In P&G;s plant in Pomezia, Italy, it was found that putting two types of energy consumption together can result in less than the sum of their parts.
P&G has replaced its traditional methane-gas fuelled steam boiler with a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or cogeneration unit in which electricity and steam are produced simultaneously.
In this new CHP unit, steam is produced as co-product and both electricity and steam are used in the manufacturing processes. Methane is used as the fuel, which eliminates the need to use a separate boiler for steam generation and reduces the overall consumption of gas.
This results in a significant reduction of overall greenhouse gas emissions as well as a better financial profile for the manufacturing operation due to reduced energy costs.
But improved efficiency is not enough; reduction of energy consumption is also important. So plant engineers and employees are working to reduce electricity consumption and to eliminate losses.
For example, there are numerous well-placed displays with simple tips and instructions across the manufacturing plant, which creates awareness and provides practical help to reduce energy consumption.