energy use, some install complex
measuring systems, some install high-tech
equipment and some appoint an ‘energy
manager’ without giving them either the
time or resources to actually do the job. All
of these partial and disjointed measures
will inevitably fail. Some will fail more
miserably than others, but all will fail.
4 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management
Before starting the journey to reduce Energy
energy use, every site needs a plan (a management could
easily be the
road-map) to define where they are and
deciding factor in
where they want to be. The figure opposite
whether your
shows the major areas, the processes and
company survives
tools used, the benefits from using the or not.
processes and tools and the overall results
of a good energy management system.
• Tip – Some sites install ISO 50001 (see
Section 1.5) and then wonder why the
energy use does not automatically
decrease. These are often the same sites
who install ISO 9001 and wonder why
quality does not automatically improve.
This is about the whole
company
A major issue is that energy is still
sometimes seen as a ‘bolt-on’ to the other
operations of the company. It is seen as a
‘good thing’ for the bad times but optional
in the good times. The reality is that
‘energy management’ needs to permeate
the complete operation of the company. It
is not a ‘production’ issue, it is a
management issue.
The road-map
The road-map identifies the range of skills
and activities necessary to reduce energy
use and even this is limited by space. The
road-map shows the type of things that
you will have to do to achieve meaningful
reductions in energy use and cost. It is not
simply about management systems or any
other single thing. Specifically, it is not
only about production. It is about the
whole company and it is about a mind-set
that says ‘reducing energy use and costs is
for everybody’ and that we are all
responsible.
The road-map covers all areas of a
company’s operations from the
management focus, people (and their
training) through services, processing,
operations, buildings and offices and how
new profitable projects are identified and
prioritised. Effective energy management
impacts every aspect of a company’s
operations. This is not for the faint-
hearted but the rewards are more than
worth the effort.
• Tip – None of the actions in the road-
map are ever completed. Get used to
continual improvement.
The energy road-map
Improving energy management is not difficult but it needs a road-map of the available processes, tools and
actions to deliver the best results.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 5

1.2 The drivers for energy management

Changing times – changing Energy costs change on a daily basis but ‘The starting point
issues there is no reason to believe that they will for (UK) energy
decrease dramatically in the near future policy is to save
The plastics processing industry in the and every reason to believe that they will energy. It is often
developed world is highly focused on the the cheapest way
remain unstable for the foreseeable future.
cost of labour and sees the growth in for reducing carbon
Taxation emissions,
volume of imported products as being due
certainly in the
purely to the ‘lower labour costs of The concerns with global warming have short term. It can
overseas suppliers’. In a previous book1, I led governments across the world to also contribute to
looked at cost management and stated impose rising taxes on energy use. These security of supply,
that the real issue was the change in the are financial instruments designed to for example by
cost structure in plastics processing. It reducing our need
internalise the effects of manufacturing on
was not as simple as ‘lower labour costs’. for energy imports,
the environment. Previously industry was and reduce fuel
The reality is that labour costs are now, free to use resources and was not poverty through
and always have been, a minor component concerned with the societal impacts. These lower bills.’
of the overall cost of most plastics are now being internalised by legislation
UK Energy White
products. The costs of materials and and taxation that raise costs. Paper (May 2007).
overheads are far more important in the
Supply shortages
total product cost, but Western industry
still focuses overwhelmingly on the labour One major reason for historical energy
cost even as the overheads rise inexorably cost increases was the high dependency of
and the cost of energy approaches, or power generation on oil- and gas-based
exceeds, the cost of direct labour. power stations but this has been mitigated
by the ‘fracking revolution’ and this has
The approximate relative importance of
stabilised oil and gas prices to some
the costs and the efforts that we spend are This misdirection of
extent. Despite this, the world is still our efforts
shown on the right. These may not be
suffering from oil and gas resource continues to cost
exactly correct for your site but they won’t
depletion. In small words – the easily money and waste
be far out – we are directing the efforts in resources.
accessed supplies are rapidly running out.
the wrong places and then simply seek to
blame lower labour costs.
In the East, however, they have already
realised that the cost of energy is higher
than the cost of labour and some of the
most energy-efficient sites in the world are
already in the East. This means that in
addition to a labour cost advantage, they
are also rapidly being assisted by an
energy cost advantage.

Financial and operational

Rising costs
Energy costs have risen dramatically in
the last 15 years and this is the primary
driver for increased interest in energy
management. These rises have now
levelled off to some extent as a result of
geopolitical events but the world is only
one misstep away from dramatic
increases. It would be nice to think that
the plastics processing industry is driven The cost sources and where our efforts go
by a desire to be ‘greener’ but the way to
attract attention in business is to affect Labour represents only about 10% of the cost of the product but
the financial results and the increased the majority of our efforts still go into reducing the cost of direct
cost of energy has attracted attention in labour. 75% of our efforts are in reducing labour costs and only
the plastics processing industry. 15% in reducing overhead costs.

6 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

This does not mean that we are the environmental impact of operations. Carbon
necessarily running out of oil or gas – The concept of a ‘carbon footprint’ is Footprinting
although this may be true. It simply becoming more relevant and customers
The process of
means that the sources we are using now (particularly consumer-oriented retailers) carbon footprinting
need more expensive technology to extract are beginning to demand information not and establishing
the oil and gas than the easily accessible only on the carbon footprint but also on the carbon
sources that were available in the past. action being taken to reduce this. emissions of a site
This is not simply a concern for the West, is rapidly becoming
Reducing energy use through effective
it is also a concern for sites all over the more important.
energy management is a method of This is more fully
world. Energy is a world market and, reducing the carbon footprint and dealt with in
whilst there are local variations, the cost improving the corporate social Chapter 9.
of energy is essentially a global cost – sites responsibility of any organisation.
all over the world are facing the same
issues.
In some areas the concern is not just with
supply shortages in terms of the raw • 1. Kent, R.J. 2017. ‘Cost Management in
materials but with supply shortages in Plastics Processing’, Elsevier.
terms of the distribution network. In some
rapidly developing Asian countries, the
rate of expansion is so high that there are
difficulties in providing the necessary
supply network from the power stations to
the users and this is creating a supply
shortage at the point of use.
Security of supply
The supply shortages are also driving the
development of energy supplies from areas
of the world that suffer from supply
insecurity, either in terms of poor
infrastructure development or in terms of
national security issues from external or
internal threats at the source or in the
transport of the supply. It is no longer
possible to consider energy supplies from The benefits of energy management
many countries as stable and permanent. Energy management delivers reduced costs and improved profits
Environmental for a site as well as improving working conditions at the site and
reducing the environmental impact (the carbon footprint) of the
CO2 emissions site.
Most plastics processors pretend that they
do not emit CO2 and will happily state
that their CO2 emissions are zero. The The new words:
reality is that plastics processing uses Global warming.
electrical energy and this is generated by
Greenhouse effect.
power stations that emit CO2 on the
processor’s behalf (unless they use nuclear Carbon management.
or other renewable power sources). The
Carbon footprint.
fact that the CO2 is emitted at some
distance from the processor is irrelevant Sustainability.
in terms of the environmental impact. Life-cycle analysis.
It is undeniable that CO2 levels are rising
Corporate social responsibility.
and that climate change is real. Efforts to
reduce CO2 emissions will continue and Stakeholders.
this means that energy management will
Energy efficiency.
become increasingly important.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in any of these.
Corporate social responsibility
It doesn’t matter if you believe in ‘anthropogenic global
Industry is slowly accepting that corporate
warming’ (man-made climate change).
social responsibility and simple good
public relations require action to reduce Motives don’t matter – survival does.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 7

1.3 The importance of energy costs
The magnitude of the costs
For the majority of plastics processing
sites, the cost of energy is in the region of
6–8% of the turnover and, in many cases,
this is approximately equal to the profit of
the site. In some cases, particularly for
processors in low-margin sectors, such as
in packaging or automotive parts, the cost
of energy can be greater than the profit
margin. Savings in energy management
can have a dramatic effect on profitability
for many plastics processing sites.
The magnitude of the savings
The possible savings from good energy
management are in the region of 30% of
the current energy spend for most plastics
processing sites.
This value varies with the status of the
site but it will naturally be even higher for
novice sites, i.e., those that have taken
little action in the past and those that
have little experience in energy
management. In some cases, energy
savings of up to 50% have been identified
with little difficulty, although savings of
this magnitude are rare.
These savings can be delivered virtually
irrespective of the industry sector or
process used. It is not the case that any
particular plastics process wastes more
energy than another. The process appears
to make little difference in the potential
savings – it is the management that
makes the difference.
Major savings are possible through simple
improvements in management,
maintenance and investment.
Management actions
Simple recognition that the rules have
changed and that managing energy use (in
proportion to the management efforts that
are expended in managing direct labour)
can produce energy savings of up to 10%.
This involves simple techniques such as
monitoring and targeting (Chapter 3),
improved process management (Chapter
5) and the creation of the relevant
management control systems.
Maintenance actions
Simple quick-fix actions such as
controlling the use of services both in the
process itself (Chapter 4) and in the
8 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management
building services (Chapter 7) can again Energy costs can
produce energy savings of up to 10%. easily reach 8% of
turnover. Do you
This includes small investments in spend this
technologies such as variable speed drive proportion of your
(VSD) control of water pumps and air- time managing the
handling fans (this is now a ‘standard’ cost of energy?
technology that is rapidly falling in Do you spend any
implementation cost). time at all?
We define a maintenance investment on
the basis that the payback is < 1 year
(irrespective of the amount required to
achieve the saving). Such ‘investments’
would typically come from the revenue
budget rather than the capital
expenditure budget due to the rapid
payback.
Capital investments
The final 10% saving is possible through
investment in energy-efficient processing
technologies that reduce energy use in the
process and, just as importantly, in the
effective management of these.
This includes investment in projects with
longer paybacks such as completely new
machines and technology.
We define a capital investment on the
basis that the payback is greater than 1
year (irrespective of the amount required
to achieve the saving). Such investments
would typically come from the capital Energy is a variable
expenditure budget rather than the and a controllable
revenue budget due to the longer payback. cost.
Energy cost reductions come from three basic areas
Energy cost reductions typically come from three basic areas:
management of the use, maintenance of the systems and
investment in new technology. The first two generally require only
no-cost and low-cost actions to reduce use and costs.
The payback should be subjected to a ‘reality check’ Low-cost energy
with the overall energy use of the site. efficiency measures
The majority of the savings can therefore can improve profits
Large discrepancies generally indicate
be delivered through a balanced significantly.
motors that have been overlooked or
combination of no-cost, low-cost and
loadings that have been miscalculated.
investment (maintenance or capital)
actions. The average payback for all The site results can be compared with the
investments in energy management is, in general approximate energy cost
our experience, in the region of 6–9 distribution for most plastics processing
months. This is true even when the sites shown below.
payback is calculated using nominal costs The exact percentages for each individual
for internal management efforts using site will depend on the process used at the Energy supplies
existing resources. site, e.g., compressed air use is normally are increasingly
precarious.
This type of payback makes investment in higher at blow moulding sites, cooling is
energy management extremely attractive normally higher at extrusion sites and Energy supply has
sites with a large amount of assembly led to the greatest
from a purely financial point of view. Not
work will also generally use more transfer of wealth
many capital investment projects achieve the world has ever
a payback of less than 1 year and continue compressed air. Despite these local seen.
to deliver the benefits virtually variations, the ratios will be
approximately correct for the majority of Energy supply has
indefinitely. Yet many sites do not seem to driven major world
accept or encourage investment in energy sites.
political events and
management because of the misguided • Tip – A simple walk around to identify will drive more in
view that energy costs are fixed and the major energy use areas will often the future.
uncontrollable. Capital investment identify hidden use that the site has
proposals are still primarily presented never really considered before.
based on direct labour reductions and • Tip – Many amateur energy surveyors
rarely put forward purely based on energy (or those not familiar with the plastics
use reduction. industry) get excited about lighting and
The source of the current costs heating. This is a sure sign that they
have a lot to learn. The main energy use
Few sites are able to accurately allocate in plastics processing is in the machinery Earth First!
their energy consumption in terms of and services (92%). Lighting, heating We’ll drill the
where energy is used, despite the fact that and offices are minor costs (8%). other planets
this is a relative easy task. A basic
later.
understanding of the reasons for energy
use will inform a site as to where they Bumper sticker
should spend time and effort in energy use seen in Texas.
reduction efforts. Efforts at reduction
should normally be relative to the size of Offices
the use and/or the ease of implementation. Heating
Lighting 1% 2%
5%
The simplest method to determine the
approximate energy distribution at a site Water pumps
5%
is to count the kW ratings of the main
process motors, services and other major
Chillers
energy consumption areas (see Section 3.2 11%
for further details of this ‘energy mapping’
process).
Note: Lighting loads can be quantified by
Compressed air Plastics
simply counting the number of processing
10%
tubes/lamps and associating the numbers 66%
with the energy use of each lamp.
These kW values can be entered into a
simple spreadsheet and factors applied for
the relative use of the motor, service or
lamp in terms of hours/year (or
operational hours in the case of services Approximate energy cost distribution for plastics
such as compressors). This will give a processing
first-pass approximation of the relative
The main energy use and cost is in the plastics processing
magnitude of the various areas of energy
machinery and services (92%). Lighting, heating and offices are
use at the site. The total of these values minor costs (8%). A sense of perspective is needed.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 9

