Introduction
The Client is the UK’s leading drinks manufacturer with multiple manufacturing locations across the country. As part of their commitment to sustainability, the company aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, if not sooner. To support this goal, the company sought to implement a comprehensive energy monitoring system to optimise energy usage and reduce their carbon footprint.
Challenges
The drinks manufacturer faced several key challenges:
Sustainability Goals: Achieving ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions and reach net zero by 2040.
Energy Efficiency: Identifying areas of energy wastage and implementing measures to optimise energy usage across multiple sites.
Data Management: Ensuring accurate and real-time data collection from a large number of meters for effective monitoring and decision-making.
Solution
To address these challenges, the company partnered with Elcomponent to install an advanced energy monitoring system across three of its manufacturing sites. The solution included:
- 140+ Meters: Installation and commissioning of over 140 meters across three sites.
- Existing & New Meters: Utilising existing metering infrastructure and supplementing with new meters as needed.
- Real-time Data: Providing half-hourly readings in real-time to a central cloud-based platform.
- Cloud Platform: Utilising the site LAN as a communication backbone, with logged data from meters and a local copy of the database stored for redundancy.
Elcomponent’s role involved supplying, installing, and commissioning the systems, ensuring seamless integration with the existing infrastructure.
Implementation Process
The installation of the Energy Monitoring System followed a structured approach:
- Assessment and Planning: An initial assessment to determine the metering requirements and plan the installation process.
- Installation and Commissioning: Elcomponent installed the meters and integrated them with the site LAN, ensuring real-time data collection and local data storage.
- Training and Integration: Training site personnel to use the monitoring system effectively and integrating it with the company’s existing management systems.
- Real-time Monitoring: Enabling continuous, real-time monitoring of energy usage across the three sites.
Business Impact
The implementation of the Energy Monitoring System had a significant positive impact on the drinks manufacturer’s operations:
- Energy Reduction: The system enabled the identification and reduction of energy wastage, contributing to significant energy savings.
- Cost Control: Improved control over energy expenditure helped in reducing operational costs.
- Operational Efficiency: Real-time data and monitoring allowed for more effective energy management, ensuring the company could meet its sustainability targets efficiently.
- Sustainability Progress: The accurate and timely data collection supported the company’s journey towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Conclusion
The installation of the Energy Monitoring System at the UK’s leading drinks manufacturer, supported by Elcomponent, has proven to be a valuable investment. The system has enhanced energy efficiency, reduced costs, and provided the company with the tools necessary for effective energy management. By leveraging real-time data and advanced monitoring capabilities, the company is now better equipped to control energy usage and progress towards its net zero carbon goals. Elcomponent’s expertise in integrating new and existing metering systems, along with their professional support throughout the project, has been instrumental in the success of this initiative.