L. J. Grobler

The measurement and verification of the combined impact of energy efficiency and load shifting on mine pumping projects

ABSTRACT Service level adjustments are essential to keep measurement and verification project baselines “updated” with the actual service level that a system provides. In the case of a DSM load shift project on a mine pumping system, it is standard procedure to use a service level adjustment based on daily kWh neutrality. The case study discussed in this article showed that the project achieved impacts in the order of 12.9 MW when the baseline was adjusted in this manner. This approach, however, rested on the assumption that system efficiencies remained unchanged since the DSM intervention was only supposed to shift the system load to other time-of-use periods outside the evening peak period. However, it was found that system efficiency did change by almost 13 percent in this projects case. A service level adjustment approach was consequently required that linked the baseline energy use to the actual service level of the system, which was the daily volume of water pumped out of the mine. The utilization ...

Methodology to Measure and Verify The Impacts Obtained from Energy Efficiency Activities

The necessity for effective and sustainable energy efficiency is now, more than ever, of critical importance for the various industrial sectors within the South African economy. The critical shortage of electricity, rising electricity costs, the Energy Efficiency Accord, the proposed Power Conservation Program (PCP), and tax incentives are but a few of the primary driving forces behind energy efficiency in South Africas energy market. Electricity and its production cost is a risk that needs to be managed, which will effectively force industry to drive energy efficiency within itself. However, the impacts of energy efficiency often dissipate over time due to the lack of effective management information, which can only be provided through thorough measurement and verification (MV but it is also extremely important to prove performance in order to benefit from the governments proposed tax incentives for energy efficiency. Measurement and verification can effectively isolate the energy efficiency impacts of an industrial site from the variance in energy consumption due to numerous other factors, thus providing the ability to quantify and verify energy efficiency impacts in an objective, accurate, and transparent manner based on international standards.

The effect of data period selection for the development of measurement and verification baselines for mine pumping projects

The demand-side management, or DSM, program of the South African parastatal utility, Eskom, is gaining substantial ground through DSM projects being implemented on the underground pumping systems of mines. These projects aim to shift the load of the underground pumping systems out of the critical evening peak period to the other time-of-use periods of each day through the use of automated intelligent scheduling control systems. In order for the measurement and verification teams to report accurate impacts to the DSM stakeholders, we need accurate and representative baselines for each project. These baselines are developed with metering data, and the process is designed to result in baselines that give a true and accurate representation of system energy use as it was operated prior to any DSM intervention. One of the critical factors in obtaining an accurate and representative baseline is in the selection of the data period used for the development of the measurement and verification baselines. This article will briefly describe the layout and operation of a typical underground pumping system on a gold mine. The DSM activities are then described together with the purpose of the M&V activities. The use of baselines in this process is briefly discussed, together with the metering data that are typically encountered to develop the baselines. Two case studies are provided of actual DSM projects to show the effect that the selection of different data periods have on the impacts determined by the M&V team.

Measurement and verification of a utility's energy management program

ABSTRACT Energy management, or demand-side management (DSM), is fast becoming a priority in South Africa. Eskom, South Africas main utility, is embarking on a major drive to implement solutions in this field into the industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Its target for the first year is to reduce national peak demand by 180 MW. The concept of performance contracting is not well established in South Africa and there is currently a resistance from financial institutions to fund these kinds of projects. DSM can, however, assist to establish performance contracting in South Africa, which would serve as a vehicle to stimulate implementation of DSM solutions when teamed up with financial institutions. The utility will initially provide the financial assistance required to establish the performance contracting industry, but later on financial assistance from the private sector will be crucial. Central to this issue is the measurement and verification (M&V) process. This article will describe the deve...

Energy Management Opportunities On a Compressed Air System In a Packaging Facility

An energy audit was performed on a packaging facility in Mombasa, Kenya. This article discusses only the results obtained from energy management opportunities implemented on the compressed air system. The compressed air system was assessed to determine the actual compressed air requirements. While on site, a baseline was developed for the compressed air system. Energy savings opportunities were identified and some were implemented onsite. Impacts of the implemented opportunities were quantified using metered data. Results showed that the impact of the implemented measures were about 15 percent of the annual electricity bill.

Energy and Cost Saving Opportunities in a Glass Manufacturing Facility

This article describes the process followed by a glass manufacturing facility, benchmarking the energy consumption, the analysis performed, and finally the saving opportunities that have been identified. The essential purpose of the article is to communicate the nature of energy wastage in the plant and show the benefit which may accrue with a carefully planned program of retrofits and improved energy management. The recommendations affecting the system under study are based on the analysis of information gathered, current energy efficiency methods and/or technologies, and engineering judgment. A cost analysis is also provided for each recommended option. Financial data is given in Kenyan shillings (KES). One US dollar is equivalent to about seventy Kenyan shillings.

Energy Conservation Opportunities at a Pineapple Processing Facility

ABSTRACT This article describes the process followed to quantify no-cost and low-cost energy conservation opportunities found during a five-day energy audit at a pineapple processing facility in Kenya. The project started with an energy audit conducted to identify energy conservation opportunities. Various energy conservation opportunities were identified during the walkthrough audit and from metered data. The conservation opportunities included repairing faulty safety valves on compressed air storage tanks, insulating steam pipes, fixing steam leaks and steam traps, and repairing the boiler fuel control valve. Implementing all the identified energy conservation opportunities could reduce the annual energy bill of KSH 134,500,000 by 9 percent.

Measurement and Verification of a Lighting Efficiency Project Implemented in a Food and Cleaning Materials Manufacturing Plant

ABSTRACT This article describes the methodology and procedures followed to measure and verify the impact on the use of electricity by a lighting efficiency project implemented at a food and cleaning materials manufacturing plant situated in Boksburg, Gauteng, in South Africa. The objective of the DSM project was to reduce the operational electrical capacity of the lighting system from 911.5kW to 485.5kW. This drop in operational demand was achieved by replacing the old and inefficient lighting fixtures with new and more efficient lighting fixtures. Through measurement and verification, the actual electrical impact of this project was determined. Pre-implementation metering was done to determine the operational and installed capacity of the lighting system before implementation. The same metering system and layout was then used after implementation to determine the new installed and operational capacity of the new lighting system. The M&V study showed that the impact of this lighting efficiency project dur...

Quantification, Implementation, and Verification of No–cost and Low–cost Energy Saving Opportunities Of a Fuel Boiler

This article describes the process followed to quantify, implement, and verify no-cost and low-cost energy saving opportunities of a fuel boiler in a textile factory in Nakuru, Kenya. The project started with an energy audit that was conducted to identify the energy savings opportunities. Various energy savings opportunities were identified and the cost savings were calculated for each of them. All the savings combined amounted to 31 percent of the 2002 boiler fuel bill. The savings opportunities were presented to plant personnel, who implemented them. Six months after implementation, a measurement and verification campaign was conducted to determine the actual savings obtained. It was found that the actual energy savings were 32 percent.