Energy Audit
What is Energy Audit?
Under the Energy Conservation Act-2001 “Energy Audit” means the verification, monitoring and analysis of use of energy including submission of technical report containing recommendations for improving energy efficiency with cost benefit analysis & action plan to reduce energy consumption.
Objectives of Energy Audit:
The Energy Audit provides the vital information base for overall energy conservation program covering essentially energy utilization analysis and evaluation of energy conservation measures.
It aims at:
• Identifying the quality and cost of various energy inputs.
• Assessing present pattern of energy consumption in different cost centers of operations.
• Relating energy inputs and production output.
• Identifying potential areas of thermal and electrical energy economy.
• Highlighting wastage’s in major areas.
• Fixing of energy saving potential targets for individual cost centers.
• Implementation of measures for energy conservation & realization of savings.
Methodology
Board guidelines indicating the methodology for such an energy audit is given below. Possible stages for interaction/conference are also indicated.
Phase-I
i. Collections of data on operational parameters, energy consumption both normal and electrical, coal and power quality etc., through a questionnaire.
ii. Study the existing plant capacities and their performance to assess plant operations.
iii.Study of the specific energy consumption (both thermal and electrical) department-wise and plant as a whole.
iv. Study of the power sources, distribution system and drive controls, load factor and efficiency of large motors, process automations, plant illuminations etc.
v. Collection of requisite data and analysis and identification of specific areas with potential for conservation of thermal and electrical energy.
vi. Field measurements of operational parameters and carrying out heat and mass balance.
vii. Study of limitations, if any, in the optimal use of thermal and electrical energy.
viii. Discussion with specific recommendations along with broad system concept for conservation of thermal and electrical energy.
ix. Preparation of capital cost estimates and establishing techno-economic feasibility for recommended measures.
x. No investment and/or marginal investment by doing system improvements and optimization of operations.
xi. Major investment due to incorporation of modern energy intensive equipment and up gradation of existing equipment.
xii. Formulating tentative time schedule for implementation of the recommendation.
xiii. Undertaking broad cost benefit analysis in terms of savings in energy consumption per unit of production and pay-back period.
Phase-II
Follow-up with the industry on periodic basis to ascertain the level of implementation of recommendation and assist, if require, in implementation of the measures to achieve energy user efficiency
Preliminary Energy Audit
The Preliminary Energy Audit (PEA) focuses on the major energy suppliers and demands usually accounting for approximately 70% of total energy. It is essentially a preliminary data gathering and analysis effort. It uses only available data and is completed with limited diagnostic instruments. The PEA is conducted in a very short time frame i.e. 1-3 days during which the energy auditor relies on his experience together with all the relevant written, oral visual information that can lead to a quick diagnosis of the plant energy situation. The PEA focuses on the identification of obvious sources of energy wastage's. The typical out put of a PEA is a set of recommendations and immediate low cost action that can be taken up by the department head.
Detailed Energy Audit
The detailed audit goes beyond quantitative estimates of costs and savings. It includes engineering recommendations and well-defined project, giving due priorities. Approximately 95% of all energy is accounted for during the detailed audit. The detailed energy audit is conducted after the preliminary energy audit.Sophisticated instrumentation including flow meter, flue gas analyzer and scanner are use of compute energy efficiency.
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