Money, morals spark interest in energy efficiency

Oct 5 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bowdeya Tweh The Times, Munster, Ind.

 

Speakers at an industrial energy conference Thursday said there are economic and moral reasons why businesses should be good stewards and make efficient use of the Earth's limited resources.

ArcelorMittal USA and Saint-Gobain officials organized a half-day long conference on energy management and what resources were available from the public and private sector to help companies reduce energy costs.

Andrew Harshaw, executive vice president of operations for ArcelorMittal USA, said similar to other large industrial facilities, ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor is among the "poster boys for energy hogs." However, he said the Burns Harbor complex has reduced its energy consumption per ton of steel produced by about 15 percent in the last five years as a result of projects and practice changes. Steel is an energy-intensive business, but he said energy consumers still have a responsibility to use resources efficiently.

"Clearly, there's a business imperative," Harshaw said to about 30 people in an ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor auditorium. "We spend a fortune on energy, literally billions of dollars. But the other reason is that when you're wasting energy, really you're wasting something that can't be replaced. Quite frankly, you're stealing from the next generation."

Since the start of his career as a nuclear fuel engineer four decades ago, Purdue University Calumet professor Robert Kramer said managing energy costs has become increasingly important in determining how successful a business will be. Kramer, who is also director of the university's Energy Efficiency and Reliability Center, said the world is at a "tipping point" when it comes to energy because population growth, geopolitical tensions and the economic advancement of developing nations.

"This is a tremendous strain on our resources -- especially the energy resources," Kramer said.

To counteract these trends, he said the nation needs a shift in its energy policies to support the development of various types of fossil and renewable fuels and nuclear energy.

Harshaw said it's important that organizations have "energy champions," such as ArcelorMittal's Larry Fabina, who are working to engage 4,000 employees every day in tasks that can help reduce energy consumption. Fabina is manager of continuous improvement at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor.

"It's really about trying to find ways to drive different behaviors and establish a culture of saving and non-waste," Harshaw said.

He said tasks that don't require exorbitant amounts of capital investment include installing lights systems that have an automatic shut off and reducing water consumption.

Bruce Bremer, owner of Bremer Energy Consulting Services of Union, Ky., said there are several good examples of companies that have implemented best practices to help save money. Bremer said the government's 20-year-old Energy Star program can offer businesses benchmarking and tracking tools to help businesses gauge their energy use and offer suggestions on how to create an energy management plan.

(c) 2012, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services  To subscribe or visit go to:  www.mcclatchy.com/