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Georgia Tech helps companies manage By Nancy Fullbright |
Holding the Line on Energy, PDF format
WHILE RESEARCHERS WORK to improve renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics and explore alternative technologies such as fuel cells, Bill Meffert is focused on immediate assistance to Georgia companies with energy-related concerns.
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Meffert, manager of the energy and environmental services group for Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute (EDI), says that although new technologies will ultimately impact energy sources, companies are more interested now in reducing the cost of using current energy sources.
EDI assists companies in two ways: plant-wide assessments and specific technical assists. In a plant-wide assessment, the entire energy system of a facility is analyzed for possible savings. Meffert's group performs 30 to 35 plant-wide assessments a year.
"We follow what I call a priority pyramid," Meffert says. "The first thing we look for is how the company purchases energy – looking at rates and purchasing practices to figure out the most advantageous procurement strategy. Then we look at operations and maintenance opportunities. These opportunities are less costly to implement but can give a quick payback, such as checking steam traps, finding air leaks, repairing controls and so forth. The third category is capital opportunities, and those require significant dollars to implement. You can achieve a lot of savings, but they're also riskier because you're spending significantly more money to bring about efficiency gains."
Technical assists focus on specific systems a company wants analyzed, such as compressed air, steam or motor drives. These assists are much less time-intensive for Meffert's group, which usually spends two or three engineering days on each project.
In its 25 years of existence, the energy and environmental services group has weathered many changes and seen new trends develop in the field of energy. After the 1970s, energy costs decreased to the point that, according to Meffert, "nobody paid any attention to energy." That's when Georgia Tech's EDI got involved in pollution prevention and energy management opportunities.
Today's hot button topic for energy specialists is deregulation and fuel price volatility, which has introduced a degree of uncertainty for Georgia companies.
"Fuel prices have gotten very volatile," Meffert notes. "The average costs for electricity or gas haven't increased that much, but the swings can be really devastating to companies."
Energy specialists
from Georgia Tech’s Economic Development Institute helped Butler Sand, a
middle Georgia mining company, reduce its energy consumption. Working with the U.S.
Department of Energy and the Georgia Environmental Partnership, Georgia
Tech has provided energy and environmental assistance to an estimated 2,000
companies over the past 25 years.
(300-dpi JPEG version - 819k)
Deregulation will continue to evolve, Meffert says, and Georgia's utilities will continue to change to meet this new, competitive environment.
In addition to providing technical assists, the energy and environmental services group has developed the Management System for Energy 2000 for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI/MSE 2000). The approach is revolutionary, Meffert says.
"This is the first time companies have applied a world-class management system to energy," he notes. "In the past everyone thought energy management was a technological solution. It requires constant vigilance, and this standard really helps companies put a system in place where they can continue to monitor energy management."
By working with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Georgia Environmental Partnership, Meffert's energy and environmental services group has aided an estimated 2,000 companies in the past 25 years. In addition to employing eight full-time energy professionals, EDI uses students from Georgia Tech's Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Led by Professor Sam Shelton, students gain real-world experience by conducting on-site visits, collecting data and preparing reports.
One company that EDI has assisted is the Genuine Parts Company, a distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts for companies such as NAPA and iMotion Industries. When the Atlanta-based company experienced a 10 percent increase in light, water and heat expenses in 2001, the president requested that energy-saving measures be explored. The company's staff researched potential energy consultants and decided that Georgia Tech's EDI could provide answers and confidence.
EDI's energy specialists provided strategies for smart energy purchasing and informed management about electrical and natural gas deregulation issues. They also helped the firm with outsourcing management of utility data, bill payment and rate analysis. Overall, this assistance enabled the firm to develop a sound strategy and solutions, and estimated savings are projected between 3 to 5 percent of Genuine Parts' annual energy expenditures.
With 1,800 locations and 31,000 employees in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Genuine Parts Company generated $8.2 billion in 2001 revenues.
photo by Gary Meek
For more information, contact Bill Meffert, Economic Development Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332-0640. (Telephone: 404-894-3844) (E-mail:
bill.meffert@edi.gatech.edu)
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Last updated: July 25, 2002
