A team-based approach relying on ‘people know-how’, combined with sound measuring and monitoring, has enabled a dairy processing company to gain impressive bottom line savings. The 12 month pilot project, which measured energy use in the various stages of milk processing at the Rochester (Victoria) Branch of Murray Goulburn Cooperative, achieved savings of $400,000 a year with a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 3,500 tonnes.

Bakers Delight’s designed a showcase bakery at its operation in Mascot. The bakery showcased best-practice building design, baking procedures and equipment efficiency, achieving a 32% reduction in annual energy costs compared to a standard Bakers Delight bakery. This was achieved without impacting on product quality, customer satisfaction or staff comfort.

The Incitec Pivot plant at Gibson Island in Queensland used about 13 peta joules (PJ) of energy in 2008–09 in the manufacture of nitrogen-based fertilisers. This case study describes 3 projects estimated to save 150,000 giga joules (GJ) of energy annually. This case study was developed as part of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEGO) program.

OneSteel began its first assessments for the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program at their Sydney Steel Mills group, which includes Newcastle Rod Mill, Sydney Melt Shop and Sydney Bar Mill, in mid 2008. The management team for the project decided to use the assessments as an opportunity to build the company’s capacity to understand and manage energy use, and to generate long term business benefits. This case study describes the new systems and tools that were initially developed for the Sydney Steel Mills group and rolled out across OneSteel.

The purpose of these case studies is to demonstrate how systems optimisation can be used to improve energy efficiency and productivity in a wide range of industrial applications. They were developed through companies' participation in the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program. Examples from 3 companies highlight different aspect of systems optimisation:

This handbook provides guidance for large energy users on how to effectively conduct an energy efficiency assessment.  It draws on the practical experiences of companies and consultants that have undertaken effective energy assessments and can help corporations plan and implement assessments in a way that will optimise business outcomes. The handbook was designed for corporations to meet the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program but can be used by any large energy user.

Golden North is a manufacturer of premium ice cream and frozen yoghurt. Its South Australian facility at Laura consumes 6930 gigajoules (GJ) of electricity per annum, about 75% of which is used by the refrigeration plant. Energy assessment identified numerous areas for savings through energy efficiency improvements, including replacing inefficient compressors with a single crew compressor (and using variable speed drives to ensure it runs efficiently); installation of hot water exchangers for oil cooling and installing variable speed fans.

This guide provides corporations with technical advice about estimating and measuring energy efficiency opportunities, presenting results to decision-makers and tracking and reporting the opportunities. It also provides guidance on how to identify and estimate the wider business benefits and costs from implementing energy efficiency opportunities. It was designed for corporations to meet the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program but can be used by any corporation seeking to improve the accuracy of their energy savings estimates and measurements.

At the JW Kirkwood Ticehurst Orchard in Tasmania, 58% of  the annual electricity spend of around $90,000 is for refrigeration of its cool rooms and other systems. In WA, Newton Brothers packhouse and cold storage spends 70% of its $350,000 annual electricity costs on cold storage.  Both could save money by reducing the head pressure in their refrigeration units. this would cost around $5000, save between $2500 and $3500 a year and have a payback period of just 1-2 years.  

Caernarvon Orchard in Orange, NSW, produces and packs 4,500 tonnes of apples and 800 tonnes of cherries per annum. About 5% of its annual electricity spend is on lighting (around $3,400 pa). An energy audit found that replacing high bay lighting fixtures with LEDs would save $2,120 a year (from a one off investment of $5,600). Savings would also come from using electronic lighting ballasts, and replacing fluorescent tubes.