Recent developments in the cost and availability of energy have dramatically affected the profitability of many North American pulp and paper mills. While energy prices are still lower than those in Europe, North American mills spend more on energy to produce a tonne of pulp than do their counterparts in Finland and Sweden, where energy cost reduction has been a priority for years.
To restore competitive advantage, North American mills have to give energy cost reduction the same priority.
The potential for mill-wide reductions in energy consumption and cost is substantial, as shown in the chart below. Mills are exploring ways to reduce their purchased energy requirements and reliance on fossil fuels while at the same time meeting production and environmental targets.
Sandwell’s energy studies assist mills to identify the improvements that can translate into bottom-line savings. Tailored to each mill’s specific objectives, studies vary in complexity from process mass balance and thermal energy reviews to comprehensive site energy balance and optimization evaluations.
Site-wide studies include analysis of the energy interface between the process and utilities to give a complete thermal and electrical energy balance for the entire mill site. Sandwell studies may incorporate Energy Pinch Analysis, a technique for defining minimum energy targets and identifying energy reduction opportunities.
Sandwell Energy Studies
Activities may include:
- auditing energy consumption to compare plant energy usage against industry benchmarks
- optimizing process heat recovery
- identifying opportunities to improve plant power factor
- investigating opportunities to reduce process connected horsepower and to reduce normal operating power usage
- determining benefits of energy load management automation.
Depending on the study’s objectives, our report will:
- define the existing mill energy usage
- compare mill usage to industry benchmarks
- identify improvements that will achieve the defined objectives
- indicate alternatives
- provide project design and cost estimates
- define a clear investment program to reduce energy costs.
