A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ENERGY REDUCTION
Industrial manufacturing processes use a substantial amount of energy. By implementing strategic energy management practices such as reducing unnecessary running or idling, adjusting temperature set points, and fixing leaks, manufacturing companies can identify and implement energy-saving opportunities to significantly reduce costs and save money on their energy bills. They can also realize improved efficiency and operational performance by implementing energy-efficient upgrades that optimize production and reduce energy waste. By continuously monitoring energy use, setting targets for improvement, and investing in ongoing employee training and engagement, industrial customers can ensure energy savings are sustained and realize long term environmental benefits.
Here at Efficiency Manitoba, we’re dedicated to helping Manitobans reduce their energy use, lower their energy bills, and have a meaningful impact on the environment, and this includes manufacturing facilities! We can help you in this pursuit through our Strategic Energy Manager Initiative.
OUR STRATEGIC ENERGY MANAGER INITIATIVE
Developed for large manufacturing facilities, our Strategic Energy Manager Initiative helps industrial customers adopt a culture of conservation and continuous improvement. We support participants in hiring a dedicated, on-site energy manager committed to planning and implementing sustainability initiatives. The energy manager develops a comprehensive strategic energy management plan, which prioritizes and quantifies energy-saving opportunities and initiatives for the facility. The program provides funding for Certified Energy Manager Training, ongoing third-party coaching for the newly developed energy management team, financial incentives for the implementation of energy efficiency upgrades, as well as a variety of other supports. It’s an extensive and multi-faceted approach that affords large industrial facilities the opportunity to set and achieve their energy-saving goals and increase competitiveness.
SUPPORTING LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS IN SAVING ENERGY & MONEY
We’re excited to be working with several large industrial manufacturing and processing facilities who are taking leadership roles in saving energy and shaping a more sustainable future by participating in this program. They’re seeing the positive impacts energy managers are having in their organizations as they take meaningful actions to address their energy consumption and contribute to reducing overall energy usage in Manitoba.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ARE PAYING OFF
Winpak Ltd. is a global sustainable food packaging group with 12 manufacturing facilities in North America and headquartered in Winnipeg. The company is seeing success through their participation in our Strategic Energy Manager Initiative at its Winnipeg headquarters located in the Moray Industrial Park. Through the development of their strategic energy management plan for this facility, several projects were recently implemented.
One project involved an energy efficiency upgrade to one of their packaging lines that reduced heat loss, saved energy, and increased production output of recycle-ready packaging film. This project, along with the installation of a new energy-efficient chiller, not only saved Winpak Winnipeg over $50,000 in annual energy costs through the improved efficiency, but was also eligible for over $125,000 in capital-based incentives through our Custom Energy Solutions Program. On top of this, they also received a bonus incentive for participating in the Strategic Energy Manager Initiative, which helps them offset the cost of hiring a dedicated energy manager.
But the Strategic Energy Manager Initiative goes further to reward other energy efficiency upgrades that are considered lower-cost initiatives and are often part of maintenance procedures. One project Winpak Winnipeg undertook was a large changeout of over 100 standard v-belts with new cogged v-belts that reduce belt slippage and increase motor efficiency. This project earned Winpak an incentive of over $12,000 through the program, plus these new belts are expected to deliver over $23,000 in annual bill savings. Low and no-cost operational measures like this often go unaddressed or don’t get implemented without the oversight of a dedicated energy manager to see them through.
Winpak Winnipeg has even been working to engage with their employees to bolster this culture of conservation and continuous improvement through contests and other communications initiatives. They ran an energy efficiency campaign at their Winnipeg facility where their employees uncovered an energy-saving opportunity that was later successfully implemented, illustrating Winpak’s commitment to energy efficiency.
“Working with Efficiency Manitoba and having access to the support, workshops, coaching, and financial incentives available through the Strategic Energy Manager Initiative is helping us create a culture of energy efficiency and prioritize projects that will save energy and money in our operations. We look forward to continuing our partnership to work towards achieving our sustainability targets.”
— Christian Cuyno, Energy Manager at Winpak Ltd.
We’re also working with other large industrial facilities in the province including Boeing, Cenovus, Magellan, Malteurop, McCain Foods’ Portage la Prairie and Carberry facilities, and Royal Canadian Mint, all with a goal to reduce their energy consumption with support from our Strategic Energy Manager Initiative.
We can help you, too! Whether you’re interested in learning more about our Strategic Energy Manager Initiative, our newly launched Strategic Energy Management Cohorts program designed for smaller facilities, or would like more information on our programs, financial incentives, and technical support, we’re ready to support your organizations goals.