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Educating The Next Generation Of Energy-Savvy Workforce
Abstract
This paper reports a problem-based learning model for the training of university students in the area of industrial energy efficiency, and discusses its context, contents, and the results from its implementation. The impact has been significant, with hundreds of university graduates trained and many of them now working in industry, leading their organization’s energy efficiency initiatives.
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This paper discusses an on-going effort of collaboration between the Missouri Industrial Assessment Center of University of Missouri, and a large industrial organization to institutionalize best practices of energy efficiency within the organization’s global network of manufacturing companies. It also outlines a computer-aided framework developed to help such effort, which closely follows the ISO50001 standard, and represents a comprehensive knowledge base and project tool, providing support to the processes, tasks and documentation of the cycle of continuous improvement.
This paper discusses some of the keyissues related to the institutionalization of best practice in industrialenergy efficiency. It presents the structure and functionality of an integratedand computer-aided framework that logically supports the complete cycle ofcontinuous energy efficiency improvement, the requirements of ISO 50001, andoutlines some useful resources and tools developed to support the framework.Results of real life application involving over 100 manufacturing companies arealso outlined.
Although the meaning of energy efficiency is clear, different definitions exist and important issues relating to its implementation still need to be addressed. It is now recognised that complicating factors – such as complex industrial sites and energy flows, multiple products and fuels, and the influence of production rate on energy efficiency – render it necessary to adopt a structured framework to define and measure energy efficiency more precisely. In this paper, a methodology is proposed to build such a framework. The whole energy system of a site is represented using a single matrix equation, which expresses the relationship between imported energies and energy drivers. The elements of the matrix are the specific energy consumptions of each single process. Mathematical process modelling, through statistical analysis of energy consumption data, is used to quantify the specific energy consumption as a function of the output. The results of this structured approach are relevant for energy benchmarking, budgeting and targeting purposes. Furthermore, this approach is suitable for implementation in an energy management system standard (e.g. EN 16001, ISO 50001) or LCA standard (e.g. ISO 14044). Glass and cast iron melting processes are presented in order to illustrate the application of the method.
In this paper we propose a framework which categorizes energy efficiency barriers based on the stage at which the barriers exist. Barriers to energy efficiency have been widely studied but to our knowledge, except for a few studies, we found inadequate consideration for barrier–barrier interactions when proposing policy measures for improving energy efficiency. Leveraging systems thinking's power as a problem solver which identifies underlying structure that explains (similar) patterns of behavior in a variety of different situations, we attempted to identify patterns of barriers to adoption of energy efficiency measures in industrial companies. Inspired by systems thinking, the proposed framework has four stages, namely, Motivation, Capability, Implementation and Results, as well as a feedback loop. Using a case study, we show that following the four stages will lead to positive feedback for future energy efficiency implementations. The framework highlights the interconnected nature of the barriers and a need for policymakers to address these barriers in a holistic manner. We argue that the overall effectiveness of energy efficiency policies is only as strong as the weakest link in the four-stage framework. This differs from most prior research that addressed barriers in isolation, where a solution is proposed for each of the barriers without considering the relationship between the barriers. Our framework also offers a way to understand the roles and responsibilities of major stakeholders such as governments and energy service companies (ESCOs) in driving energy efficiency. This allows the assessment and identification of weak links in energy efficiency policies.
For governments and for manufacturing companies, global warming, rising energy prices, and customers’ increasing ecological awareness have pushed energy efficient manufacturing to the top of the agenda. Governments and companies are both striving to identify the most effective measures to increase energy efficiency in manufacturing processes. Based on results of a recent EU-funded roadmapping project, this paper highlights the needs of industrial companies for integrating energy efficiency performance in production management. First, it analyses concepts and tools for measurement, control and improvement of energy efficiency in production management proposed in literature. Second, the paper outlines that ICT tools and standardization are important enablers for energy efficient manufacturing. Third, industrial needs in these areas are presented based on expert interviews. The industrial needs thus identified are contrasted with concepts proposed in literature to point out the implementation gaps between practice and theory. The paper demonstrates that there exists a gap between the solutions available and the actual implementation in industrial companies. It concludes by deriving requirements for energy management in production that future collaborative research projects should address.
Research suggests that curbing consumer demand for energy through behavioral interventions is an essential component of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the short-term. Behavior within organizational settings poses a particular challenge to those wishing to promote energy conservation because employees typically have no direct financial incentive to reduce energy use and rarely have access to information regarding their level of consumption. Two relatively simple and easy-to-implement interventions were evaluated in a workplace setting during the fall of 2008. The first involved group-level feedback presented monthly to employees via e-mail. The second used peer educators to disseminate information and to encourage colleagues to reduce energy use. Both interventions were compared to an information-only control designed to educate employees about how and why to conserve energy. Results indicated that feedback and peer education resulted in a 7% and 4% reduction in energy use, respectively. Buildings that received the control increased energy use by 4%. The effect of peer education was limited by implementation failures in two buildings. The utility of these interventions will be discussed in terms of their overall potential for reducing energy use, as well as the feasibility of their being implemented in future organizational settings.Research highlights►Behavioral interventions reduced energy use among employees in the workplace. ►Group-level feedback led to an 8% reduction in energy use. ►Peer education led to a 4% reduction in energy use. ►Information-only campaign had no effect on energy use.
Stakeholders argue that the information barrier is the major obstacle restricting firms from adopting Energy Efficiency Technologies (EETs) in Europe. The present work examines the processes of information gathering as regards to EETs and explores the factors affecting the level of acquired information by EET adopters. Empirical evidence is provided by a data set of Greek manufacturing firms which have adopted EETs. In conclusion, we propose appropriate policy measures able to promote the adoption of EETs by overcoming the information barrier.
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Promoting awareness of industrial energy efficiency and waste reduction in the university students population Annual Conf of American Society for Engineering Education A state-wide effort to promote best practices in industrial energy efficiency in Missouri
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ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry. White Plain, NY.
3M lean six sigma and sustainability
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