1.4 The efforts, opportunities and obstacles

Straight to the bottom line ‘turnover is vanity, profit is sanity’ and Effective energy
the sad reality is that many sites still management can
In many cases, a site’s energy costs are reduce costs and
prefer the vanity of increased turnover.
almost a discretionary cost, i.e., the site increase profits
effectively chooses to pay the cost of The efforts more economically
energy because it chooses not to do than efforts to
The current efforts at most sites are increase sales.
anything about it. Reducing the
derisory in the extreme. Most sites are
discretionary cost of energy at any site is
only too happy to complain about rising
directly geared to the profit of the site.
energy costs but take no interest in the
Any cost saving due to energy management of the energy that they use. Investment in
management translates directly to the energy
Finance complains but still pays the bill,
bottom line and is shown as a direct management can
manufacturing rarely sees the bill and be the most
increase in profit. Work in energy accepts it as a fixed cost and the general effective
management is as valuable as work to management would rather increase sales investment a site
reduce direct labour and in many cases than profits. can make.
the savings are more easily achieved
It is rare to see any site take effective
because previous work to reduce direct
action to reduce the cost of energy other
labour has already removed the easy wins.
than sporadic actions to reduce the £/kWh Brick walls are a
In fact, a large proportion of the cost of way of reminding
at the annual tariff negotiations.
energy is a base load and can be reduced you how much you
without affecting the site operations. The effective efforts are almost always want something.
taken at the grass-roots level by dedicated
Better than increased sales maintenance managers who make wise Randy Pausch
Reducing the cost of energy is an decisions that are rarely, if ever,
extremely profitable activity. When the understood or backed up by the top
cost of energy is reduced it adds directly to management. The real decisions on energy
the bottom line – something that use never make it to the boardroom Gaining top
because the directors are more interested management
increasing sales does not do. When energy
in discussing opportunities to increase commitment to
costs are 5% of the turnover and the profit energy
margin is 5% then reducing energy use by sales by 5%. management is the
30% is the same as adding 30% to the key to real
profit. To achieve the same results progress.
through increased sales would require an
additional 30% of sales – not an easy task. Sales value of £1 saved by energy management

What would your site do to gain new 100

business that increased turnover and

profit by 30% if you knew that: 80

• Your competitors couldn’t stop you

Sales value (£)

getting the business. 60

• The business was effectively guaranteed.
• The business required only internal 40
effort.
• The business was low risk and had a 20
payback of 6–9 months.
• The business would continue into the
0
future and probably increase in value. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
• The business would make you look good Net margin (%)

to your stakeholders and the community.

Most sites are enthusiastic about gaining
new business through increased sales. Yet
when shown the opportunity to reduce
energy costs and achieve the same results
at the profit line, the same sites react with
huge indifference. The old saying is
Reducing energy costs is the equivalent of new sales
If the net margin is 10% then every £1 saved by good energy
management gives the same profit as £10 of new sales. If the net
margin is 5% then every £1 saved is the equivalent of £20 of new
sales. Savings from energy management are easier to get than
new sales and provide easy opportunities for increased profits.

10 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

The opportunities and obstacles
The opportunities and obstacles will vary in importance and difficulty with the site but should be separated and
dealt with individually. The way to eat an elephant is one mouthful at a time. The only vital issue is top
management commitment, once this is achieved all the rest follows.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 11

1.5 Energy management systems – the basics
Setting the structure
This workbook contains detailed
recommendations and actions that can be
taken by most sites but they will not
happen if they are carried out in isolation.
After gaining top management
commitment (see Section 1.4) a site needs
to set up an energy management system
to manage the process.
Energy management is seen by many as
the logical extension to the range of
‘management systems’ standards already
developed for areas such as quality
management (ISO 9001) and
environmental management (ISO 14001).
The rise of this ‘management systems’
approach and the reality of implementing
these are discussed in Section 1.6 but at
this stage we will consider the main
requirements of an energy management
system whether it nominally complies
with ISO 50001 or not.
Policy
Every site needs an energy policy giving:
• A detailed statement of commitment
from top management.
• Performance targets from internal or
external benchmarking.
• Short-term site goals (1 year).
• Medium-term objectives (3 years).
• Long-term corporate goals (5 years).
This policy should be provided to all staff
to raise awareness of the cost of energy
and the benefits of improved energy
management. The policy is the framework
for developing and establishing good
energy management practice and should
establish the importance of energy
management at all staff levels.
Personnel
Operating the energy management system
should be the clear responsibility of a
nominated person, the ‘energy manager’,
who will act as the facilitator, expert
advisor and project manager for energy
management projects.
• Tip – This may not be a full-time role
but the responsibility and authority
should be clear.
• Tip – In the same way as the quality
manager is never the production
12
manager, it is best if the energy manager Planning the way
is not the person responsible for using energy
management is
the energy, i.e., the production manager.
organised is a
Information senior executive
responsibility which
Any management system needs will determine the
information to operate and energy success or failure
management is no different. Much of the of the energy
policy …
required data are probably already being
collected by most sites and this simply
needs to be formatted so that it is easily
used for energy management.
Information is needed to allow monitoring,
targeting and reporting (see Chapters 2 … this goes well
and 3). This is generally easily available beyond simply
but systems are needed that will regularly appointing an
and automatically generate the energy manager.
information. The system should be target-
based and allow cost allocation and
performance assessment. This will drive
responsibility down to those who actually
use the energy.
• Tip – Targeting is the key action. What
gets measured gets done.
Information is also needed for project
identification. At most sites, the
opportunities to reduce energy use are
greater than the resources, and actions
must be prioritised for the quickest and
easiest returns. Potential projects should
be assessed in terms of the ease and cost
of implementation and the size of the
potential energy use reduction. This can
be carried out using the information from
Section 1.2 on the source of the current
costs and using a simple decision grid (see
Section 1.13). Projects should be
prioritised for the maximum effect – there
is no shame in starting with the ‘low-
hanging fruit’.
Planning
Project planning is needed even for simple
projects. This should identify timings,
resources and benefits to be achieved. The
system must include a planning process,
even at a basic level, so that projects are
For details of
delivered as required. simple methods of
project
Resources management see
An energy management project is the Section 1.13 and
same as any other project and planning Kent, R.J. 2017.
will identify the resources needed (time ‘Cost Management
in Plastics
and/or money) for the project to be
Processing’,
completed. Sites need to allocate the Elsevier.
Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management
necessary resources to achieve results. reports to initiate improvement actions – Set the energy
• Tip – Attempting to manage energy these must be closed out when completed management
(see Section 8.7). Non-conformance structure …
without allocating adequate resources is
doomed to failure. reports must lead to action.
Energy management will almost certainly Reporting
need more resources than currently
An energy management system must also
available at most sites. However, given
incorporate a reporting function (see
the magnitude of the rewards these can ...then use the
Sections 3.6 and 3.7). Reporting should be
easily be financially justified. structure to set
to both management (to show the value of
the work) and to staff (to show the targets and
Training implement projects
progress being made). to achieve the
Staff training is essential to implement an
energy management system. The policy Reporting can also be to external targets.
and other actions will have little effect stakeholders to show corporate social
unless the staff know the targets, the responsibility by reducing greenhouse gas
action being taken and how they can emissions.
contribute. Staff training may be limited
due to the automated nature of most
plastics processing and the lack of ability
of the staff to affect the outcomes.
Training should be no longer than 40
minutes for existing staff and should be
integrated with other induction
procedures for new staff (see Section 6.5).
• Tip – Training sessions should be
followed by a ‘go-see’ exercise where the
staff go to their area and identify energy
improvements.

Auditing
Any system needs auditing to ensure that
progress continues to be made and that
the system continues to operate. This is
best achieved by regular site audits by site
staff. This will ensure that the system is
operating and will discover new areas for
improvement. At least one person per site
should be trained to a basic level in energy
auditing to allow regular audits to be
carried out. Internal auditors are carrying
out two functions:
• They are checking that the system is
functioning as it was designed to.
• They are looking for new profitable
projects to implement.
This workbook can be used as a primer for
site audits and potential further
improvements.
Energy management is not a single task
but a series of continuing actions; only
continuous identification of new actions
and resolving these issues will allow
energy use and costs to be reduced.
• Tip – Site audits should use standard The components of an energy management system
auditing methods. The audits should
identify areas where actions do not meet An energy management system is needed to identify, plan and
the energy policy or where items from complete projects to deliver energy savings. Without a system,
this workbook are noted. Site audits the energy management activities will be poorly coordinated and
should also create non-conformance will eventually fall into disrepute.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 13

1.6 Energy management systems – the
standard
ISO 50001 – the standard for • Provide techniques or tools to reduce Before starting ISO
energy management systems energy use. 50001, ask yourself
the critical question
• Provide projects to reduce energy use.
In 2011, ISO released ISO 50001 to ‘Did ISO 9001
provide organisations with guidance on actually deliver
What does ISO 50001 cover? quality to our
implementing energy management. The
The bulk of the current edition of ISO company?’
standard is based on the ISO 9000 series
50001 is covered in Section 4 of the
model of ‘Plan–Do–Check–Act’. This If the answer is
standard but the complete standard covers ‘No’ then ISO
allows many activities to be carried out in
the following elements: 50001 will probably
common with existing quality and
not deliver energy
environmental management systems. 1 Scope management to
This also avoids a creating a stand-alone your company.
2 Normative references
energy management system, makes use of
existing structures and allows energy 3 Terms and definitions
management to be seen as part of normal
business. 4 Energy management system
requirements
What does ISO 50001 do? 4.1 General requirements
ISO 50001 provides a broad framework of 4.2 Management responsibility
requirements enabling any organisation
to: 4.2.1 Top management
• Develop a policy for more efficient use of 4.2.2 Management representative
energy. 4.3 Energy policy External systems
are often used to
• Fix targets and objectives to meet the 4.4 Energy planning
justify an
policy. 4.4.1 General extraordinary
• Use data to better understand and make 4.4.2 Legal and other requirements amount of work for
decisions concerning energy use and an infinitesimally
4.4.3 Energy review small reward. Do
consumption.
4.4.4 Energy baseline not let this happen
• Measure the results. to you.
• Review the effectiveness of the policy.
• Make continual improvements in energy
management. Plan

One of the major benefits of ISO 50001 is

that it encourages setting up a permanent
structure to manage energy use. In many Input Output
sites, energy becomes a ‘flavour of the
month’ when prices rise and then fades in
importance as the site and management
become used to the increased costs. This
leads to random initiatives to reduce
energy use but no long-lasting energy use
reduction programme or focus. ISO 50001
provides the structure and processes for Check
long-term work and long-term energy use
and cost reductions. s& Continual improvement
dard
Stan edures
What does ISO 50001 not do? proc
As a broad framework for energy
management that is equally applicable to
all organisations, ISO 50001 does not: The ‘Plan–Do–Check–Act’ cycle (the Deming Wheel)
• Provide guidance for any specific Plan–Do–Check–Act is part of the continuous improvement cycle
industry or sector. where improvements are carried out in a cycle and then
• Provide targets or benchmarks for any reinforced by internal standards to hold the gains made by the
specific industry or sector. improvement.

