1. Get A Free Energy Audit

A full energy audit helps identify issues that might be causing energy wastage – these include insulation issues and air leaks. Most electricity utility companies offer these audits free of charge. The inspection not only helps you determine how energy is used but also ways to address energy wastage.  The audit report will also recommend ways to keep your energy usage on the low, such as investing in energy efficient lighting and equipment.

2. Invest in Energy-Efficient Office Equipment

Energy efficient (energy-star rated) appliances use up less energy as compared to older non-rated ones. That said, it would be advisable for you to lease/buy energy star rated office electronics.  This should help see your energy bills drop significantly, hence substantial cost savings in the long run.

3. Avoid Peak Demand

Peak demand can be defined as the time of the day when there’s a high demand for energy. These are the hours when energy usage is the highest. The typical peak hours start from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Reducing your demand for electricity during these times and only running the factory and heavy equipment early in the morning, and later in the evening can help reduce energy consumption. Reducing your demand for energy during peak hours also means your small business spends less on energy usage at the end of the day.

4. Use Programmable Thermostats

Smart thermostats make it easy to monitor and control temperatures in the workplace when everyone is in the office (9 – 5), and away. The thermostat can be programmed to turn OFF the heating and cooling appliances during the night, and back ON a few minutes to ‘work hours’. This in return sees you save lots of energy that would have otherwise been wasted had the HVAC systems remained on through the night.

5. Switch Off Lights in Unused Areas

Most offices have an always-on lights setup. This means the lights in all rooms including bathrooms, conference rooms, breakrooms, and even unused corridors. This leads to energy wastage which can be preserved if lights were only turned on when needed. Installing sensors to turn the lights on or off when required could help too.

6. Switch to Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs use up more energy for the same amount of light when compared to CFLs and LEDs that use just a fraction of it. Switching from incandescent bulbs to CFL or LEDs should help the company use less energy in lighting. This is the simplest and easiest ways to save energy in the workplace.

7. Make Use of Natural Light

Always take advantage of the natural sunlight whenever you can. You can do so by drawing the blinds, curtains, and opening the windows to allow the sunlight in. Be sure to switch off lights in well-lit areas well. Letting the sunlight in also means you get passive heating from the sun, hence no need to have the heaters on. While it may seem like nothing, taking advantage of the natural sunlight should help save the business a few kilowatt hours a day.

8. Run Fans

Have fans installed in showrooms, warehouses, kitchens, and offices alike. The fans will help keep the air moving, hence facilitate optimal air circulation. This means the HVAC system will run more efficiently and smoothly translating to lower energy consumption.

9. Power Down Computers and Other Office Equipment When Not in Use

Having everyone power down their computers at the end of the day should help save lots of energy. You might also want to set the laptops to go to sleep or hibernate if not used for a certain number of minutes or hours. Be sure to turn off and unplug other electronic devices from the mains sockets.

Although modern toasters, coffee makers, printers, and other office appliances have a ‘sleep’ mode when not in use, these continue to draw some current if left plugged. Unplugging these will save some more kilowatts. 

10. Avoid ‘Phantom’ Energy

As mentioned earlier, some equipment will continue to draw electricity when plugged in.  That said, making it a habit of unplugging such devices or using a power strip on them, can help save some energy. With a power strip, a simple flip of the switch will cut electricity supply to the connected devices. 

11. Make Adjustments to the Surrounding Landscape

If you have control over the landscape around, you can then use it to your advantage. Energy-efficient landscaping, such as planting trees strategically to block winds and provide shelter, will go a long way in reducing heating and cooling costs.

12. Involve the Employees

Encouraging the employees to take on energy-efficiency practices can help reduce electricity costs and energy wastage too. Train the employees to turn off their computers after work, switch off lights, as well as use energy efficient appliances in the workplace.

Inspiring them to save more energy should work well for the company. You can see more tips and tricks on how to improve employee energy-saving practices here.

The post 12 Ways Small Businesses Can Save Energy first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

Barrel heaters are especially needed if their content loses its nature and benefits due to a drop or a rise in the temperature. Barrel heater is a cheap solution for maintaining high energy without paying for its cost, in addition you are reducing the pollution since the energy is being recycled within the system. So, what do you need to consider when you are using drum heaters? That is what we are going to tackle.

1. Harsh weather

Harsh environmental conditions, especially the low temperature of the cold months, might push the need to use a heater for your drums to avoid causing them any damages to keep them in ultimate condition.

Buying good drum heater jackets will keep you away from breaking the bank just to save your desired content. They don’t only keep your drums at the required temperature, they also save and lower the viscosity of the fluids so you wouldn’t need to replace them as often and more importantly, they protect them from freezing in harsh cold environment conditions.

