Resources such as natural gas and electricity can lead to considerable costs to business and to the environment. Chelsea have long had a focus on improving its operations and processes so that its dependency on fossil fuels is reduced. The result of managing the consumption of both electricity (to run the factory) and gas (to fire two boilers, a kiln and afterburner) has meant considerable cost savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Below are a number of initiatives that have seen a reduction in energy use per tonne of production decrease by 6% over the past year.
Some of those improvements involved:
- External energy audit through EECA.
- Smoothing steam load (pan steam valve opening and boiler firing rate capped).
- Plant repairs e.g. callandria leaks in vacuum pans, eliminating compressed air leaks.
- Rate improvement (filter press refurbishment).
- Process improvements (increase raw liquor brix, improved pan yield).
- Daily shift by shift monitoring of energy use, automated energy reports daily.
- De-lamping throughout offices and the factory (removing one of two bulbs).
- Replacement of old bulbs with energy efficient lighting alternatives.
- “Switch off” stickers on all PC’s, light switches and appliances.