Saving Energy at Johnson Matthey’s Haverton Site
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Johnson Matthey’s Haverton site in the UK.
What do we need to do on our manufacturing sites to improve energy efficiency? To explore the problems and answers, Johnson Matthey’s Haverton site in Teesside, UK got involved in One North East’s energy resource efficiency (ERE) programme.
The first step was to map significant energy uses across the manufacturing complex, where catalysts are produced. The manufacturing team on site worked with consultants to identify all areas where there was potential to create more energy efficient arrangements and change the way in which operations were carried out in order to achieve energy savings.
Large amounts of electricity are consumed in chilling and circulating the cooling fluids through the plant’s reactors and this was a prime candidate for change. Following plant trials by the operating team, it was clear that manufacturing could be carried out safely in a more energy efficient operating mode. The saving in electricity use, achieved immediately, was equivalent to an 8% reduction in the site energy bill and the cost of making the change was minimal.
After this impressive early win, the team is now working on further improvements, involving detailed improvements to the specification of equipment. These changes are expected to take a further 8% off the site bill and the costs involved will be paid for out of the savings in less than six months.
“The programme’s systematic approach has proved highly motivating, putting our operating team firmly in the driving seat of energy saving,” says Operations Manager Rob Peeling.
All in all, the savings identified represent a reduction in energy use across the site of around 16% and further work is ongoing.
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