Food & Beverage

Key Insights:

• Food & beverage plants depend heavily on utility services such as steam, hot water, chilled water, glycol, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, and lighting.
• Process quality needs are critical.
• A lot of heat required is relatively low-grade making waste heat utilisation possible
• The efficiency of key utility services is not often monitored
• It is rare that facilities understand how their energy use correlates to production or weather data
• Food and beverage plants can utilise locally available renewable bioenergy to help supplement energy needs and meet carbon reduction targets
• Solar PV is under-utilised in the sector

Our Experience:

• Energy utility costs can be reduced by up to 30% whilst ensuring product quality outcomes are maintained
• Our experience covers dairy, softdrink, brewing, snackfoods, chocolate, cheese/dairy, milk processing, vegetable processing
• NG personnel have worked in large food & beverage companies

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Feasibility studies for cogen, boiler upgrades, compressed air improvements, refrigeration upgrades, biomass boilers, heat recovery, and steam system improvements.
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Mark Barber

Principal Consultant

Mark helps companies and organisations reduce their energy consumption/costs and carbon 'footprint'.

Contact Mark View case study

Mining

Key Insights:

• The remoteness of mining operations can result in high energy costs,
• High staff turnover on sites can be a barrier to building a long term program for energy management.
• Comminution can use >50% of electricity
• Transport fuels can be 50% the overall energy input cost for a mining operation
• A limited mine life puts pressure on energy efficiency projects to keep payback short
• Renewable fuels are still expensive and are currently limited by feedstock availability
• Hydrogen (renewably sourced) or ethanol from ligno-cellulosic feedstock are potential long-term renewable alternatives
• Data from engine management or vehicle tracking systems is under-utilised
• Tyre wear, fuel use and O&M costs can be all reduced through better loading practices and speed management of mining haul trucks
• Energy efficiency should be part of long term fleet optimisation procedures

Our Experience:

• Energy utility costs can be significantly reduced whilst ensuring quality outcomes are still met by looking at diesel & electricity efficiency, renewable energy and procurement processes
• Solar PV is under-utilised in the sector
• We have personnel who have worked with mining companies over the past 25 years to map the energy flows and energy efficiency in gold, nickel, coal, and mineral sands sectors, including electricity, natural gas, and diesel use for both power and transport.
• We have worked with some of the largest miners including Newcrest, Xstrata, St Barbara, Iluka Resources, and Northgate Minerals
• Fuel use in a mine could be reduced by 13% through better route management

Typical Services:

• Energy audits
• Build business cases for energy efficiency improvements
• Renewable energy investigations
• NGER, NPI and GRI reporting

Ed Smith

Managing Director (Australia)

Ed is based in Melbourne and assists clients develop energy and carbon management solutions to help reduce the impact of rising energy costs, impacts of carbon pricing and address their legislative reporting requirements.

Contact Ed

Manufacturing

Key Insights:

• Manufacturing plants depend heavily on utility services such as steam, hot water, chilled water, glycol, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, hydraulics, and lighting.
• Process quality needs are critical and there can often be a central process that consumes a majority of energy use.
• Many manufacturers don’t closely track how energy is influenced by external factors and the process
• Saving energy doesn’t mean a compromise in line speed or product quality
• Manufacturing plants can utilise locally available bioenergy to help supplement energy needs
• Bioenergy is one of the few low-carbon alternatives to natural gas for meeting high temperature process needs
• Heat recovery is under-utilised and can help reduce rising gas costs
• Solar PV is under-utilised

Our Experience:

• Worked with leading manufacturers in multiple sectors covering sites with energy spend from AUD 1-70million per annum
• Multi-year contracts as energy management partner (Virtual Energy Manager)

Typical Services:

• Energy audits (steam, electricity, transport) & Sankey diagrams
• Plant energy system modelling and simulations (theoretical minimum energy use, HOMER modelling for micro-grids, Pinch Analysis)
• Feasibility studies for cogen, boiler upgrades, compressed air improvements, refrigeration upgrades, biomass boilers, heat recovery, and steam system improvements.
• Detailed assessment and monitoring (compressed air leak audit and report, real power, pressure, temperature, refrigeration COP, fan efficiency)
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Energy management diagnostics similar to ISO50001 gap analysis
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings or carbon certificates

Andrew Clarke

Principal Consultant

Andrew has 24 years post graduate experience working in a variety of roles across different industries such as the steel and chemical industries, and energy efficiency consulting.

