May 1, 2006 Vol. X, No. 9

• Innovator Showcase: Process integration brews up energy savings for Molson
• Energy contractor workshop builds energy efficiency capacity
• From methane to megawatts at Oakville Hydro
• Industrial Energy Innovators take top honours at Globe 2006

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Articles

Innovator Showcase:
Process integration brews up energy savings for Molson

It takes a lot of energy to produce millions of hectolitres of beer at Molson's Montreal brewery every year. As a way of squeezing every last drop of energy savings from its production process, Molson opted for a systematic procedure called process integration to identify energy efficiency opportunities.

“[Process integration] helped us identify nine energy efficiency projects and prioritize our approach,” says Richard Morin, Chief Engineer at Molson's Montreal brewery.

Morin and his team looked at three different areas – brewing, bottling and the power station. The nine projects identified were divided into three groups – short-term, medium-term and long-term.

One short-term project that is already in progress is a change to how the brewery's washers and pasteurizers work. Simply by optimizing how the existing equipment works, Molson is saving $220,000 in natural gas costs without putting up any capital investment.

Preheating the wort (a mixture of grains and hot water) is one of the medium-term projects being considered. The evaporation from the brew kettles makes it possible to preheat wort using a hot water loop to increase the temperature of the wort and to reduce the time to bring the wort to a boil. This would save more than $200,000 in natural gas per year.

A longer-term project on the drawing board is to preheat the water in the degassers by diverting exhaust gas from the boiler stacks. As a bonus, this project will eliminate condensation and prevent the premature degradation of the stacks. Annual cost savings are estimated in the $120,000 range.

Molson has enhanced its ability to think strategically about energy efficiency over the long term by using process integration. It's a systematic procedure for investigating the energy flows in a given process, and for quantifying the minimum practical utility demands for process heating and cooling.

Process integration compares the actual energy consumption with a minimum target, and identifies real potential for improvement. It also allows benchmarking of an operation's actual energy consumption against its minimum achievable energy consumption. (Learn more about process integration from Natural Resources Canada.)

“To make the most of [process integration], you need expert consultants with a very good knowledge of your process. NRCan's Office of Energy Efficiency helped us select the right people,” says Morin. Molson engaged Laporte Consultants and Pragmathic.

The other key to Molson's success is that it targets environmental efficiency at every stage in its brewery operations. The company has rigorous protocols and numerous measures in place to decrease atmospheric emissions.

These include an automated energy management system, which ensures Molson's energy needs are met on an on-demand basis. It also gives Molson a detailed energy use picture – something that enables process integration to work more quickly.

Molson's decision to use process integration isn't surprising considering that, as an Industrial Energy Innovator, Molson is part of a select group of companies that are making energy efficiency a priority.

The Industrial Energy Innovators initiative is part of the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC), a joint industry-government program sponsored by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency. Molson is joined by more than 1000 industrial facilities from a wide range of industrial sectors that have registered their commitment to energy-saving improvements with CIPEC.

Energy contractor workshop builds energy efficiency capacity

More than 100 consultants and energy practitioners in Ontario received an update on current federal and provincial programs for industrial energy efficiency, and an overview of a new tool for conducting energy audits, at a recent energy efficiency workshop sponsored by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency.

“The main objective of the workshop was to build capacity. Energy contractors who attended learned about new programs and tools, which can support their efforts in working with industry to implement energy efficiency projects,” says Kevin Jones, Vice-President of Marketing and Business Development at the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA).

OCETA organized the March 22nd workshop in Toronto, through a contract with NRCan.

An update on NRCan's Industrial Energy Audit Incentive program showed combined energy savings of more than $15 million a year from measures implemented as a result of the audit program. The update also included survey results that showed audit participants identified energy contractors as the most popular source of program information.

“This means that the more contractors know about incentives, the better positioned they are to win new business from clients,” says Melanie Phillips, Chief, Industrial Audit and Internal Services at NRCan, who delivered the update on the audit incentive and other NRCan programs.

Phillips also announced the upcoming release of new tools from NRCan, including a boiler efficiency calculator, a financing workshop and a beta version of Conducting an Energy Audit – a comprehensive manual in CD format that covers all aspects of conducting energy audits.

