Saving energy through energy management

It has been quite often when I have to encounter people coming to my office and through phone calls asking me the same type of questions.
"En. Zaini, how to save energy in my factory?"
"Who can help us to save energy?"
" Where can I get a good consultant to do a good energy audit?"
" Does this "energy saving" device save energy?"

Among all that questions, I would much better and more excited when there were some of them also asked me " Where can I send my staff for a training to save energy?" or " Where can I find a good training provider to send my engineers?".


Why do I prefer to hear the second type of question? Here are my thoughts about the two.

It is simply because the first one shows that they are most likely not sure yet on what to do next and just want quick solutions for quick gains. There are so much uncertainties in their actual intentions in term of managing their energy. Most likely there is no long term plan ahead of what they are asking now.

The second show a little bit of long term plan by having their staff to be trained since training only would not save energy yet unless the trained staff being allowed to implement the knowledge gained from training attended. I would anticipate staff who will be sent to the training will have some kind of responsibilities in their existing scope of works that would enable them to initiate and implement energy saving initiatives in the plant and later manage them.

In short, the first type of questions indicate that they just wanted to save energy but the later type of questions indicate their intention to manage energy by having trained people available who will eventually save energy from them.

What is efficient energy management?

Generally it can be defined as:

Using energy at the most optimum level through a proper system implemented within the organization.

From efficient energy management we would expect some of the following direct benefits:

1. Reduction in energy costs and in the same time to increase profits earned from the operations.
2.Increase of output/quality/comfort level and etc by using the same of lower quantity of energy.
3. Ensure local and global competitiveness for businesses since cheaper cost needed to produce higher quality of products or deliver better services.
4...and many more.

Once we start to manage our energy usage, we will definitely will enjoy some amount savings and all that can be translated into cost reduction as well. In simple words, energy management is an on-going approach to retain or improve our efficiency level by adopting energy management system developed to suit the nature of the organization.

Want or have to do it

1. I received typical cynical remarks from some "high level" people from few companies since I have been involved in this field years ago.Recently I have been receiving few more similar remarks when some companies are required to comply to the new regulations introduced by the government.

2. The most unpleasant part other than those remarks is from where they came from. They are purely local companies and for them, when they are required to manage their energy use efficiently, it would only become more burdens to them. They claimed, the requirements to comply to the new law is not helping them at all especially when the economy is not quite alright at this moment.

3. To me those remarks are not strange at all although some of the said they do not mind to pay the penalty rather than complying. Selfish, ignorance or arrogant!

4. Here are some facts on actual energy costs in the country as at December 2009

Gas for energy sector - RM10.70/mmbtu ( actual market price RM41.16/MMBTU)

Gas for large energy users - RM15.35/MMBTU (actual market price at RM56.20/MMBTU)

Gas for Gas Malaysia Sdn Bhd - RM11.05/MMBTU (actual market price at RM42.35/MMBTU)

LPG- RM1.75/kg(RM37.39/MMBTU), market price at RM3.36/KG(RM71.71/MMBTU)



5. So, do we really can afford for what we are paying now if everything at the market price? All of us in Malaysia have been brought up with one or more elements of subsidies in many forms in our life. When we look at our friends in Thailand or Singapore, if are suffering due to economic crisis, they are actually dealing with the reality. If Malaysians complaining in economic crisis, we are not facing the real truth since we are being " cushioned" with billions of RM in many forms of subsidies.

6. For me, it is very sickening when Malaysians are so stubborn although they are mostly educated and well informed about the nature of how subsidies affecting each part of their life and businesses.

7. Are we happy with the way we use our resources such our depleting energy supplies?
Are we happy enough crying for more subsidies and put the burden or blame on others while we have never intend to change the way we lead our life?
Or we just happy enough to waste energy and let others to find the solution for us?

We are what here based on  we did yesterday and we must not expecting something better tomorrow if we do nothing today.

8. So, do we want to start to do it today or wait until we have no choice other than have to do it (we may left little time to prepare for it)



9. May be it is already too late to educate the adults now and we should focus more on our future generations to make the difference. In some activities that I was involved in recent years, being with our children is far more satisfying when I saw them having the spirit of "want to" do rather "have to". They tend to realize that they can do something today for better future of their own generation tomorrow.