With energy prices rising due to ongoing disruption to global supply chains, Mitsubishi Electric is urging UK manufacturers to take immediate steps to manage their energy usage.
As a result of recent market volatility, higher energy costs for the UK’s manufacturing industry are expected over.
Research undertaken by the company in the aftermath of the 2021-2023 global energy crisis revealed that many UK manufacturers were left exposed to future price shocks. Of 250 senior decision makers in UK manufacturing surveyed, only 24% had fully implemented on-site energy management systems, whilst 45% indicated their systems failed to track energy consumption in great detail.
In response to the situation, David Bean, Business Development Group Manager at Mitsubishi Electric Automation Systems Division, has issued his advice to manufacturers on the steps they should be taking now to minimise the impact on their operations.
“To reduce the effect of higher energy costs, manufacturers must identify and manage the factors that are within their control, scrutinising how, when and why energy is being used,” he said. “For example, businesses can secure quick wins by turning off energy-intensive equipment when not in direct use, as in many cases, leaving equipment in idle between cycles can consume more energy than powering up and down. Adding an energy management platform at asset level can take away the guesswork and give you a definitive answer.
“Other options include swapping any direct online motors with variable speed drives. Whilst this is not new advice, I am still surprised at how many I see used throughout plants. These insights are just a few examples of what could be unearthed using a third-party energy consultant. After all, you cannot measure what you don’t know.”
He continues: “Looking ahead to more medium and long-term opportunities, firms integrating distributed energy resources, such as microgrids and battery energy storage systems can help improve resilience in the event of future energy market shocks.
“In short, the more proactive an approach that UK manufacturers can take now towards their energy management, the better their posture will be in response to rising energy prices. At Mitsubishi Electric, we have both the expertise and solutions to help ensure the industry is properly prepared for further market volatility, and that their operations keeps running as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.”
For more information on Mitsubishi Electric’s range of energy management factory solutions, visit https://gb.mitsubishielectric.com/en/
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