14 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 4.4.5 Energy performance indicators
4.4.6 Energy objectives, energy targets
and energy management action plans
4.5 Implementation and operation
4.5.1 General
4.5.2 Competence, training and
awareness
4.5.3 Communication
4.5.4 Documentation
4.5.5 Operational control
4.5.6 Design
4.5.7 Procurement of energy services,
products, equipment and energy
4.6 Checking
4.6.1 Monitoring, measurement and
analysis
4.6.2 Evaluation of legal requirements
and other requirements
4.6.3 Internal audit of the system
4.6.4 Nonconformities, correction,
corrective and preventive action
4.6.5 Control of records
4.7 Management review
4.7.1 General
4.7.2 Input to management review
4.7.3 Output from management review
The systems approach
ISO 50001 is an ‘external’ system, where
the general requirements, but not the
detail, of the system are specified. As for
all external management systems, ISO
50001 follows the ‘Plan–Do–Check–Act’
(PDCA) model:
• Plan – identify the requirements and set
the policy.
• Do – decide on the procedures needed
and implement them.
• Check – set targets and objectives, and
assess achievement.
• Act – continually improve the system.
All external systems generally suffer from
the same defects as internal systems, i.e.,
complexity and lack of clarity, but most
have several additional defects that can
actually prevent people from delivering
the desired aim of the system. These are:
• Inflexibility: ‘The standard requires this’.
This is where the general requirements
of the standard are translated into an
edict that must be obeyed even when all
concerned can see that the result is a
system that either doesn’t deliver any
benefit or, worse still, is detrimental to
Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management
the overall stated aim of the system. Actions and
• Atrophy: ‘We can’t change this’. This is information for
where the interpreted requirements of ISO 50001
the standard are regarded with an • How much energy
almost religious passion and become a are we using?
dogma that cannot be changed. The • When are we
result is a system that becomes engraved using energy?
in stone, that nobody pays any attention • Where are we
to and eventually leads to using it?
disillusionment with the whole system. • Who influences
• Tick the boxes: ‘We have to show that we energy use?
have done this’. The system is • What are the
energy use
acknowledged as not delivering, the
drivers?
management see no benefit in it but the
threat of losing certification is worse • What is our
than the alternative of attending energy baseline?
meetings, producing reports and ticking • What are our
energy
all the required boxes.
indicators?
External systems can deliver excellent
• Are there any
benefits provided companies have the legal or other
courage to use them to the best effect, to requirements?
modify or discard them if they are not • What are our
working and to refuse to accept the objectives and
boilerplate solutions that are commonly targets?
delivered to them. Companies need to: • What is our action
• Cut through the jargon and to use the plan?
systems to deliver real cost savings. • Do we have the
• Use the systems that they already have. necessary
resources and
• Carry out a realistic business appraisal knowledge?
of the case for installing the external
system or not. Systems are a business
decision.
What to do?
Choosing to obtain ISO 50001 may or may
not reduce energy use but that is no
reason not to start on the essential
journey of reducing energy use.
Do they deliver?
One issue that is largely absent from many of the discussions
about ‘management systems’ standards is the answer to the
unasked question ‘Do they deliver?’ Many companies are driven
into the management systems standards approach by their own
insecurity and need to present some external verification of their
systems.
In some companies, the introduction of the standards is primarily
an exercise in ‘window-dressing’ where current and failing
systems are simply documented and engraved in stone. This
response will inevitably fail and the systems will not deliver.
In other companies, the introduction of this type of standard
forces a re-evaluation of the systems that are currently in place.
This can be a powerful catalyst for change and improvement.
The standard can act as a reference for ‘best practice’ and
provide guidelines for the development of internal systems.
Do they deliver?
The answer depends on you.
15
1.7 Energy management systems – the
changing standard
All change with standards ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 Choosing to obtain
ISO 50001 may or
It will come as no surprise that there is ISO 50001 differs slightly from the other may not reduce
now a ‘standard’ for management systems management systems standards in that it energy use but that
standards. Annex SL is the new standard is much more data-driven and focuses on is no reason not to
high-level structure for all ISO the numbers, i.e., it is much more start on the
management systems standards. It does quantitative than ISO 14001. ISO 14001 essential journey of
not enforce any new requirements but can certainly consider energy use and reducing energy
use.
simply makes the standards much more performance as environmental aspects
consistent in numbering, format and and impacts but this consideration tends
content. to be in a more qualitative manner.
All new and revised management systems If, as at many plastics processing sites, the
standards will now conform to a common major environmental aspect and impact is
structure of the form: associated with energy use then ISO
• Clause 1: Scope. 50001 will provide a much more focused
approach to environmental improvement.
• Clause 2: Normative references.
The fact that the cost of energy is also
• Clause 3: Terms and definitions. likely to be high for most plastics
• Clause 4: Context of the organisation. processors also means that any financial Free tools
• Clause 5: Leadership. benefits of ISO 50001 are likely to be The US DoE has
clearer. produced some
• Clause 6: Planning.
There is nothing to stop sites excellent tools for
• Clause 7: Support. implementing ISO
implementing both ISO 14001 and ISO
• Clause 8: Operation. 50001 and these are
50001. The additional implementation cost
available at https://
• Clause 9: Performance evaluation. is not likely to be large but the additional save-energy-
• Clause 10: Improvement. certification costs may be a barrier. now.org. Download
• Tip – Some sites use ISO 14001 to the DOE ‘eGuide for
The Annex SL structure will make it much ISO 50001’ or the
easier for sites with multiple management manage the overall environmental issues
‘eGuide Lite’ for
systems, e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and and ISO 50001 for specific energy issues. some excellent
ISO 50001, to avoid duplication of effort If this is done then the integration of the resources on how to
and documentation. management systems standards can be implement ISO
used to minimise costs. 50001.
ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 have
already been published in the Annex SL • Tip – Do not think that implementing ENERGY STAR also
ISO 50001 in any format will has some excellent
structure but the current version of ISO resources available
50001 (as referred to in Sections 1.5 and automatically reduce energy use. This
at
1.6) was written in 2011 in the ‘old’ needs projects to be identified, quantified
www.energystar.gov.
management systems standard format. and implemented.
This is currently being re-written to • Tip – Since the introduction of ISO
conform to the Annex SL format with 50001 in 2011, there has also been a
much the same changes in emphasis that range of new standards produced. These
were seen in ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. include:
The release of the revised and new format ISO 50002:2014 – Energy audits.
ISO 50001 is planned for 2019 but there Requirements with guidance for use.
will be a 3-year transition period from the
ISO 50003:2014 – Energy
‘old’ to the ‘new’ formats.
management systems. Requirements
A prediction of how the current ISO for bodies providing audit and ISO 50001 requires
50001:2011 clauses will map onto the certification of energy management actions to address
‘new’ format is shown on the right. The systems. risks and
new format will increase the range of opportunities but
activities that are common to existing the risk
management
quality and environmental management requirements are
systems. This can make use of existing likely to be far less
structures and allows energy management stringent than in
to be seen as part of the normal business other management
processes. systems standards.

16 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Clause ISO 50001:2011 Clause ISO 50001:2019
0 Introduction 0 Introduction
1 Scope 1 Scope
2 Normative references 2 Normative references
3 Terms & definitions 3 Terms & definitions
4 Context of the organisation
4 EnMS requirements
4.1 Understand the organisation & its context
4.2 Understand the needs & expectations of
interested parties
4.1 General requirements 4.3 Scope of the EnMS
4.4 EnMS
5 Leadership
5.1 Leadership & commitment
4.3 Energy policy 5.2 Energy policy
4.2 Management responsibility 5.3 Organisational roles, responsibilities &
authorities
4.4 Energy planning 6 Planning
6.1 Actions to address risks & opportunities
4.4.3 Energy review 6.1.2 Energy review
4.4.2 Legal & other requirements 6.1.3 Legal & other requirements
4.4.4 Energy baseline 6.1.4 Energy baseline
4.4.5 Energy performance indicators 6.1.5 Energy performance indicators
6.1.6 Planning action
4.4.6 Energy objectives, targets & action plans 6.2 Energy objectives & planning
7 Support
4.2.1 Top management 7.1 Resources
4.5.2 Competence, training & awareness 7.2 Competence
7.3 Awareness
4.5.3 Communication 7.4 Communication
4.5.4 Documentation 7.5 Documented information
7.5.2 Creating & updating
7.5.3 Control of documented information
4.5 Implementation & operation 8 Operation
4.5.1 General 8.1 Operation planning
4.5.6 Design 8.2 Design
4.5.7 Procurement of energy services, products, 8.3 Procurement of energy services, products,
etc. etc.
4.6 Checking 9 Performance evaluation
4.6.1 Monitoring, measurement & analysis 9.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis &
evaluation
4.6.2 Evaluation of compliance with legal 9.1.2 Evaluation of compliance
requirements and other requirements
4.6.3 Internal audit of the EnMS 9.2 Internal audit
9.2.2 Internal audit programme
4.7 Management review 9.3 Management review
4.7.2 Input to management review 9.3.2 Management review inputs
4.7.3 Output from management review 9.3.3 Management review outputs
10 Improvement
4.6.4 Nonconformities, correction, corrective 10.2 Nonconformity & corrective action
action & preventive action
10.3 Continual improvement
Prediction of how ISO 50001:2011 will map to ISO 50001:2019
The exact requirements of ISO 50001:2019 will not be defined until 2018/2019 but it is highly likely that the
requirements of ISO 50001:2011 will map as per previous management systems standards. It is also predicted
that, in common with other standards, there will be increased emphasis on continual improvement, the
introduction of risk-based thinking and the change from ‘documents’ to ‘documented information’.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 17

1.8 Energy management – where are you now?

Where are we starting from? To complete a column read the If you don’t know
descriptions in the column cells and select where you are
Understanding the current situation starting out from
the cell that is closest to the current
provides the basis for an improvement then it is unlikely
situation at your site.
strategy and many of the basic actions that you will end up
necessary for successful implementation. It is unlikely that every part of the where you want to
description in the cell will fully describe get to!
The next sections in this chapter provide a
your specific situation but choose the cell
series of self-assessment charts designed
that has the most appropriate description.
to assess your current position.
This will give a score ranging from 0 to 4,
The charts are easy to complete but we mark this at the base of the column. This is a team
suggest copying the relevant pages before effort!
After all the columns have been scored,
completing the forms.
transfer the scores to the radar chart for Completing the
Completing the chart the relevant columns/axes. This gives a chart on your own
rapid visual assessment of the current is not
Each chart has several columns which recommended. It is
cover various aspects of the main topic. situation for the specific topic.
much better to
either complete the
chart as a group –
you will be amazed
at the divergence
Energy management of opinions – or to
get several people
in the company to
Energy policy complete the chart
4 separately and
then to compare
the results.
3

Investment 2 Organising Assessing the

results
Ideally, a site
1 would have
balanced score
with all columns/
0 axes in the same
broad area. This is
rare and in most
cases, sites will
show strengths in
certain areas and
weaknesses in
Marketing Motivation others. The axes
with low scores are
the areas that the
site needs to work
on to improve the
overall score.

Information systems
Download the
software
This and similar
charts are available
Use the scoring chart to assess where you are in energy management as a downloadable
spreadsheet at
The numbers from the scoring chart can be transferred to the radar chart for a quick visual www.tangram.co.
assessment of where you are in the basics of energy management. uk/energy.

18 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Energy management

Information
Level Energy policy Organising Motivation Marketing Investment
systems

Energy policy, Energy Formal & informal Comprehensive Marketing of Positive

action plan & management fully channels of systems set energy efficiency discrimination in
regular review integrated into communication targets, monitor & energy favour of 'green'
have commitment management regularly exploited consumption, management schemes with
of top structure. Clear by energy identify faults, performance both detailed
4 management as delegation of manager & energy quantify savings & internally & investment
part of an responsibility for staff at all levels. provide budget externally. appraisal of all
environmental energy tracking. opportunities.
strategy. consumption.

Formal energy Energy manager Energy committee Monitoring & Programme of Same payback
policy, but no accountable to used as main targeting reports staff awareness & criteria employed
active commitment energy committee channel together for individual regular publicity as for all other
from top representing all with direct contact premises are campaigns. investments.
management. users, chaired by with major users. based on
3 a member of the sub-metering, but
managing board. savings not
reported
effectively to
users.

Unadopted energy Energy manager Contact with major Monitoring & Some ad-hoc staff Investment using
policy set by in post, reporting users through ad- targeting reports awareness short-term
energy manager or to ad-hoc hoc committee based on supply training. payback criteria
senior committee, but chaired by senior meter data. only.
departmental line management departmental Energy unit has ad-
2 manager. & authority are manager. hoc involvement in
unclear. budget setting.

An unwritten set of Energy Informal contacts Cost reporting Informal contacts Only low-cost
guidelines. management is between based on invoice used to promote measures taken.
the part-time engineering staff & detail. energy efficiency.
responsibility of a few users. Engineer compiles
someone with reports for internal
1 limited authority or use within
influence. technical
department.

No explicit policy. No energy No contact with No information No promotion of No investment in

management or users. system. energy efficiency. increasing energy
any formal No accounting for efficiency.
delegation of energy
responsibility for consumption.
0 energy
consumption.

Score x x x x x x

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 19

1.9 Financial management – where are you
now?
Without money it won’t happen standard investment hurdles and analysis The financial
that are in place at most sites. The main aspects of
Energy management is the same as any investment in
concern is that energy management
other project or process – starve the energy
receives the appropriate level of funding
process of the appropriate investment and management are
for the benefits that it can deliver. also covered in
it will fail. All projects, even nominally no-
cost and low-cost projects need investment Chapter 3.
Completing the chart
in staff time and much progress can be
This chart is completed and assessed as
made in these areas.
for the previous chart.
Eventually, the process will require
financial investment of some magnitude
and this must be justified before progress
can be made.
Energy management does not require
preferential funding. Most energy
management projects can easily meet the

Financial management

Identifying
4

Project
2 Exploiting
funding

Management
Human
information
resources
systems
Areas of
disagreement may
show that there is
something
happening at the
Appraisal site that is not well
known, i.e., the
methods Finance function is
actually keeping
records but is not
Use the scoring chart to assess where you are in financial management telling the
Production function
The numbers from the scoring chart can be transferred to the radar chart for a quick visual that they are doing
assessment of where you are in the basics of financial management. so.

