Red meat industry energy efficiency manual
Project code: A.ENV.0065, A.ENV.0075Rising energy costs, growing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, and expected new legislations were among the key strategic drivers for the commissioning of the Red Meat Processing Industry Energy Audit by Meat & Livestock Australia in early 2008.
The audit covering twelve plants across Australia, conducted by Hydro Tasmania Consulting (HTC), was carried out between March and June 2008. the 12 plants were selected by MLA from three representative types of meat processing plants in Australia, namely: integrated beef, integrated sheep, and mixed species plants. Individual energy audit reports were prepared and submitted to each of the participating plants.
This manual gives an overview of the findings from those representative plants, including their energy use index, and common energy saving opportunities identified which are likely to be applicable to similar plants.
Through a comprehensive energy management program combining all technical and management aspects discussed briefly in this manual, individual plants can identify their own energy opportunities to not only minimise the impact of energy prices rises but also improve their global competitiveness and their environmental footprint.
This manual is a summary of the most common energy saving opportunities identified for the participating plants. An overview is provided in the executive summary and specific information in the ten units below. The manual can also be downloaded as a single document.
Energy audits included reviews of historical energy use at plants, assessment of energy and emission intensities associated with different operations, and assessment of potential opportunities for reducing energy intensity, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
There are major differences in the electricity use index at different meat processing plants depending on the operations, age, location and practices. However, there are clear similarities in the number and type of electricity end-uses in those plants.
Refrigeration system is by far the largest user of electricity in meat processing plants. However, none of the sites audited had any sub-metering of their refrigeration plants which were estimated to account for 55-75% of their total electricity use.
Electric motors form the second largest electricity users in meat processors after refrigeration compressors. Given that compressors are also driven by electric motors, in fact close to 98% of electricity use in meat processing plants is consumed by electric motors.
Compressed air is a convenient and safe source of motive power widely used in the meat industry to operate hand tools, actuators and other tools. However, the greatest demand for compressed air in meat processing operations is usually associated with pneumatic systems for material transfer.
It is important to give serious consideration to the installation of an integrated electric lighting system equipped with dimmers, and a natural lighting system, including roof lighting, when planning a new single-storey building or renovating an existing building.
Thermal energy use varies significantly from plant to plant depending primarily on whether or not there is an on-site rendering plant. The type of rendering method, age of the plant and equipment and extent of heat reclaim are also important factors in thermal energy use.
A large number of meat processing plants have issues with odour emissions from anaerobic ponds. Most plants have partly addressed the odour issue by allowing a crust to form on top of the anaerobic digestion ponds. However, the majority of the plants will still be required to include methane emissions from the ponds in their greenhouse and energy reports as part of the new National Greenhouse Reporting Scheme (NGERS).
A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or cogeneration system is another more efficient option for using biogas or natural gas to generate electricity and hot water in a meat processing plant.
Cogeneration is the use of an engine to generate electricity and useful heat simultaneously. More commonly, natural gas is fired in an engine to drive an alternator to generate electricity. A cogeneration option will enale capturing of the waste heat from cooling water and exhaust gases which can be utilised to heat water to be used elsewhere in the plant.
The importance of an Energy Management System (EMS) lies with incorporating energy management into the overall management of an organisation. Leadership and clear energy efficiency policy, appointed energy manager, KPI's and targets for energy efficiency and adequate resource allocation, are among the main elements of an EMS.
The contract A.ENV.0075 covered the printing and distribution of this publication to the Australian red meat processing industry.