The 300-page manual is divided into three sections. Part A provides an overview of energy auditing and a theoretical framework. It also defines a systematic approach to an energy audit and the steps involved. Part B gives energy analysis methods and provides detailed instructions on how to carry out an audit. Part C is a technical supplement that includes checklists, templates, spreadsheets and forms. To order a free manual on CD, e-mail the Office of Energy Efficiency.

The workshop also featured a presentation from Sean Brady, Director of Industrial Programs at the Ontario Power Authority's Conservation Bureau. He outlined a variety of Ontario Power Authority (OPA) initiatives and pilot projects. Brady also echoed Phillips' words that energy consultants and contractors are ideally positioned to be their customers' trusted source of information on energy efficiency programs and incentives.

Michael Gemin, Energy Conservation Supervisor at Enersource Hydro Mississauga, gave an overview of his utility's powerWISE Business Incentive Program. The incentive starts at $150 per kW saved.

A variety of programs and incentives for industrial customers from Enbridge Gas Distribution were presented by Peter Goldman, Manager of Industrial Sales at Enbridge. Goldman took the opportunity to announce that Enbridge was enhancing its project implementation incentive by reducing the minimum payback requirement of projects to 1 year from 1.5 years.

Workshop participants found the session very useful, and suggested that additional sessions be delivered on a more frequent basis.

"We had a waiting list of 35 individuals for this workshop," says Phillips. "Energy contractors in Ontario are always seeking new ways to provide value-added services to their industrial clients in the area of energy efficiency."

From methane to megawatts at Oakville Hydro

Oakville Hydro, in partnership with the Regional Municipality of Halton, is moving ahead with the plan to build a new landfill gas-extraction facility that will produce enough electricity to supply close to 1000 homes for the next 20 years. The new facility will generate 2 MW of power and is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

Landfill gas is a by-product of decomposing refuse and is made up of about 50 percent methane, as well as carbon dioxide and nitrogen. If properly utilized, landfill gas is an excellent alternative fuel for generating energy.

At the Milton site, Oakville Hydro will collect, scrub and use the fuel to power internal combustion engines that will drive electrical generators feeding the provincial power grid. Oakville Hydro will access the gas through perforated tubes embedded in the landfill that are linked to a system of pipes. A blower will suck the gas from the landfill, and it will then be compressed, dried and fed into the gas engine. GE Energy will provide the entire landfill gas facility, including operation and maintenance services. The Milton landfill is expected to produce an additional 1 MW of power by 2009 as more engines are brought on stream.

Canadian industry has long recognized the cost-saving potential of landfill gas, and companies have moved forward with landfill projects of their own. Industrial Energy Innovator company Gerdau Ameristeel Corporation has been using landfill gas to offset natural gas consumption at its Cambridge, Ontario, Division for several years. In 1995, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo installed a system to extract and flare off methane gas produced by decomposing waste at a nearby landfill. In 1999, Gerdau installed a comprehensive system to extract, pressurize and clean the gas, and deliver it via a new pipeline from the landfill site to the reheating furnace at its rolling mill plant.

For more information about landfill gas, go to Environment Canada's landfill gas Web site.

Industrial Energy Innovators take top honours at Globe 2006

Industrial Energy Innovator companies Suncor Energy Inc. and Interface Canada were honoured for their environmentally sustainable business practices at Globe 2006 – a business and environment conference held in Vancouver, BC, in March.

The two Innovators were each winners of the Globe Awards for Environmental Excellence. There were five awards handed out in total. Interface won the Corporate Competitiveness Award – Product for its leadership role in pursuing sustainable commerce. According to the GLOBE Foundation, the organization responsible for the Globe 2006 conference and awards, the commercial fabrics company was recognized for reducing its environmental footprint by incorporating “intelligent design” and upgrading its manufacturing process.

Suncor Energy won the Corporate Competitiveness Award – Efficiency and Mitigation for its longstanding commitment to environmental performance. Suncor's approach has been to work towards a steady decline in the environmental intensity of production – growing production to meet incremental demand while reducing incremental impacts.

Winners of the Environmental Excellence Award were honoured at the closing Gala Dinner for the conference. As well, finalists receive nationwide media coverage through the Globe and Mail, and the chance to showcase their achievements in front of their clients, competitors, colleagues and peers.