A Systems Approach To Energy Conservation:Challenging Industrial And Educational Paradigms

Rising costs of fuel and a greater sense of environmental responsibility have increased interest in energy efficiency. Great emphasis has been placed on the use of alternative sources of energy, though conservation efforts that rely on existing technologies offer the greatest opportunity for immediate benefits. This is particularly true in traditional, energy intensive manufacturing plants that rely on mature technologies. In such plants, where certain requisite criteria are met, opportunities for simple energy savings are substantial. This paper presents a case study of a food manufacturing plant with characteristics common to many manufacturing facilities. Through an integrated design process, this facility was able to reduce energy consumption considerably. Based on comparison with industry-standard implementations of similar equipment and processes, the new facility reduced energy consumption by more than 70% for some aspects of the production operation. Building on the lessons learned from this design exercise, it is proposed that similar energy savings are possible in a wide variety of industries for which certain criteria are met. Criteria for successful implementation are proposed, including recommendations for changes to both industrial and educational paradigms that perpetuate suboptimal system designs and implementations. Possible changes to existing curricular structures are explored, and recommendations for an integrated, multidisciplinary curriculum are proposed.