20 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Financial management
Management
Appraisal Human Project
Level Identifying Exploiting information
methods resources funding
systems
Detailed energy Formal Full MIS enabling Full discounting Board take a Projects compete
surveys regularly requirement to identification of methods using proactive equally with other
updated. identify the most past savings & internal rate of approach to long- areas.
Lists available of energy-efficient further return & ranking term investment Full account taken
opportunities option. opportunities for priority projects as as part of a of indirect benefits,
4 already costed & Decisions made investment part of an ongoing detailed e.g., marketing
ready to proceed. on the basis of life meeting investment environmental opportunities,
cycle costs. organisation's strategy. strategy in full environmental
financial support of the factors.
parameters. energy team.

Energy surveys Energy staff are Promising Discounting Energy manager Projects compete
conducted by required to proposals are methods using working well with for capital along
experienced staff comment on all presented to organisation's accounts/finance with other
or consultants projects. Energy- decision-makers specified discount department to business
likely to yield efficiency options but insufficient rates. present well- opportunities, but
3 largest savings. often approved but information (e.g., argued cases to have to meet more
no account is sensitivity or risk decision-makers. stringent
taken of life cycle analysis) results in requirements for
costs. delays or return on
rejections. investment.

Regular energy Energy staff Adequate Undiscounted Occasional Energy projects

monitoring and notified of all management appraisal proposals to not formally
analysis used to proposals that information methods, e.g., decision-makers considered for
identify possible affect energy available, but not gross return on by energy funding from
areas for saving. usage. in the correct capital. managers with capital budget,
2 Proposals for format or easily limited success & except when very
energy savings are accessed in only marginal short-term returns
at risk when support of energy- interest from are evident.
capital costs are saving proposals. decision-makers.
reduced.

Informal ad-hoc Energy staff use Insufficient Simple payback Responsibility Funding only
energy walkabouts informal contacts information to criteria are unclear & those available from
conducted by staff to identify projects demonstrate applied. involved lack time, revenue on low-
with checklists to where energy whether previous No account taken expertise & risk projects with
identify energy- efficiency can be investment in of lifetime of the resources to paybacks of less
1 saving measures. improved at energy efficiency investment. identify projects & than one year.
marginal cost. has been prepare proposals.
worthwhile.

No mechanism or Energy efficiency Little or no No method used No-one in No funding

resources to not considered in information irrespective of the organisation available for
identify energy- new-build, available to attractiveness of a promoting energy projects.
saving refurbishment or develop a case for project. investment in No funding in the
opportunities. plant replacement funding. energy efficiency. past.
0 decisions.

Score x x x x x x

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 21

1.10 Technical management – where are you
now?
The plant is the thing
The distribution of energy use in plastics
processing is very different to that in an
office and Section 1.3 gives the relative
magnitude of these costs for a typical
plastics processor. The major energy users
are the services and the plastics
processing machinery and this is where
the efforts must be concentrated.
This requires good technical knowledge of
the processes used and good technical
management of the process itself.
This chart tries to provide an assessment
of these technical aspects of energy
management.
Even when the majority of the operational Agreement by
plant was not originally designed with various people
across the site
energy efficiency in mind there are many
shows consistency
simple actions that can be taken to
– a starting point
improve the energy efficiency of existing
for improvement.
plant. These range from good maintenance
actions, where simple low-cost tasks, such
as the alignment of motor drives, can
easily reduce energy use for existing plant
through to involving the operators to
reduce energy use.
Completing the chart
This chart is completed and assessed as
for those presented previously.

Technical management

Existing
plant
4

Operational Plant
methods 2 replacement

Records Maintenance
Operators often
know how to
reduce energy use
by changing
operational
methods. Despite
this, their
Operational knowledge is
knowledge routinely ignored in
favour of the less
relevant knowledge
of someone in an
Use the scoring chart to assess where you are in technical management office.
The numbers from the scoring chart can be transferred to the radar chart for a quick visual An opportunity lost
assessment of where you are in the basics of technical management. and a huge pity.

22 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Technical management

Existing Plant Operational Operational

Level Maintenance Records
plant replacement knowledge methods

Majority of existing Equipment chosen Maintenance is Staff know how Detailed Targets set by
equipment uses is the most based on needs, their actions affect descriptions of actual production
best practice appropriate for with condition energy efficiency systems, plant volumes using
energy-efficient application. appraisal used for & take positive control & historical
features, is Life cycle costs & all equipment & steps to minimise operation. performance.
4 correctly energy efficiency fabric elements energy use. Detailed Monitored for
commissioned & are major factors affecting energy Staff have schedules of all actual usage by
well maintained. in selection. efficiency. targeted training in plant, production area.
Results acted energy issues. instrumentation &
upon. controls.

Equipment & plant Equipment is Regular condition Staff are aware of Detailed Targets set by
is appropriately appropriate for surveys carried how they affect descriptions of budgeted
selected, energy- application with out on equipment energy use & take plant control & production
efficient, energy efficiency & fabric elements all good operation, & volumes using
commissioned for considered. affecting energy housekeeping outline systems. historical
3 low energy Life cycle costs & efficiency. measures to save Reasonable performance.
consumption & energy efficiency Action undertaken energy. schedules of all Monitored for
well maintained. are evaluated. for most defects Training on a plant, actual usage by
identified. regular basis. instrumentation & production area.
controls.

Most equipment is Equipment Condition surveys Most good Basic descriptions Targets set
not specifically selected to be fit carried out housekeeping of plant control & against realistic
energy-efficient, for purpose, regularly on all practices are operation. budgets, &
but either was bearing in mind equipment & fabric adhered to in an Basic plant, maintained
commissioned or likely life cycle elements affecting attempt to reduce instrumentation & through financial
2 is being regularly costs & energy energy efficiency. energy usage. control schedules procedures.
maintained for low efficiency factors. Remedial work Occasional energy for most control
energy constrained by efficiency training systems.
consumption. budgets. received.

Equipment is not Power efficiency Condition surveys Energy-saving Minimal or poor Targets set by
energy-efficient, data on products carried out techniques are plant control & default through
but has been obtained as part of occasionally, only adopted operation. budget setting
commissioned for selection process. prompted by plant where they can be Plant procedures.
economy & failure or safety easily instrumentation &
1 undergoes considerations. accommodated control schedules
periodic Remedial work within traditional for only some of
maintenance. only carried out on working practices. the plant & control
major defects. systems.

Energy No consideration No regular surveys No consideration None available. No targets set.

performance has of energy or maintenance is given to energy
not been efficiency in plant carried out. efficiency during
considered during equipment working
the procurement, selection. operations.
0 commissioning or
maintenance of
existing plant &
equipment.

Score x x x x x x

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 23

1.11 Awareness and information – where are
you now?
Knowledge is the key the benefits of training and the resources Low scores are not
to carry this out are given in Sections 6.5 bad but simply
As with any new activity, there is a need show areas with
and 6.6.
to both specify what people are going to do improvement
and to ensure that they are aware of their Energy management is a rapidly potential.
responsibilities. developing field and there are very few
people with experience or understanding
One of the keys to energy management is
of this area – keep staff well trained and
to ‘show results to get resources’ and there
up-to-date with the latest market
is a need for clear reporting of successes in
developments.
energy management to both get resources
and to motivate the team. Equally there is Completing the chart
a need to provide staff with training and
This chart is completed and assessed as
development opportunities. A training
for those presented previously.
course on variable-speed drives may
appear a luxury but if it saves real money
then it is a good investment in both the
staff and the company. Further details of

Awareness and information

Energy
management
4

3 If you don’t know

that you are doing
Energy it wrong then how
Market can you hope to
2 efficiency
awareness improve?
awareness

Training Reporting

Performance
review

Use the scoring chart to assess where you are in awareness & information If you think training
is expensive then
The numbers from the scoring chart can be transferred to the radar chart for a quick visual consider the cost of
assessment of where you are in the basics of awareness and information. ignorance.

24 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Awareness & information
Energy
Energy Performance Market
Level efficiency Reporting Training
management review awareness
awareness
Lists of Energy efficiency Wide reporting of Progress regularly Training properly Keep abreast of
responsibilities & performance current status reviewed. resourced for technological
their assignment regularly given to compared with Performance technical & developments by
exist & are all staff. best practice, on compared against premises staff. monitoring of trade
comprehensive & Full use made of regular basis & internal & external Active technical journals, literature
4 regularly reviewed. publicity. geared at a range benchmarks. library. & other sources on
All staff have All methods used of audiences. Ideas actively All staff have issues affecting
responsibilities. to promote new Full support to sought. access to energy energy efficiency.
measures for public statements. efficiency
saving energy. information.

Lists of Energy efficiency Current status Frequent energy Continuous Regular studies
responsibilities & status presented reports issued efficiency reviews professional carried out on
their assignment to all staff at least annually to using monitored development for trade journals,
exist for key annually. shareholders & consumption & technical & literature & other
energy staff & all Occasional but staff. cost data. premises staff. sources to assess
3 departments. widespread Impartial reporting Analysis is regular, All staff are aware current
publicity to of performance to wide-ranging but of & have access developments
promote energy staff & ritualistic. to an energy impacting on
saving. departments on a efficiency library. energy efficiency.
regular basis.

Some staff & Energy Occasional issue Occasional Technical & Trade journals,
departments have performance of energy technical energy premises staff literature & other
written presented to staff efficiency status efficiency reviews. development by sources scanned
responsibilities. on a regular basis. reports. Regular cost professional & on an ad-hoc
Occasional use of Concentrates on checks with technical journals. basis for
2 publicity to good news. exception Occasional information on the
promote energy reporting. initiatives to train latest
saving. Analysis of limited staff in energy developments
scope. efficiency. relating to energy
efficiency.

Unwritten set of Energy Reports only Energy review Few staff have Trade journals,
responsibility performance issued if prompted activity based on knowledge of literature & other
assignments. occasionally by a business revenue costs. energy efficiency sources studied
reported & known need. Limited exception techniques & for energy
to very few staff. Most reports will reporting only. facts. implications when
1 Energy-saving contain only good Little training in a purchase is
measures are news. energy efficiency imminent.
rarely promoted. for staff.

No evidence of No staff have No reporting. No monitoring Staff have little, if Energy efficiency
assignment of explicit activity to underpin any, knowledge of not a
energy efficiency responsibilities or review processes energy efficiency. consideration
tasks & duties. duties. No attempt to when keeping up
inform staff of to date on
0 techniques & products or
benefits of energy technology.
efficiency.

Score x x x x x x

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 25

1.12 Purchasing – where are you now?

Purchasing projects that do not actually reduce costs Energy efficiency in

overall. purchasing is not
Purchasing any material or machine simply about the
naturally affects the energy consumption Purchasing at all levels and in all areas
contracts to buy
of the process. Contracts for power supply needs to be aware that purchases can electricity or gas.
naturally need to be examined carefully potentially lock energy efficiency or energy
inefficiency into the system. It is about
(see Chapter 4) but all contracts and everything that you
projects potentially affect energy use and buy!
Completing the chart
need to be examined with this in mind.
New materials or additives may appear This chart is completed and assessed as
more expensive but may reduce the energy for those presented previously.
use during processing. New machinery
may reduce labour costs but may lead to
increased energy costs that outweigh the
benefits. The attitude of regarding energy
as a fixed cost and labour as a variable
cost can lead to complex automation

Purchasing

Contracts
4

Potential
Auditing 0
suppliers

Buying the right

machines and
equipment will
embed energy
efficiency into a
Checking site for years to
compliance come.
Buying energy-
inefficient
equipment will
Use the scoring chart to assess where you are in purchasing embed energy
inefficiency into the
The numbers from the scoring chart can be transferred to the radar chart for a quick visual site for years to
assessment of where you are in the basics of purchasing. come.

26 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Purchasing

Potential Checking
Level Contracts Auditing
suppliers compliance
Rolling programme to ensure Whenever appropriate, Wherever appropriate, Wherever appropriate,
all existing contracts performance of suppliers is regular & methodical completed contracts
reviewed to see if they need evaluated against established checking by staff with reviewed, with reporting of
to cover energy efficiency energy efficiency criteria. appropriate expertise. achieved levels of energy
issues. Wherever necessary, only Corrective action identified & efficiency along with other
4 Where necessary, reference those meeting criteria invited subsequently monitored. critical aspects of supplier
to energy efficiency inserted to tender. Records maintained of performance.
in tendering procedures for supplier performance.
contract renewal.