Contact Andrew View case study

Public Sector

Key Insights:

• Energy use patterns in the public sector can vary widely depending on the type of facilitiy. Facilities can include Wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, prisons, universities, commercial buildings, libraries, car parks and sports facilities.
• Public sector facilities are often long-lived and strategic long-term energy reduction projects can be favourably looked upon.
• There can be hundreds of small facilities under management and tracking energy use data can be difficult, yet the cumulative energy spend is significant
• External facility managers are not always proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Solar PV is making strong in-roads yet still under-utilised in the sector
• The key energy users are generally aquatic centres, water and wastewater treatment plants, council chambers, and other specialised facilities
• The sector is leading in the setting of carbon reduction targets

Our Experience:

• New heat pump technologies are able to supply low grade hot water cost effectively in many climates
• Solar PV + hot water heat pumps can be a better option than small-scale cogeneration to reduce pool heating costs
• Biogas is under-utilised for heat and/or electricity in wastewater treatment
• Local government can be net-generators of electricity across their portfolio using solar and bioenergy
• Better process control is the often the cheapest way to reduce energy costs

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Building simulation modellling
• Feasibility studies for biogas cogeneration, boiler upgrades, pump station improvements, KPIs, process improvements, HVAC upgrades.
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.
• Certificates & ratings (NABERS, BEECs, Greenstar)

Craig Morgan

Managing Director

Craig is a mechanical engineer with 20 years’ experience including more than fifteen years' assisting organisations manage energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts of climate change.

Contact Craig

Transport

Key Insights:

• The sector is challenged by fluctuating chemical prices and rising input costs, and the payback for energy efficiency initiatives needs to be short
• Third-party maintenance contractors are often not incentivsed to be proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Process optimisation offers the cheapest and most significant energy reduction potential
• The sector is lagging in the setting of carbon reduction targets
• Waste heat opportunities are under-utilised

Our Experience:

• NG personnel have worked in chemical processes including ammonium nitrate, petro-chemical
• NG personnel have consulted on energy efficiency in petro-chemicals, plastics, etc.

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Feasibility studies for heat recovery, pump upgrades, KPIs, process improvements
• Pinch analysis
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Craig Morgan

Managing Director

Craig is a mechanical engineer with 20 years’ experience including more than fifteen years' assisting organisations manage energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts of climate change.

Contact Craig View case study

Waste & Wastewater

Key Insights:

• Wastewater facilities are often long-lived, and strategic long-term energy reduction projects can be favourably looked upon.
• Third-party maintenance contractors are often not incentivsed to be proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Solar PV is making strong in-roads yet still under-utilised in the sector
• Biogas is under-utilised for heat and/or electricity
• Aeration, blowers and RAS pumping consumes large proportions of electricity and can be better managed
• Process optimisation offers the cheapest and most significant energy reduction potential
• The sector is leading in the setting of carbon reduction targets
• Wastewater plants can be net-generators of electricity across their portfolio using solar and bioenergy

Our Experience:

• Over 20 energy audits of water & wastewater treatment plants
• Developed full Sankey diagrams for wastewater treatment
• Over 10 biogas cogeneration feasibility studies
• Identified >100 opportunities for energy efficiency covering plant upgrades, process control, behaviour change and renewable energy

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Feasibility studies for biogas cogeneration, blower upgrades, pump improvements, KPIs, process improvements
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Andrew Dawkins

Consultant

Andrew has been working with the Wattly Group (Northmore Gordon) since January 2017. Having worked in the VIC and NSW energy certificates schemes throughout 2017, his focus shifted to industrial energy efficiency and metering under the Northmore Gordon banner.

Contact Andrew

Oil & Gas

Key Insights:

• The sector is challenged by fluctuating oil prices and the payback for energy efficiency initiatives needs to be short
• Third-party maintenance contractors are often not incentivsed to be proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Process optimisation offers the cheapest and most significant energy reduction potential
• The sector is lagging in the setting of carbon reduction targets
• Oil processing facilities can significantly offset imported electricity across their portfolio using waste process fluids and heat

Our Experience:

• NG personnel have worked with energy performance improvement teams in the petrochemical sector

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Feasibility studies for heat recovery, pump upgrades, KPIs, process improvements
• Pinch analysis
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Ed Smith

Managing Director

Ed is a chemical engineer with experience in helping large chemical, oil and gas industries improve energy productivity.

Contact Ed

Chemical Processing

Key Insights:

• The sector is challenged by fluctuating chemical prices and rising input costs, and the payback for energy efficiency initiatives needs to be short
• Third-party maintenance contractors are often not incentivsed to be proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Process optimisation offers the cheapest and most significant energy reduction potential
• The sector is lagging in the setting of carbon reduction targets
• Waste heat opportunities are under-utilised

Our Experience:

• NG personnel have worked in chemical processes including ammonium nitrate, petro-chemical
• NG personnel have consulted on energy efficiency in petro-chemicals, plastics, etc.

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Feasibility studies for heat recovery, pump upgrades, KPIs, process improvements
• Pinch analysis
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Alasdair McCullagh

Managing Director (Singapore)

Alasdair McCullagh has over 10 years’ experience in process engineering and supply chain with leading global organisations in chemical, mining and food & beverage industries.

