HOW COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS CAN SAVE INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS ENERGY & MONEY

From powering pneumatic tools to conveying materials through pipes, compressed air systems play an important role in manufacturing operations. The versatility and practicality of these systems has made them a common technology in industrial facilities of all sizes. However, there is one potential disadvantage — they can be incredibly energy intensive.  

On average, 10% of most industrial energy costs are related to the electricity required to run compressed air systems. The costs associated with any inefficiencies can be difficult to manage, from increased monthly energy bills to higher operating and maintenance costs. Leaks are a common culprit and can represent 30% of compressed air loads when not managed properly. 

Whether it’s properly sizing the system, identifying and eliminating leaks, maintaining and monitoring the system, or replacing it altogether, taking appropriate action now can lead to long-term energy savings and benefits. Luckily, we can make the process straightforward and more affordable — and that’s exactly how we helped Buffalo Creek Mills. 

BIG SAVINGS AT BUFFALO CREEK MILLS

Buffalo Creek Mills is an oat ingredient producer of high-quality ingredients suitable for human consumption, pet food, and feed markets. This Altona-based business works in partnership with local farmers as well as buyers and distributors from Manitoba and around the world. And they’re growing rapidly, leading to increased production needs.  

“As we were preparing for an expansion, our production facility’s existing compressed air system needed to be upgraded to increase its supply capacity,” said Phil Carriere, Director of Operations at Buffalo Creek Mills. 

When Buffalo Creek Mills was looking to upgrade their compressed air system, we were able to help identify energy-saving opportunities by preparing a benchmark study. The project started with their contractor, Air Unlimited, performing a baseline logging of their existing compressed air system. Our industrial systems engineer then analyzed the data and prepared the benchmark study. The facility then began exploring options to optimize their compressed air system, which ultimately led to installing a new higher-efficiency compressor, a heated blower desiccant dryer with dewpoint control, oversized filters, a central regulator, and two 660-gallon storage tanks. 

“Efficiency Manitoba was a big help in modelling the overall system reliability and energy usage. Their modelling helped to confirm that our approach for setting up the system would ensure it runs at the highest efficiency for the customer.“
— Phil Carriere, Director of Operations at Buffalo Creek Mills

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

We help forestry and mining operations make improvements to their compressed air systems by providing technical support and financial incentives. Our variety of offers can facilitate the assessment and proper sizing of new equipment, as well as the maintenance of your systems for optimal use. 

We can also offset your capital investment with performance-based incentives through our Custom Energy Solutions Program. The greater the energy reduction, the higher the incentive. Our network of experienced contractors will work with customers to implement these upgrades. 

If a capital upgrade isn’t in your budget, we also support energy waste reductions by addressing leaks in compressed air systems. Leak audits are an effective way to maintain and optimize your system by reducing wasted energy, minimizing unnecessary wear, and preventing operational downtime. 

HOW WE’RE HEALPING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

Manitoba’s agricultural sector plays an integral part in Canada’s agricultural industry and its diverse production. It also plays a vital role in our own province’s economy, contributing to our food supply and providing job opportunities for many Manitobans.

We understand the importance of the agricultural sector and aim to support the success of Manitoba farmers by providing customers with information and incentives to encourage the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and practices. We equip producers and decision makers with information and tools to assist in their energy efficiency efforts and can help them save energy and reduce their carbon footprint with energy efficiency opportunities, financial incentives, and expert advice.

One of the simplest ways to reduce energy consumption is to minimize energy waste by only using the energy you need. This can apply to your operation through pumps, fans, and other motor driven systems that are used in many agricultural operations. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are devices used to control the speed of an electric motor, so they only run when needed based on flow, temperature, pressure, and other conditions within your facility, such as humidity. The real energy savings from VFDs come from the basic principles of fan and pump operations. By reducing the speed of your motor by half, it can actually reduce power consumption by more than 80%.

There are many opportunities to utilize VFDs in agricultural facilities such as fans on poultry and pork barns, compressors in dairy facilities, irrigation pumping systems used by crop farmers, and ventilation fans for vegetable storage facilities. This is exactly how we helped Kroeker Farms, Canada’s largest grower of organic potatoes, reduce their energy use.

HOW VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVES LED TO SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR KROEKER FARMS

Kroeker Farms is passionate about environmental sustainability. They believe that “the future is growing more using less” and strive to be more efficient in the use of all resources. They were interested in improving the energy efficiency of their potato sheds and we were able to help them with technical expertise and financial incentives to support their energy efficiency upgrades.

Each fall, Kroeker Farms harvests their crops and loads the potatoes into their storage sheds, which hold about 70,000 100-pound bags of potatoes. The storage sheds are equipped with ventilation systems to cure and cool the potatoes, storing them until they’re shipped away for processing. Ventilation is required throughout the storage season to maintain proper temperature and humidity conditions, which are critical for product storage and quality.

“As a company, we’re always striving to be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Installing VFDs has made a huge impact when it comes to reducing our energy consumption and protecting the environment.“

Wayne Rempel
CEO & President, Kroeker Farms

The installation of these VFDs is helping Kroeker Farms save energy and money, and their savings are notable. With the upgrade at one of their sheds, they’re expected to save nearly 231,600 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in electricity every year, which translates to over $11,000 in annual savings on their energy bills. Plus, we provided them with an incentive which brought their payback period to just 1.3 years.

Kroeker has implemented upgrades at five other sheds as well. A total of 400 horsepower of fans have been upgraded to include VFD controls, resulting in significant energy savings and reducing their bills by over $28,000 annually.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOUR AGRICULTURAL OPERATION

We recognize the unique needs of different farm operations and take a collaborative approach with farmers and producers to ensure they reach their goal of saving energy while reducing energy bills easily and affordably. We’re here to support our customers with not only financial incentives, but also with technical expertise and advice. With subject matter experts in various technologies, such as VFDs, heat recovery systems for your refrigeration needs, or energy-efficient heating solutions for your livestock, we can identify energy-saving opportunities and provide assistance throughout the process.

CUSTOM ENERGY SOLUTIONS & FEASIBILITY STUDIES

We offer a custom approach to help farmers find and implement energy efficiency upgrades that vary between agricultural operations. We can help facilitate the exploration and identification of energy-saving opportunities specific to your operations and offer performance-based incentives to help offset the capital costs of implementing these upgrades. Customers can receive incentives based on the amount of annual energy saved — the more energy you save, the more we pay you for your upgrades.

  We also have funding available through our Feasibility Studies offer. If your project doesn’t fit within one of our established programs, we can help support a study which can quantify the technical viability, potential savings, and overall economics of your project. Viable projects are often eligible for further incentives through our Custom Energy Solutions Program.

We understand agricultural producers are busy and we aim to simplify the process. From estimating energy savings and incentives, to establishing the plan and completing the application forms for you, we’re here to help every step of the way so you can focus on what’s important.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES FOR YOUR AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES

If you’re upgrading any buildings in your agricultural operation, we also provide financial support to upgrade your existing infrastructure to help you save energy, money, and the environment. This can include upgrades to your lighting, heating and cooling systems, and the envelope of your existing buildings to realize substantial energy savings.

We also offer incentives to help you install new systems, such as solar photovoltaic systems to reduce your reliance on traditional electricity resources, or ground source heat pumps to reduce your heating and cooling costs. Plus, we have incentives if you’re planning on building from the ground up! Be sure to reach out to us as soon as possible to identify energy-saving opportunities that are applicable to your operation so you can get the highest incentive possible.