Most major contracts Agreed criteria for evaluating Periodic checking by Most major completed
routinely reviewed to see suppliers exist & routinely experienced staff on most contracts reviewed, with
whether they need to cover used to evaluate potential major contractors, identifying reporting of energy
efficiency issues. tenderers on most major corrective actions & issuing performance as one of
contracts. instructions accordingly. regular topics addressed.
3

Some ad-hoc action taken to Ad-hoc criteria exist & Ad-hoc approach to No general auditing but
review whether major sometimes used to evaluate compliance checking against ad-hoc action to review
contracts need to cover suppliers of services & energy criteria only during energy efficiency only if &
energy efficiency issues. purchases. other general inspections of when performance audited
progress. for other purposes.
2

Informal consideration of Energy efficiency informally & Informal & occasional Informal & occasional
energy efficiency issues only occasionally used to evaluate checking only on contracts auditing only on contracts
in contracts specifically for potential suppliers only in specifically for energy goods specifically for energy goods
energy goods or services. contracts specifically for or services. or services.
energy goods or services.
1

Little or nothing known about Little or nothing known about No attention paid during No attention paid during post-
the extent to which energy the ability of existing inspections to issues relating contract auditing to issues
efficiency issues are dealt suppliers to deliver energy- to energy efficiency. relating to energy efficiency.
with in any of the efficient products or services
organisation's current in practice.
0 contracts.

Score x x x x

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 27

1.13 Project assessment and selection

Project management exceptions to this otherwise staff will not

know where to focus efforts or spending.
Energy use reduction will only come about
through the successful identification and • Never start projects that you cannot
implementation of projects. Energy finish no matter how attractive they may
management is a change programme and appear in terms of time or return. An
the identification, assessment and unfinished project is a total waste of
successful completion of projects is at the time.
heart of any change programme. This • If the resource bottleneck is finance-
needs good project management to be related then insist that the energy
effective. management programme is totally self-
funding. This should not be a problem if
Project selection ‘A’ projects are started first and the
A precursor to a successful project is good savings are validated (see Section 3.9).
selection of the project to be undertaken. If
this book succeeds in its aims then the Project planning
reader will have a wide range of projects There are three approaches to project
to choose from and will have to choose planning:
from the competing projects. It is best to • No planning – We’ll do it!
choose a limited number of projects and
• Simple planning methods.
succeed at these rather than to start many
projects and never to complete any. • Complex computer-based planning
methods.
Project selection is best based on a simple
2×2 ‘effort–reward’ matrix as shown in the Project planning is essential for successful
diagram. Projects can be ranked quickly energy management but simple planning
on the basis of: methods are far preferred. Energy
management projects tend to be small in
• The reward – the estimated size of the
scale both in investment and time and the
energy use reduction.
• The effort – the ease of implementation.
Projects with a high reward and low effort
are preferred and these will be in the
A-segment of the matrix. These should be
the first projects attempted. Projects in
the D-segment of the matrix are
B A
realistically never going to start.
When faced with a competing group of
projects with comparable ‘effort–reward’
indices then the project with the shortest
time to completion should be chosen.

Resource bottlenecks
Every company has resource bottlenecks,
these can be with regard to staff – there
D C
are always more things to do than there
are time and people or with regard to
finance – there are always more demands
on capital than there is money in the Low High
bank. Whatever the particular resource
Size of energy use reduction
bottleneck, follow these simple rules to get
the best results:
Project selection for energy management
• Set a limit on the number of energy
management projects that are allowed to Deciding which projects to carry out is the start of the energy
be active at any time – do not open any management process. Rank potential projects according to the
new projects unless one of the current size of the reduction and the ease of implementation. Go for the
projects is closed or suspended. Make no greatest reductions and easiest implementations first.

28 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

planning process should match this. • Project teams are assessed on their Home truths of
One excellent method is to use top-down results. project
planning using Post-it notes. This method management
Meetings
is described in the box on the right and, • What you don’t
• Project teams meet regularly.
despite the apparent simplicity, is a very know hurts you.
powerful and flexible method for small Schedules • Any project can be
project planning. The method encourages accurately
• Check progress (and slippage) against
an open approach to planning where the estimated for cost
agreed time and financial targets.
whole process is visible, this is in contrast – after it is
to the computer-based approaches where Communication finished.
the project plan is controlled by the • Project teams report on progress via an • Nothing is
operator of the software. impossible to the
agreed and pro-active reporting and
person who
Whatever method of project planning is communication plan. doesn’t have to do
chosen, every project plan must have the • One of the best methods is to it.
following elements: communicate on one page and the One- • What is not on
Aims and objectives Page Project Manager1 method is an paper has not
excellent tool for both planning and been said.
These are the clearly stated aims and • If you can keep
reporting.
objectives of the project. These must be your head while all
measurable and achievable to allow later around you are
performance assessment. losing theirs then
This section is adapted from Section 1.15 of you haven’t
Milestones Kent, R.J. 2017. ‘Cost management in plastics understood the
These are dates (from the actual start of processing’, Elsevier. plan.
the project, not from the date that
approval was sought) that show when • 1. Campbell, C.A. and Campbell, M. 2013.
particular tasks are to be completed. ‘The One-Page Project Manager’. Wiley.
Milestones enable assessment of project
plan/time results.
Budget
All projects should have an initial
allocated budget.
Assessment
Projects must be assessed after the aims
and objectives have been completed or
when the project manager decides that no
more progress can be made. Assessment
allows a review of the achievements
against the previously agreed aims.
• Tip – Assessment should not only
consider the financial aspects such as
return on investment but also other non-
financial benefits of the project.
Closure
All projects should be formally closed after
the assessment phase.
Project planning using Post-it notes
Project management Top-down project planning for cost management can be carried
Project teams out using Post-it notes and a flip-chart.
• Project teams need a leader or ‘project Write each task and the time to be allocated to it on a note. Move
champion’. the notes around and group them according to the major tasks.
• Delegate control and accountability to
Combine or divide tasks as the process continues.
the project manager. Leave the chart in view and add, subtract or move the notes
• Project teams can make decisions around as the plan develops. Finally, move the notes to overlap
without fear of being over-ruled later. activities that can be done at the same time and reduce the total
time taken for the project (simultaneous engineering). The critical
• Project teams are free to innovate. path is easily seen from the sum of the individual tasks.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 29

1.14 Energy management projects – where are
you now?
The energy management essential to actually delivering the project Select your projects
process and achieving the potential gains. wisely – go for the
big bucks and easy
Choosing between energy management Cross-functional teams are an invaluable
projects.
projects will always be difficult. There will tool for energy management due to the
always be too many projects competing for organisation of most companies.
too few resources. Completing the chart
Companies need to rapidly assess the This chart is completed and assessed as
potential gains and difficulty of for the previous charts.
implementing any potential project before A Technical
rushing into a complex project that has a Manager reporting
relatively low cost management potential. to me always had
too many projects
Project selection is a key to energy running at any one
management. time and was
This section is adapted from Section 1.16 of
After projects have been selected then an judged to be
Kent, R.J. 2017. ‘Cost management in plastics
‘failing’. This was
effective project management system is an processing’, Elsevier.
because the
Managing Director
constantly
Energy management projects introduced new
projects and
changed the
Project priorities.
selection We set a limit of 8
4 projects that could
be considered to be
active at any one
3 time.
Any potential new
project had to pass
2 a monthly review
and to displace an
Problem Project existing project
before it could be
solving 1 planning considered for
action.
Any displaced
0 existing project was
labelled as being
‘on hold’ and not
considered for
assessment.
The Managing
Director was
therefore forced to
prioritise the active
projects and could
Project Project not randomly
introduce new
resources organisation projects.
The results:
• A more stable
project list.
• More completed
projects.
Use the chart to assess where you are in energy management projects
• A successful
The numbers from the self-assessment should be transferred to the radar chart for a quick Technical
visual guide to where you are in the basics of energy management projects. Manager.

30 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

 Energy management projects

Project Project Project Project Problem

Level
selection planning organisation resources solving

All relevant energy Formal project Excellent energy Project resources Firmly embedded
reduction opportunities definition & project reduction project defined & allocated culture of improvement
identified & prioritised plan necessary for any management system before project start. & problem solving
for action. project. used in all cases. Projects are rarely through planning,
Progress is regularly Projects have clearly delayed due to action & review.
4 reported & post-project defined management resource constraints. Root causes identified
assessment is carried & energy/benefits. & resolved.
out.

Most available energy Formal project Good energy reduction Project resources Problem solving is
reduction opportunities planning carried out for project management defined but not largely reactive with
identified but not all projects but control, system but use is allocated at project focus on solving root
prioritised for action. reporting & variable. start. causes.
assessment are Good integration Solutions developed
3 variable. across departments but not always fully
Failed projects are but many projects implemented.
sometimes hidden & have poor
no lessons learnt. energy/benefit
definition.

Some energy Project planning Energy reduction Project resources Problem solving is
reduction opportunities carried out for most project management poorly defined at largely reactive;
identified but no real projects but control, system available but project start. solutions are
planning process. reporting & not used. developed but rarely
assessment are poor Some integration of fully implemented.
2 or rarely carried out. projects across Focus on dealing with
Failed projects are departments & poor urgent effects & not on
often hidden & no energy/benefit solving root causes.
lessons learnt. definition.

Few energy reduction Cursory & No energy reduction Project resources Problem solving is
opportunities identified undocumented project project management rarely considered at purely reactive &
via unplanned process. planning but no formal system. project start. focused on dealing
project planning or Some integration of with urgent effects &
monitoring. departments for not on solving the root
1 Projects can become projects that clearly cause.
dormant & remain cross departmental
unfinished. boundaries.

Significant energy No effective project No energy reduction Projects often started Problems are ignored
reduction opportunities planning. Actions are project management without adequate until they go away.
ignored due to ‘urgent’ ad hoc & driven by system. resources (due to poor
daily pressures. events. Every project is planning) or starved of
Action is seen as more ‘different’. resources during
0 important than Projects are run by project.
planning. departments with little Urgency is rated more
input from other highly than strategic
departments. importance.

Score

Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management 31

Key tips

• Energy costs are variable and there is no managers take responsibility for the
reason to believe that they will stabilise costs and action to reduce the costs.
in the near future.
• The energy management system must
• The use of taxation and other financial cover:
instruments will increase.
Energy policy.
• Supply and distribution shortages will
Personnel.
increase in the medium term.
Planning.
• Security of supply (at any cost) is a
rising issue. Resources.
• Environmental issues are increasing in Training.
importance and public perception. Auditing.
• Corporate social responsibility is Reporting.
increasing in importance. • ISO 50001 is based on the Plan–Do–
• Energy management could easily be the Check–Act model.
deciding factor in whether your company • ISO 50001 can make use of existing
survives or not. management standards processes in
• Energy is a variable and a controllable place for systems such as ISO 9001 and
cost. ISO 14001.
• Energy costs are reaching the same • Management systems standards
magnitude as labour costs. provide a framework for improvement
• Energy costs are reaching the same but do not provide guidance on specific
magnitude as profits. actions, targets, techniques or tools or
projects to reduce energy use.
• Energy use and costs can be reduced by
over 30% in most cases and add directly • Sites should examine all the evidence
to the site profits. before they commit to a management
system standard.
• Energy costs can be reduced by
management, maintenance and • Energy managers must show results to
investment actions. get resources.
• The payback for most investment in • Energy management is all about
energy management is 6–9 months. delivering completed projects and these
need a good project selection and
• The sources of the current energy use in
management system.
plastics processing can be established
very quickly from readily available
information.
• The returns from efforts in energy
management are quick, certain and need
only internal effort.
• Energy cost reductions are very highly
geared and are often better for profits
than additional sales.
• Investment in energy management can
be the most effective investment a site
can make.
• Gaining top management commitment to
energy management is the key to real
progress.
• Implementing energy management
requires an energy management system.
• An energy management system can be
based on ISO 50001 or can be an internal
system, the important thing is that

32 Chapter 1 – Introduction to energy management

Chapter 2
Energy benchmarking

Despite the growing importance of energy based on current practice but it does not
management for plastics processors there provide a strong driving force for radical
is no established structure for improvement or change.
measurement, assessment and prediction We will therefore finally look at external
of energy use. This makes it difficult for benchmarking on a site basis and the
companies to assess their energy use and essentials of process rate dependency for
to understand their relative the site. This is then extended to the
competitiveness. Consequently, many machine level where we can also
companies are trying to measure the benchmark machines to look at the energy
wrong things in the wrong ways. They efficiency and process rate dependency for
then wonder why they get the wrong individual machines.
answers!
This chapter describes and illustrates a
consistent framework for measurement,
assessment and prediction that can be
used for most processes and plastics
processing companies throughout the
world. It looks at both internal and
external benchmarking, at both the site
level and at the machine level and how
this information can provide real insights
into how the site and the process are
performing.
More importantly, the chapter looks at
how this information can be used to
improve both operations and performance
and to correctly budget for energy use into
the future.
We firstly look at what controls or ‘drives’
energy use, then at internal benchmarking
for the site to develop the concepts of ‘base’
and ‘process’ loads and then use these
concepts to develop a simple method of
assessing performance and predicting
costs. Note: For most plastics processes, the
Internal benchmarking is vital but it is main energy source is electricity and
based on the ‘status quo’, it can be used to unless otherwise noted all references to
provide a weak driving force for change energy should be taken to refer to
electrical energy supply.

