Resource Efficiency Assessments

An assessment is a review of the level of efficiency of a system with the development of recommendations to increase this efficiency. Assessments are quantitative, and hence require historical data and measurements. VWG employs a portfolio of portable metering equipment and loggers. For longer-term electrical logging we also have access to temporary online metering systems. 

Assessments typically involve:

• A review of historical resource consumption information
• A review of historical resource pricing information, such as electricity and water bills and fossil fuel invoices
• Physical plant walkthroughs to assess the technology installed and how the facility is operated
• Review of plant and process data such as that available from installed instrumentation and laboratory analysis
• Live measurements using a range of measurement tools such as power loggers, flue gas analysers, infra-red cameras, and various other tools
• Analysis of the above to develop a portfolio of quantified resource efficiency opportunities, complete with technical, financial, and environmental viability.

Assessments can be at the facility level or can focus on a specific area of a facility. They can involve water, energy, materials, and waste or any one of these resource-related areas.

Examples of assessments include:

• Site-wide Resource Efficiency Assessments (Energy, Water, Materials and Waste)
• Site-wide Energy Assessments – these include all forms of energy (electricity, fossil fuels, renewables)
• Site-wide Water Use Efficiency Assessments
•  Site-wide Material Usage Assessments – the scope of these depends on client requirements e.g. focus on one major raw material
• Site-wide Effluent Assessments
• Site-wide Solid Waste Assessments
• Electricity Tariff Assessments – these examine performance against the current tariff, whether a more suitable tariff is available and what the impact of a switch would be
• Boiler Efficiency Assessments – these assess current efficiency levels and propose modifications to enhance efficiency
• Fuel Switching Assessments – these consider the cost and emission impacts of changing fuels, including the option of electrification
• Steam System Assessments (Boilers, Steam distribution, Steam users and Condensate return systems)
• Pump System Assessments – these review opportunities to enhance pump system efficiency
• Compressed Air System Assessments – includes compressor operation, drying, air distribution and users of compressed air
• Lighting Assessments
• Refrigeration System Assessments – includes the refrigeration loop as well as the wider system, including users of refrigeration
• Chiller Plant Assessments – includes the chiller refrigeration loop, chilled water dsitribution and the users of chilled water
• Cooling Water Assessments – includes cooling tower operation, pumping and users of cooling water
• Power Factor Assessments – reviews opportunities to implement PFC or enhance existing systems with full cost-benefit analysis
• Fan System Assessments – reviews opportunities to enhance fan system efficiency through fan and system modifications or replacement projects
• Induction Motor Assessments – identifies opportunities to enhance motor efficiency through replacement projects, improved controls and the deployment of VSDs
• Hot Water System Assessments – identifies and quantifies opportunities to generate hot water at lower cost and with reduced emssions
• CIP Plant Assessments – reduce consumption of electrical and thermal energy, water and chemicals, enhance plant utilisation
• Maximum Demand Assessments – identify opportunities to actively manage demand without impacting on production capacity (uses temporary meters and powerful demand DemandTRAK analytics made available through our sister company, Transition Technologies)

The outcome of an assessment would typically be the provision of a report and/or a feedback presentation, together with the supply of all raw data and calculations relevant to the assessment.