Contact Alasdair

Animal Processing

Key Insights:

• Animal processing plants depend heavily on utility services such as steam, hot water, chilled water, glycol, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, and lighting.
• Process quality needs are critical.
• A lot of heat required is relatively low-grade making waste heat utilisation possible, and is suited to cogeneration
• The efficiency of key utility services is not often monitored and is under-performing, particularly refrigeration
• It is rare that facilities understand how their energy use correlates to production or weather data
• Wastewater can be used to produce biogas for hot water or cogeneration, to supplement energy needs and meet carbon reduction targets
• Solar PV is under-utilised in the sector

Our Experience:

• Energy utility costs can be reduced by up to 30% whilst ensuring product quality outcomes are maintained.
• Over 10 energy audits of animal processing facilities
• Solar PV support
• Multiple boiler and cogeneration studies
• Biomass boiler specification and tendering

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Feasibility studies for cogeneration, boilers, compressed air, refrigeration, biomass boilers, heat recovery, and steam systems.
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings certificates in NSW and VIC.

Craig Morgan

Managing Director

Craig is a mechanical engineer with 20 years’ experience including more than fifteen years' assisting organisations manage energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts of climate change.

Contact Craig View case study

Pharmaceutical & Health Products

Key Insights:

• Process quality needs are critical.
• The value of the product outweights energy costs significantly, meaning energy wastage can be easily overlooked
• It is rare that facilities understand how their energy use correlates to production or weather data

Our Experience:

• Energy utility costs can be reduced by up to 30% whilst ensuring product quality outcomes are maintained.
• Energy audits of pharmaceutical processing plants

Typical Services:

• Energy audits & Sankey diagrams
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Feasibility studies for cogeneration, boilers, compressed air, refrigeration, biomass boilers, heat recovery, and steam systems.
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.

Alasdair McCullagh

Managing Director (Singapore)

Alasdair McCullagh has over 10 years’ experience in process engineering and supply chain with leading global organisations in chemical, mining and food & beverage industries.

Contact Alasdair

Wood, Paper & Cardboard Processing

Key Insights:

• The wood fibre sector depends heavily on heat (steam, hot water or thermal oil), compressed air, hydraulics, and lighting.
• Many companies don’t closely track how energy is influenced by external factors and the process
• Saving energy doesn’t mean a compromise in line speed or product quality
• Fans and dust collection are significant energy users and are often not well managed
• Waste biomass products can help supplement internal energy needs through use of wood-gas engines, steam turbines or ORC turbines

Our Experience:

• Complete energy audits of wood panel processing plants
• Greenhouse gas assessments of wood panel processing plants
• Creation of large numbers of energy efficiency certificates from fan upgrades
• Embedded generation feasibility studies using wood-gas engines, steam turbines or ORC turbines

Typical Services:

• Energy audits (steam, electricity, transport) & Sankey diagrams
• Feasibility studies for cogen, boiler upgrades, compressed air improvements, biomass boilers, heat recovery, and steam system improvements.
• Detailed assessment and monitoring (compressed air leak audit and report, real power, pressure, temperature, fan efficiency)
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Energy management diagnostics similar to ISO50001 gap analysis
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings or carbon certificates

Andrew Clarke

Principal Consultant

Andrew has 24 years post graduate experience working in a variety of roles across different industries such as the steel and chemical industries, and energy efficiency consulting.

Contact Andrew

Commercial Buildings

Key Insights:

• Energy use patterns in commercial buildings can vary widely depending on the type of facility (e.g. hospitals, prisons, universities, office buildings, libraries, car parks and sports facilities).
• Commercial buildings are often long-lived and strategic long-term energy reduction projects can be favourably looked upon.
• There can be hundreds of small facilities under management and tracking energy use data can be difficult, yet the cumulative energy spend is significant
• External facility managers are not always proactive in driving energy efficiency initiatives
• Cogeneration is sometimes used but is often operating sub-optimally
• Solar PV is making strong in-roads yet still under-utilised in the sector
• Large energy users in the sector are generally aquatic centres, water, large sports arenas, hospitals/health centres, and prisons
• The sector is increasing attention to the setting of carbon reduction targets

Our Experience:

• >50 energy audits of buildings
• >50 cogeneration studies
• >10 building simulations
• 3,000,000 energy efficiency certificates created from lighting upgrades in commercial buildings

Typical Services:

• Energy audits (lighting, HVAC, whole building) & Sankey diagrams
• Building simulation modellling
• Feasibility studies for upgrades to cogeneration, lighting, HVAC, Building Management System
• Business cases for energy cost reductions
• Measurement and Verification for creation of energy savings and carbon certificates.
• Certificates & ratings (NABERS, BEECs, Greenstar)

Craig Morgan

Managing Director

Craig is a mechanical engineer with 20 years’ experience including more than fifteen years' assisting organisations manage energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts of climate change.

Contact Craig View case study