Energy Management in Plastics Processing 33

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102507-9.50002-7, Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
2.1 The framework and energy use drivers

The framework • A ‘condition’ driver is where the energy Drivers

use varies with an external influence,
Energy management needs a basic • ‘Activity’ drivers
such as the weather. The measurement
framework for measurement and lead to energy
of a condition driver is generally use from internal
performance assessment (also known as
externally specified. activity.
monitoring and targeting or M&T). The
basic framework for a consistent Understanding the effects of the relevant • ‘Condition’ drivers
measurement system: energy use drivers allows a site to analyse lead to energy
the energy use data to see how good the use from an
• Looks at internal benchmarking of the external
energy management is and more
site to provide a baseline for energy influence.
importantly to locate areas for potential
management improvements, a method of
energy use reductions.
assessing performance and predicting
costs. When there is a single driver for energy
use, it is possible to relate energy use
• Looks at external benchmarking of the
directly to this driver. When there are
site to compare the performance with
multiple drivers then the situation is more
similar sites using similar processes.
complex.
• Looks at external benchmarking of the
machines to compare machine settings Single drivers
and performance with similar machines. For a site with a single main process that
This framework (shown in the box on the
right) provides a wealth of information for
site management to identify energy waste
Internal benchmarking
and to reduce energy use and costs by
(Site)
simple M&T techniques.
Monitoring and targeting can be simply
based on financial results, i.e., comparison
of billing data with actual use and
Base and Assessing
examination of billing data for Predicting costs
process loads performance
inconsistencies or it can be based on
physical values, i.e., production volume or
other recorded data. Whilst pure financial
data are useful in locating billing and External benchmarking
other tariff-related errors, they do not (Site)
provide any method of internal
benchmarking or pressure for
improvement. They are therefore solely a
financial/budgetary control tool. This is a Process Production rate
very useful exercise but the use of physical dependency dependency
data is even more worthwhile and
provides a real insight into site operations.

Activity and condition drivers External benchmarking

(Machine)
The energy use at any manufacturing site
is not fixed and uncontrollable. Energy use
is always controlled or driven by some
external variable and understanding what
drives energy use is a critical feature of Process Production rate
any M&T programme. dependency dependency

Energy use can be related to either an

‘activity’ or a ‘condition’ driver or a The energy management framework
combination these.
The energy management framework looks at internal
• An ‘activity’ driver is where the energy
benchmarking of the site, external benchmarking of the site and
use is controlled by an internal activity,
external benchmarking of the machines to provide a consistent
such as production volume (however
and comparable view of the energy use at a site.
defined or measured).

34 Chapter 2 – Energy benchmarking

uses only electricity then it is possible to not easy to show the relationship using a Understanding and
relate the electricity use to the single simple graph (see Section 2.10). using the key
activity driver of production volume. This drivers to analyse
Note 1: Driver 1 and Driver 2 can be energy use is an
is the normal case for many plastics either activity or condition drivers and essential first step
processing sites which use only a single typical examples might be: in energy
process. management. Get
• kWh = A × Production volume Process 1
For a site which uses gas only for heating the drivers wrong
+ B × Production volume Process 2 + X.
then it is possible to relate the gas use to and you will be
• kWh = A × HDD Site + B × Production measuring the
the single condition driver of Heating
volume + X. wrong thing.
Degree Days (HDD = a measure of how
where HDD = Heating Degree Days.
cold it is). This is the normal case for site
heating where gas is used only for heating. • kWh = A × CDD Site + B × Production
volume + X.
In both of these cases, the energy use is
where CDD = Cooling Degree Days.
related to the driver (activity or condition)
by the equation: Note 2: It is also possible to have more
than two energy use drivers and in this
kWh = A × Driver value + X.
case the equation would be of the form:
It is then relatively easy to predict energy
kWh = A × Driver 1 + B × Driver 2 +
use from the equation and the value of the
C × Driver 3 + …. + X.
relevant driver. It is also relatively easy to
show the relationship using a simple
graph (see box on the upper right).
Multiple drivers
Some sites are more complex and a single
source of energy is used for two distinct
purposes that are not metered separately.
kWh

In these cases the total energy use is due

to multiple drivers and some typical
examples are:
• Sites which have two processes taking
place and where the processes have very
different energy intensities, e.g., a site
where both injection moulding and
extrusion take place. Extrusion has a
much lower energy intensity than
injection moulding (see Section 2.4) and Single activity driver
the energy use will be very different When a single driver (activity or condition) controls energy use
depending on the relative volumes of then it is relatively simple to visualise this on a conventional
material processed. chart.
• Sites where electricity is used not only
for the process but also for significant air
conditioning loads. Some of the energy
use will be due to the process (activity
driven) and some due to the air
kWh

conditioning (condition driven).

• Sites where gas is used for process but
also for the site heating. Some of the
energy use will be due to the process
(activity driven) and some due to the
heating (condition driven).
For sites with multiple drivers the energy
use is related to the drivers (activity or
condition) by the equation:
kWh = A × Driver 1 + B × Driver 2 +
X. Multiple activity drivers
In this case it is also easy to predict the When multiple drivers (activity or condition) control energy use
energy use by knowing the equation and then it is much more difficult to visualise this on a conventional
the value of the relevant drivers but it is chart and alternative methods are needed.

Chapter 2 – Energy benchmarking 35

2.2 The basic internal site data

Single drivers for simple sites

Energy Production
For most plastics processing sites it is Month
possible to allocate a single driver for
use (kWh) volume (kg)
energy use. For electricity use this will
generally be production volume (in kg) and 1 425,643 182,421
for gas use (heating only) this will
generally be HDD (see Section 4.8). 2 463,772 197,897

The simple method 3 504,675 248,742

Assuming a single driver makes it possible 4 437,307 204,228
to determine the base and the process
loads for a site from simple, easily 5 492,613 212,716
available energy use and production
volume data. 6 518,940 225,239
A site’s base and process loads can be
estimated using the following simple 7 532,322 217,864
method:
8 469,029 207,615
• Record the site production volume (in kg)
for a minimum of 12 months and record 9 676,008 347,845
the energy use (in kWh) for the same
periods. It is important that the 10 711,119 343,468
production volume and energy use data
measurement periods coincide. Typical 11 671,962 311,174
industry data are shown in the table
12 409,526 147,378
opposite for an injection moulding site
but the method can be used for any
plastics forming process. The basic data
Note: The production volume should be The basic data to start managing energy at a site are easily
the ‘through the nozzles’ volume to include obtained from the existing records. It is important that the
regrind and waste. It should not be simply measurement periods for the energy use and production volume
the amount of good material sent to the coincide.
warehouse or similar values.
• Plot a scatter chart of the energy use (in Base and variable loads (injection moulding)
800,000
kWh) versus production level (in kg).
This can be done in most spreadsheet 700,000
packages. It is recommended that a
600,000
minimum of 12 data points are used for
Energy use (kWh)

the scatter chart. 500,000

• Use the spreadsheet package to fit a
400,000
linear line of best-fit to the data points
and to find the equation of the linear line 300,000
of best-fit. Where possible, extrapolate
the linear line of best-fit back to the 200,000

vertical axis. kWh = 1.5751 x Production volume + 152,440

100,000
R2 = 0.9397
The equation of the line of best fit for the
sample data shown on the right is: 0
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000
kWh = 1.5751 × Production volume + Production volume (kg)
152,440
where R2 = 0.9397 Finding the base and process loads
This is the Performance Characteristic A simple spreadsheet-generated scatter chart of the basic data
Line (PCL) for the site. provides valuable information on the base and process loads and
• The intersection of the linear line of best- is easily obtained from existing company energy use and
fit with the ‘Energy use’ axis is the ‘base production records.

36 Chapter 2 – Energy benchmarking

Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 CHAPTER V.
A MESSAGE FROM THE SKY.

