EMANZ throws down the gauntlet on energy savings

EMANZ throws down the gauntlet and challenges businesses to energy savings duel

The Energy Management Association (EMANZ) is challenging businesses that think it’s impossible to make further energy savings to an energy savings “duel”.

EMANZ executive officer, Ewan Gebbie, issued the challenge following the release last week of a survey by Statistics New Zealand. The survey showed one third of industrial and trade sector businesses believe they cannot make further energy savings.

Mr Gebbie believes they are misguided.

He said there are energy savings opportunities in every business.

“This is why we’ve issued businesses with a challenge to take part in the energy savings duel.

“For the first five companies that contact us, we guarantee that our accredited energy auditors will find them savings with payback within three years or the audit will be free – it’s as simple as that.”

Mr Gebbie said energy savings opportunities continue to emerge through a combination of factors including (rapidly) rising energy costs and new energy saving techniques [1]and technologies.

“It may seem counter-intuitive but sometimes subsequent opportunities are larger in value and can be achieved at less cost than the obvious “low hanging fruit” savings at the beginning of the energy management process.”

He said EMANZ wants to work alongside larger energy users to demonstrate what is possible.

“We don’t want to tell people how to run their own business, but we do have a high degree of technical expertise that can help them on their journey to greater profits through reduced input costs.”

He said there are hundreds of millions of dollars of savings to be made in the commercial building sector and in manufacturing from implementing audit findings.

“Executing energy audit recommendations produces substantial cost savings and delivers real benefits to Kiwi businesses’ bottom line. In 2008-09, 85 energy audits identified potential energy savings per year of $8 million.”

Audit results over the last five years show that for every $1 invested in an energy audit, $7.50 of savings opportunities are identified[2]. On average businesses can save ten per cent of their total annual energy spend, said Mr Gebbie.

“For example, a company with an energy bill of $1 million could save approximately $100,000 by implementing no or low cost savings opportunities that also need very little in terms of time or resources to make them happen.”

Duel conditions

• The first five businesses that contact EMANZ will receive an energy audit carried out to the conditions above – no savings identified, no charge
• The annual spend on energy must exceed $250,000
• If auditors are unable to find savings worth more than the cost of the audit with payback within three years, the audit is free
• Interested companies should contact EMANZ at 04 385 2839

ENDS

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