When Andy thus wildly rushed out of doors he fell over some object
which he did not chance to see. Perhaps in his excitement he even
imagined some one had given him a clip alongside the head with a
club, for he struck the ground with a bang that must have made him
see stars.
“Frank! Frank! Come here, quick!” he shouted.
The other, who had been thrusting his head out of the window of the
hangar, immediately made a break for the door. Doubtless he half
expected to see his cousin wrestling with some daring intruder,
whom he had caught in the act of setting fire to the shed or some
such caper.
“Where are you? What’s going on here?”
Calling in this strain Frank arrived in time to see Andy still on his
hands and knees just as he had fallen. He seemed to be staring up
at the starry heavens as though he had taken a sudden intense
interest in the planets of the universe.
“Did you see anything?” he questioned, as he managed to clamber
to his feet and clutch hold of the other.
“Not a thing!” came the ready reply; “but it seemed to me I heard
shouts. And they seemed to be getting fainter and fainter, as if the
fellows were running away.”
“That’s it, Frank, voices that sounded like they were sailing along
overhead!” exclaimed Andy, excitedly.
“What’s that?” demanded the other, turning upon him; “overhead,
you say? Ginger! Now that you mention it, seems to me there might
be something in that. But how could anybody get above us, when
there isn’t a single tree in this big field?”
“Frank,” Andy went on, earnestly, “I saw something just disappearing
over yonder, where the woods begin to poke up in the east. And I
give you my word that was where the voices came from!”
“Disappearing? Do you mean over the tree-tops, Andy?” cried the
other, just as if the announcement he listened to nearly took his
breath away.
Andy nodded his head several times, while his face, seen in the
moonlight, appeared to be covered with an eager grin.
“Yep, went over the tops of those same trees just like a bird—poof!
and it was gone. I couldn’t make head or tail out of it, because, you
see, I was nearly standing on my own head just then. But it wasn’t a
bird, I’ll take my affidavit on that! It sure must have been some sort of
flying machine, Frank!”
His listener whistled to express his surprise.
“Here, let’s go and get some clothes on over these zebra stripes,” he
suggested. “Then we can come out and look into this thing a little
closer.”
In less than three minutes they issued forth again, better able to
stand the chilly air of the night.
“Did you hear anything more than the shouts?” asked Andy, as they
emerged.
“Why, yes; some sort of racket woke me up. Don’t just know what it
was, but I thought somebody might be banging on the side of the
shack, and I jumped. I guess that’s what woke you, too,” continued
the taller lad.
“But Frank,” declared Andy, impressively, “I couldn’t say for certain,
and yet it seemed to me as I lay here, after tumbling over that
wooden bucket I forgot to carry indoors, I heard some sort of sounds
that made me think of the popping of a little motor!”
“A motor!” cried the other, “and up there in the air, too!”
They stared hard at each other. Some startling thought must have
instinctively lodged in each brain, for almost immediately Andy went
on sadly, saying:
“Just to think, they’ve beaten us a mile! And after all the talking we’ve
gone and done, too. However will we hold our heads up after this?”
“See here, you don’t mean that those fellows have got their biplane
rigged up already and are soaring around in the moonlight?”
demanded Frank.
“Well,” Andy continued, “it looks like it, don’t it? Something that can
fly and carry passengers certainly passed over our hangar just then.
And not only that, but they let loose at us, no doubt intending to
smash in our roof with a great big dornick.”
“Hold on, you’re jumping too far ahead, Andy. Let’s go slow and not
get off the track so easy. If you were on the witness stand could you
swear that you saw a biplane just disappearing over the trees
yonder?”
“Well, no; perhaps not exactly,” said the other; “but I saw something
that was moving along just as neat as you please.”
“Yes, and the moonlight is mighty deceiving, I know,” remarked
Frank. “But we’ll say that you did see something, that might have
been a flying machine or a cloud. Will you declare that you heard the
popping of a motor?”
“I think I did, but perhaps it may have been the blood rushing through
my brain, for I came down pretty solid. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if
we learned, after all, that it was a motor in an aeroplane. Then think
what they tried to do to us, will you?”
“There you go, Andy. Don’t be a false alarm all your life. We’re going
to investigate that same noise presently, when we’ve threshed this
other thing dry. It may be that they’ve gone and done it. But if two
greenhorns can start up in an aeroplane by moonlight and sail
around just as they please, flying must be easier than I ever
dreamed of, that’s all.”
Frank did look puzzled. He could not bring himself to believe such a
wonderful thing had happened. Knowing both Percy and his crony as
he did, he doubted their ability to accomplish the feat in broad
daylight, let alone night, with its deceptive moonlight.
And that was why he frowned as he tried to figure the thing out.
“We both heard the big row,” he mused. “Then Andy here declares
he saw something floating off above the trees yonder; he can’t say
for sure whether it was an airship or a nighthawk. And he kind of
thinks he heard something like the crackling of an aeroplane motor!
Now, what happened? That’s what we’ve just got to find out.”
He looked around him.
“Yes,” he continued, as if speaking to himself, “I’m nearly sure that
crash came from over yonder to the west. It seemed to reach me by
way of the window, and that was why I made for that opening in such
a hurry. Thought some fellow might be trying to climb in there and
had fallen back.”
Again he cast his eyes upward, then slowly described a half circle.
“Andy says it disappeared over that clump of trees, which is almost
due east of here. And I thought I heard the crash over at the other
side of the shack, making it almost west. Now, that sounds
reasonable. If they dropped something, meaning to hit the roof of the
hangar, and undershot the mark, it would have fallen to the ground to
the west of the building!”
“Yes,” said Andy, who had been listening eagerly, “and you
remember, there’s a little pile of lumber lying there, which we meant
to use if we had to enlarge the house. It must have struck those
boards, Frank!”
“That’s a clever thought,” admitted the other, “and one I didn’t clutch
myself. Let’s meander over that way and take a little observation.
What say?”
“I’m with you every time,” declared Andy, quickly. “I never could
stand having two mysteries bothering me at once. It’s enough to be
always wondering where that blessed little monkey wrench could
have vanished to.”
“Come on and drop that, if you please. Life is too short to be
everlastingly whining about lost opportunities and monkey wrenches
and such things,” said Frank, leading off as he spoke.
“Oh, splash! You haven’t got a grain of sentiment about you, Frank.
Everything is too practical, according to your way of thinking. Now to
my mind, there’s nothing prettier in the world than a cleverly
constructed wrench that knows its business and refuses to get out of
joint just when you need it to hold most.”
But Frank had declined to listen to his “chaff,” as Andy would have
called it himself. Already the other had advanced toward the opposite
side of the structure. Here, in the fairly bright moonlight, they could
see the pile of planks that had been left in the expectation that the
building might have to be enlarged sooner or later.
Straight toward these Frank strode. The nearer he came to the pile
the stronger grew his impression that they must be near a plausible
solution of the mysterious racket.
“It came from somewhere about here, I should say,” he remarked, as
he halted by the heap of boards to glance around.
“Yes, but so far as I can see there’s no big stone lying on top of the
pile. Guess after all it was a mistake. We must have dreamed it,”
said Andy, ready to give up.
But Frank was very stubborn. Once he had set his mind on a thing it
was hard indeed to change him. And somehow he believed more
than ever that if they looked close enough they would find the
explanation of the queer noise in this quarter.
“Strange!” he muttered, evidently chagrined because he did not
seem to discover what he had expected as soon as he had thought
would be the case.
“No big stone here, that’s sure!” declared Andy, picking himself up
from the ground.
“What was that you stumbled over?” asked his cousin quickly.
“That? Oh, only a bag of sand that swift bunch of masons who laid
the foundations of our shack forgot to carry away with them. They’re
a punk lot. Might have knocked my nose that time and started the
claret to running,” and he gave the object of his disgust a vicious kick
with his toe, after which he immediately began a war dance around
the spot, for he had quite forgotten that he was wearing a pair of
deerskin moccasins just then and had stubbed his toe against the
hard contents of the bag.
“What are you giving me?” demanded Frank. “A bag of sand! Why,
you know very well those masons never brought their sand in bags.
It came in a load and was dumped right over at the other side of the
shack.”
“All right. This is a bag, I tell you. Perhaps it’s got gold dust in it, for
all I know. Feels hard enough for that. I’ll put you wise, Frank. Just
you try giving it a good kick, if you want to see,” grumbled Andy,
nursing his injured toe.
“A sandbag! Whew! I wonder——”
Frank did not finish what he had on his mind, and his companion
looked his surprise at seeing him drop down alongside the object in
question, which he began to handle eagerly.
Then, to the utter amazement of Andy, he made to pick the heavy
bag up and start away with it.
“Hey, come back here!” called the other, trailing and limping after
him; “what under the sun are you going to do with that thing? Want it
for a pillow? Maybe you think we can make a breakfast off it? Why,
what ails the fellow? He acts like he’d struck a prize, that’s what!”
“Come along inside and I’ll show you something,” called the other
over his shoulder, which, of course, only added new fuel to the fire of
curiosity that was already raging in Andy’s soul.
When he got inside he found Frank in the act of scratching a match,
which he immediately applied to a lamp, one of those by which they
were wont to work of nights.
There upon a rude table where they planed and sawed Andy saw a
small, stoutly made canvas bag that had what seemed to be a
handle on one side.
“Well, I declare, it’s got a label of some sort tied to it! Nice, pleasant
fellows these, trying to smash in the roof of our hangar and then
sending their compliments along with it!” Andy exclaimed, for like a
flash it had come to him that the sandbag had been hurled down
from above!
“Here, listen while I read what it says!” exclaimed Frank.
“Balloon ‘Monarch.’
“DeGraw, Pilot.
“Launched at St. Louis July 4. Sixty-seven hours up. Last
bag ballast but two. Please notify committee through New
York newspapers.”
“Butt in; I’m listening, Frank!”
Then the two boys stood there and stared at each other, as though
hardly able to grasp what the whole thing meant, but the one positive
fact that stood out was that this sandbag must have come down from
a passing balloon!
 CHAPTER VI.
BLOOMSBURY IS BOOKED FOR FAME.

“Please pinch me, Frank!” said Andy, weakly.

“What for? Do you think you’re asleep?” asked the other, himself
hardly able to believe what his eyes had read.
“It seems like a dream. I just can’t understand it all. Yet there’s the
message all right that dropped down from the clouds. And we sure
heard voices. Tell me I’m not seeing things that don’t exist, Frank.
Say something, for goodness sake!”
Frank did manage to arouse himself at last.
“Well,” said he, slowly and seriously; “let’s look at this thing a bit
closer. We were waked up by a big bang. Then we thought we heard
voices that gradually grew fainter. You got the notion in your head
you glimpsed some sort of flying thing that disappeared over the tree
tops to the east. Finally, we picked up this sandbag, made just like
those we saw with that balloon that was down at the aviation meet
on Long Island. That about covers the business, I reckon.”
“Covers it, yes!” cried Andy, now growing excited; “but it gives me a
creep just to think how that balloon, drifting all the way from St.
Louis, happened to pass straight over our heads! And then what a
streak of luck to have the pilot drop his message at the door of our
hangar. Why, it was just like he knew there were a pair of aeroplane
boys here ready to grab his message as they would a gold nugget.”
“Right you are, Andy,” observed his cousin. “And do you know I take
this as a sign that we’re going to have good luck with our aeroplane.
Things are coming our way.”
“I should say they were. First some fellow sneaks in here and cuts
the wings of our bird to flinders. Then these balloon racers get the
notion that our camp would be a rattling good place to drop a
message to their committee. Do we carry out their suggestion,
Frank?”
“Do we?” echoed the other, instantly; “well, what would you think of
our chances among the profession if we declined to assist fellow
aviators hustling the news along? Why, I’d get up out of a warm bed
any time of night and wheel twenty miles to carry such a message as
that.”
“Then you’ll go to town with it and send to the papers in New York?”
demanded Andy.
“Yes, right away; so they can have the news in the morning issues, if
it isn’t too late. I’ll hunt up Casper Dunbar. You know he has some
sort of connection with the Herald, and never fear but that he’ll find a
way to tell the whole story.”
Frank was nothing if not energetic. Even while he was speaking he
began to hurriedly dress himself.
“I suppose,” ventured the other, cautiously, as if an idea had
suddenly come to him, “our names will have to be mentioned in the
telegram?”
“We’ll leave that to Casper. Ten to one he’ll make it a point to say
that the boys who had the message left at their door are known as
local aeronauts,” replied Frank, secretly chuckling, for he could
guess what was coming.
“Well,” said the other, presently, “would you mind asking Casper if he
seems bent on mentioning us in his dispatch that he get my name as
Andy and not Andrew? You know nobody but the dominie calls me
that, and I’ve always detested the name. It belonged to an uncle who
after all turned out bad. Spell it for him, Frank—just plain Andy Bird.”
“All right, just as you say. But there’s no need of you sitting up to wait
for me. I may be gone quite a while, because you see Casper would
want to hear all the particulars. Go back to your cot, Andy.”
“Perhaps I will,” replied the other, who was, however, evidently in no
frame of mind to woo the gentle goddess of sleep, for he continued
to shake his head from time to time and mutter words covering his
astonishment over the “miracle.”
“Say,” he finally burst forth with, “we are lucky and that’s a fact.
Suppose now that pilot of the Monarch had just knocked at the door
of the Carberry home instead of here, wouldn’t that have queered
us? Well, anyway, he knew a real bird-boy had his nesting place
where he saw the roof of our hangar. I’m going to let Mr. DeGraw
know some day that I consider him a mighty far-sighted gentleman.”
“Shucks! It was just an accident, pure and simple,” laughed Frank,
“and we’ll let it go at that. I’m ready to skip off now. Is your wheel in
condition, Andy?”
“Plugged that rear tire only yesterday and made a cracking good job.
Yep, she is holding like a house afire. Good luck to you, Frank. And
be sure that you spell the whole name out for Casper. I’d hate to see
it Byrd or Budd or something like that.”
“You certainly take the cake, Andy. Don’t you know that a bird by any
other name would fly just as high? But I’ll impress on Casper the
enormous crime he’ll be committing if he gets a single letter wrong.
By-by!”
Wheeling the bicycle out of doors, Frank threw himself into the
saddle after the manner of an accomplished rider and was off.
The moon still rode high in the clear summer sky, so that, after a
fashion, it was almost as light as day. Frank quickly found himself on
the road. Then it was an easy dash into town and out along the other
road, which would speedily bring him to the home of Casper Dunbar.
Left alone in the shed, Andy did return to his cot, for it was rather
cool at that uncanny hour of the night. Sleep, however, was the very
last thing he considered as he lay there, a thousand thoughts flying
riotously through his excited brain.
The strange passing of that balloon racer, which had covered
something like a thousand miles in its long drift across country, filled
his mind with awe.
If a mere bag of gas, the sport of every shifting wind, could be
guided thus far by the skill of its pilot, in rising and falling in order to
continue a direct easterly course, what ought not a genuine
aeroplane, equipped with the lightest and most complete engine ever
constructed, be capable of doing?
In imagination the sanguine bird-boy saw himself and comrade
sailing over tracts of wild country never before looked upon by mortal
eye, learning the strange secrets that Nature had hidden from
mankind all these thousands of years.
“Why,” said Andy, talking to himself in lieu of any better audience,
“there can be nothing beyond the reach of a flying machine properly
constructed and run by experienced birdmen. It can pass over
burning deserts, where caravans have perished. It might even sail to
the South Pole and beat Peary at his own game. And of all the
pursuits in the world, to my mind that of an aeronaut is the finest. No
wonder my poor father was drawn to take it up by his studies. And
nothing shall ever keep me from following the same profession,
unless I meet with a knockout in the start, which I hope won’t be the
case.”
After what seemed to be a long time he fancied he heard Frank
returning. But as more minutes passed and no one knocked at the
door, across which he had drawn the protecting bar, after the
instructions of his mate, Andy concluded he must have been
mistaken.
“But it did sound like the tire of a wheel had hit the side of the shack.
May have been a squirrel playing about, because I’ve seen lots of
’em,” he muttered as he sat up, leaning on his elbow.
Perhaps it was, but all the same, when the little jar came again, Andy
was impelled to climb out of his simple bed and move over to the
window.
Possibly he could not wholly forget that on the preceding night some
persons had paid a secret visit to the home of the new monoplane
and shown a vandal spirit in cutting the wings to shreds.
What if they meant to come again on this night? Andy’s imagination
was doubtless pretty well fired after this strange visit from the racing
balloon. He also knew the character of the two rival aviators and to
what low depths they had often sunk in order to get even with those
they chanced to be at odds with.
But all seemed well. The moon hung there like a great silver shield.
An owl in a neighboring tree whinnied like a horse, calling to his
mate. Everything seemed peaceful enough and with not a sign of
intruders anywhere.
Ah, something certainly moved over yonder. Andy had a thrill as he
looked with his whole energy. How deceitful that bright moonlight
was after all! Why, he could see to read almost, and yet at fifty feet
away it would be next to impossible to decide whether the black
object he saw were a stump or a cow lying down.
Yes, the thing was moving and coming straight toward the hangar,
too. What if it turned out to be either Percy or his shadow, Sandy
Hollingshead? Would they dare attempt another mean trick similar to
that which was played on the preceding night?
Andy was gritting his teeth and trying to decide whether he ought to
shout to let them know their presence was known, when he heard a
low signal whistle.
Then after all it was Frank coming back. The two Bird boys had
studied telegraphy together, as well as “wigwagging” and the use of
the heliograph, as used by the signal corps of the United States
army. They had arranged a code after the manner of Morse, by
means of which they could communicate with each other, no matter
what the distance separating them.
“Hello, Frank, that you?” Andy now asked, softly.
“What’s left of me after banging along the road on a flat tire,” came
the immediate answer.
“Gee! did that plagued plug let go after all my pains to set it?” said
Andy, regretfully, for he did not like his cousin to deem him an
indifferent workman.
“It sure did before I’d gone two hundred feet along the road. But then
I wasn’t going to let a little thing like that keep me back,” replied the
other, as he came in through the door Andy opened.
“Did you manage to wake him up? I tried once, I remember, and it
was a healthy old job. Casper sleeps like a log,” Andy went on.
“Well,” replied Frank, smiling, “it was no easy task; but I pounded on
his door with a club till I made such a racket a neighbor called out to
know if anybody happened to be dead. I told him I was afraid Casper
must be. But just then he poked his head out of a window and told
me not to worry, that he had only been napping.”
“Wow! he sure is the limit;” declared Andy. “And then, when he heard
what news you brought, did he dress and come down?”
“I guess he did, and was tickled to know that Bloomsbury was going
to be on the map again. He asked me a heap of questions, not alone
about the message and the dropping of the sand bag, but about our
monoplane, and what we expected to do after we got it ready. Why,
Casper even remembered that your father had been the well known
aviator and balloonist, Professor Bird, once of Cornell.”
“Oh! did he mention that?” breathed Andy, who was always visibly
stirred whenever any one spoke of his father. “And Frank, I do hope
he gets the name straight. I’d hate so much to see it misspelled;
more than ever if he means to mention that I come by my craze
naturally.”
“I impressed it upon him good and hard; and Casper promised to
print it in big capitals, so that there would be no mixup. And now I’m
going to turn in again. It’s a long while to dawn, and what’s the use of
our staying up?”
Frank was as good as his word. In ten minutes the shed was
wrapped in silence; nor did anything else occur to arouse the boys
until the sun, peeping in at some crack, chanced to fall upon the face
of Frank, and aroused him.
Andy went in to breakfast, and after he returned to the hangar Frank
followed suit; for that was the arrangement, since they did not mean
to leave the precious machine alone if it could be helped.
Then they started to work again, for numerous little things remained
to be done ere the aeroplane could be deemed in absolutely perfect
condition, with every wire taut as a piano string, and the engine
working smoothly.
It must have been along about eleven in the morning, when Andy,
who had been bending over holding some parts that Frank was
adjusting raised his head.
“Somebody coming,” he said, “and it sounds like the rat-tat of
Colonel Josiah’s crutch and cane. Say, he’s certainly making speed,
all right, like he wanted to see us in a hurry. Wonder what can have
happened now, Frank?”
The other immediately crawled out from under the engine of the
aeroplane, and hurried to the door, which he opened; to discover that
it was the crippled veteran traveler sure enough, and that he was
showing signs of some great excitement.
 CHAPTER VII.
A SENSATION FOR OLD HOME WEEK.

“Hurrah! Great news, lads!” shouted the colonel, as he waved a

paper over his head, when he could stop his forward movement for a
second or two.
“Oh, what if it is about father?” gasped Andy, turning pale, for the
unrevealed fate of the daring aviator had always borne heavily on
the poor lad’s mind, and in the silent watches of the night he often
allowed himself to think of the great joy that would come to him
should his parent ever be found again.
Frank turned to him quickly.
“Don’t allow yourself to think it can be that, Chum Andy,” he said,
softly, for he knew what the dream was that his cousin kept nurturing
deep down in his heart, and also how impossible of fulfillment it must
ever be; “I have an idea it’s only something connected with our little
adventure of last night. But here’s Colonel Josiah at hand and we
shall soon know the worst.”
“Bully news for you, my bold young aviators!” cried the old man as
he came hobbling along, his smooth face aglow and his long white
hair floating over his shoulders. “And I made ’em do it, too! When
they heard about that balloon dropping that message and how
Bloomsbury was destined to become famous as the center of
aeronautic doings, they just couldn’t hold back. And so they had the
printer strike off fifty of these circulars, and they’re going to be
posted all around the county.”
“What did I tell you?” said Frank, smiling, but nevertheless he
reached for the paper the old man extended with a hand that shook
a little.
“Why,” he said, “it’s issued by the Committee on Sports for the Old
Home week of this month, when they expect to have all sorts of
athletic stunts going on to interest the crowds of people who will flock
to Bloomsbury.”
“Just so,” observed the old man, with a broad smile. “And I finally
showed ’em what a tremendous thing it would be to have an aviation
meet at the same time.”
“An aviation meet!” ejaculated Andy, his eyes almost popping out of
his head with new interest.
“And we talked it over,” went on the old man, “with the result that a
prize is to be offered to any one who first plants an American flag on
Old Thunder Top, landing on the little plateau where the foot of man
has never yet trod, from an aeroplane built in Bloomsbury and
piloted by Bloomsbury boys!”
“Whoop! It’s great! And did you originate that clever stunt, Colonel
Josiah?” shouted Andy, wringing his guardian’s hand as though it
were a pump handle.
“To be sure I did,” replied the veteran, proudly. “I’ve had it in my mind
for some little time now, and what you told me this morning about
that other machine being constructed here just capped the climax, as
I may say. But she’s all fixed now, lads. The prize is to be a silver
cup. And unless I miss my guess, that trophy is bound to be kept in
the Bird family, to be handed down to future generations of bird
boys.”
He did not mention the fact, but Frank suspected it on the spot and
afterwards discovered it to be true, that his money had gone to
purchase the said trophy and have it suitably engraved.
“When is this great day to be?” demanded the excited Andy, leaning
over, the better to scan the little poster that told in as few words as
possible what the several conditions of the contest would be.
“July fourteenth, and at two p. m. the word will be given to go,”
replied Frank.
“Whew! That gives us a scant five days to get ready and one of them
Sunday, too, when there’s nothing doing. Can we get the machine in
trim and master her by that time, Frank?” asked his cousin,
anxiously.
“We certainly can and will!” came the steady reply from the boy who
believed in his own powers to accomplish things. “Besides, you must
remember that our only competitors are likely to be Puss Carberry
and his crony Sandy, who know far less than we do about running an
aeroplane.”
“That’s right,” agreed Andy, his confidence returning again, as it
always did after being bolstered up by his chum’s unwavering
determination and faith. “With only those two against us seems to
me we ought to have a walk-over.”
“Now, don’t jump to the other extreme and underrate the enemy,”
warned Frank. “You know that’s always a dangerous business.
Besides, Percy has a certain amount of perseverance and cunning
that often carries him along. He’s in dead earnest about this aviation
business and bent on making a success of it. I never knew him to
show so much interest in anything before. And it strikes me as funny,
now that I look back, how neither of us ever suspected that he was
up to beating us at our own game. He’s a sly one, all right.”
“Yes,” Andy went on, “and we might still be as much in the dark as
ever if it hadn’t been for my silly blunder in starting to open his
package of freight, without examining the tag first. That gave the
secret away and put us on to their slick game.”
“Perhaps,” replied his cousin; “not that it would make much
difference in the end, though, for they couldn’t have kept their secret
much longer. But I’m going over to town now and see if that canvas
has arrived at Spencer’s Emporium.”
“This time,” said Andy, “my wheel ought to hold out, for you put the
plug in yourself, and I humbly confess that I’m far from a success as
a mechanic. My jobs look well, but hang the luck, they don’t just
seem to hold good.”
Frank was quickly off. He never felt so happy before in all his life.
Everything seemed to be as fine as the weather. Their little
monoplane was about ready for its trial spin, once they fastened the
new canvas to the planes. There was this competition, which
pleased him more than words could tell. And then the indefinite
future beckoned beyond, holding all sorts of wonderful possibilities
for a couple of bold spirits, fully devoted to solving the secrets of the
upper air.
“I only hope the weather is just like this on that same Old Home day,”
he was saying to himself, as he pushed on the pedals and went
spinning along the road to town. “Not a breath of air stirring around
and just a few clouds lazily floating up yonder above the crown of
Old Thunder Top.”
He turned to cast a glance toward the peak that hung over the
waters of peaceful Lake Sunrise, and memory carried him back to
several occasions when he had been baffled in trying to scale the
upper tier of frowning cliffs, that up to now had made the top of the
peak inaccessible to climbers.
It was a positive fact that so far as was known to the oldest
inhabitant of Bloomsbury no one had ever attained that summit,
though many had tried. The upper cliffs made a complete circle
around the crown and were something like eighty feet in height.
It had long been the one desire of Frank’s boyish heart to find out
some method of surmounting the difficulties that had thus far
debarred any one from planting a flag up on that lofty summit.
And to think that the idea had also come to Old Colonel Josiah, who
possibly in his younger years may have climbed the Matterhorn or
scaled some of those awful peaks in the northern Himalayas.
It would indeed be a proud day for Frank if he were ever allowed to
put foot on that elevated plateau of solid rock, up to now only the
lonely eyrie for the eagles that sailed through the blue vault of
heaven.
And strangely enough at about that same moment Andy was
standing outside the shed that sheltered the idol of their hopes, with
his eyes also glued upon the indistinct crown of Old Thunder Top.
In imagination doubtless the sanguine bird-boy was seeing their
monoplane gently dropping like a feather on that hitherto
inaccessible rocky fortress, soon to yield its secrets to modern, up-
to-date methods of exploration.
And again would the honored name which his late father bore be
crowned with a measure of success.
“I’d just be as happy as a clam at high tide,” muttered Andy, “if it
wasn’t for that measly monkey wrench getting away from me. Never
had such a sad thing happen. And just when I had saved enough
money to get out a patent, too. But, as Frank says, there’s no use
crying over spilt milk. I can make another model if given time. And
then who knows but what it might pop up again in some unexpected
place. Sometimes I am a bit careless, I admit. But better that than to
believe it went in that mud to land in China, as Larry Geohegan
said.”
From the contemplation of the mountain peak he allowed his
thoughts to slip off to that other subject which was never long out of
his mind.
“If we can drop down on that plateau so easy,” he said to himself,
Colonel Josiah having betaken himself back to the house and his
book, “what’s to hinder our scouring the whole range of the Andes in
the hope of finding some trace of any one who might have been lost
there? I haven’t said much to Frank about that, but it’s the dream of
my life. If I only could know how he died—oh, if I could only learn
where his poor body lies! That uncertainty is what hangs like a load
on my soul. But some day, please Heaven, I mean to go down there
were he was last seen and devote my whole energies to solving the
riddle.”
When Frank came back, which was shortly, he found his cousin
tinkering at the planes and getting the last remnant of old canvas off
in readiness for the new material soon to be fastened there.
“I see you got it all right, Frank,” remarked Andy, cheerily, for it was
not in his nature to remain for any length of time in the dumps.
“Yes, it came in yesterday after all. But then we haven’t really lost
any time, you know. And by tomorrow morning I calculate we’ll be in
good trim to make the first real test of our ship in her natural
element, the air. I tell you, Andy, the prospect looks mighty good to
me.”
“And to me,” promptly said the one addressed. “Given two days to
make little flights around our field here, and we ought to be able to
rise to higher things.”
“Well, I learned something just now that rather took my breath away,”
Frank went on saying.
“What was that?” asked the other, curiously.
“You remember that Puss was off somewhere a week ago. I heard
that he was down in the city, but no one knew what for. And now it
develops that he spent two days around the aviation field over on
Long Island, watching the way they ran the aeroplanes. And it is said
that he went up several times with Curtiss in one of his biplanes, so
as to learn how to handle the wheel!”
“You don’t say?” ejaculated Andy, his eyebrows denoting the most
intense astonishment. “Well, in that case he has got the bulge on us,
for a fact. Why, if he had such an experienced aviator for a teacher
Puss must be in the swim right now. And we’ve just got to dig for all
we’re worth to get on even terms with him.”
“Don’t worry,” said Frank, composedly. “In the first place I don’t
believe the story. If he went up with any one it was a man less
famous than Curtiss, who certainly wouldn’t bother taking a boy up
with him while exhibiting his machine and what tricks it could do.
Even if Puss did go up, that doesn’t make him an aviator. We’re
going to learn our little lesson by slow degrees and without the help
of any outsider, too.”
They were soon busily employed in cutting out the wings and starting
to secure them to the planes. It was a particular job, for upon those
essential parts of the monoplane almost as much depended as on
the engine itself. If the latter broke down while in flight or stopped
while “banking” the aeronaut could save himself by volplaning down