2. Energy saving

Electrical insulated heating jackets offer more protection from cold or freezing due to the extra layer of insulation they have. With heat loss kept at minimum, the heating jackets offer more energy saving options which make their power consumption drop automatically, this also translates to cost of operation drop. What’s even more positive about these jackets is that they are normally designed to cover the whole containers, thus you are more likely to be saved from any energy loss.

Using some types of barrel heaters that do not cover the whole drum might waste energy as they naturally get hot. Due to thermodynamics basics, the heat will start dissipating from the higher-temperature surface to the cold atmosphere. That is why when using the right type of heater for your needs, make sure that it will cover the whole container you have so you don’t waste any energy.

3. Saving space = saving energy

An extra step to save money and time is to place your drums in a closed space. Open spaces make it harder to maintain your drums at desired temperatures. Putting your drums and barrels in an enclosed space will ensure that no energy is wasted to the atmosphere and manage heat escape.

Choose the one that works best for you

When you are first buying the heater, it is always a good step to buy one that is flexible. Drum heaters are really simple on the design side, however, using one that does not fit may create more of a problem than it solves. Buying a good drum heater that is adjustable or can fit any type of container you have, is always a smart idea to save you from the headache and wasting your money.

The post 3 Things to Consider When Using Drum Heaters first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

Nestled within these innovations, hydrogen technology stands out, promising not just a leap into clean energy, but also a revolution in water storage and energy saving.

Buckle up for this blog post, where we’ll embark on a journey through how these exciting technologies are molding the contours of our contemporary world, all whilst preserving our dear Mother Nature.

A Deeper Understanding of Hydrogen Technology

Before we take a deep dive into the ongoing advancements, it’s pivotal to grasp what hydrogen technology fundamentally is.

Chances are, you are aware that hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on our blue orb, accounting for approximately 75% of our atmosphere by mass.

What might surprise you though, is the multifarious ways this element can be tapped – from generating clean electricity using fuel cells right to powering an eco-friendly method of transportation.

This all begins with water electrolysis – a process where electrical current disassembles water molecules into discrete oxygen and hydrogen gasses.

While some conventional methods depend on fossil fuels to manufacture hydrogen, contemporary developments aim to leverage renewable energy resources to promote greener production undertakings.

Being emission-free at the point of use (only exhaling water vapor when used in fuel cells), it isn’t hard to understand why hydrogen technologies are touted to potentially revolutionize energy supply chains globally.

Water Storage: Bigger than you Thought

By now, you might be wondering how hydrogen technology can improve water storage solutions. To understand this, let’s take a closer look at the role of hydrogen in such systems.

In conventional water storage methods, multiple factors limit the available capacity – including evaporation losses and geological constraints. The idea behind using hydrogen in these applications is that once it gets produced from water through electrolysis, it no longer has to remain stored as an independent element.

Instead of dealing with large storage structures for water like tanks and reservoirs, hydrogen can be efficiently compressed into containers or even injected into underground rock formations.

When needed again for power generation or other uses, the hydrogen undergoes another process (such as fuel cell catalytic conversion) and turns back into energy and pure water. This ingenious method thereby eliminates many problems associated with traditional water storage while still preserving the natural resource we all rely on.

Hydrogen-Powered Energy Savings: How Does it Work?

Saving energy has become more critical than ever before due to global climate change concerns and increased awareness about Earth’s finite resources.

Hydrogen technology, including fuel cells that are on sale, inherently exhibits impressive energy-saving capabilities mainly thanks to operating with efficiency rates far beyond those of combustion engines..

Fuel cells work by combining hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity without burning any fossil fuels – releasing only heat and water vapor as output emission.

This process results in minimal losses compared to internal combustion engines whose exhaust gasses need proper after-treatment before release, making them less efficient overall.

Moreover, since hydrogen is easily producible through renewables-driven electrolysis processes, it unlocks avenues for truly sustainable energy generation with zero greenhouse gas emissions when used alongside green-powered devices like wind turbines or solar panels. You can learn more about these processes on our home page.

Innovative Products That are on Sale Today

As the hydrogen revolution continues to gain pace, a variety of innovative products are already available on sale for consumers and industries alike.

From hydrogen-powered vehicles like Toyota Mirai or Hyundai NEXO that promise zero emissions and sustainable transportation solutions, to stationary fuel cells employed in buildings and energy plants – there’s no shortage of opportunities for you to join the green energy movement.

Fuel cell systems are increasingly used in backup power applications while remote regions can rely on compact units such as Intelligent Energy’s 801 fuel cell system, built upon their best-in-class lightweight air-cooled architecture.

This product caters especially well to those searching for dependable off-grid power alternatives that won’t exhaust Earth’s valuable resources or contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Case Study: Power-to-Gas Project in Germany

Germany is spearheading the adoption of hydrogen technology in their national energy transition journey, famously known as Energiewende.

Taking a peek at a practical illustration of this thrilling innovation being orchestrated for grand projects, the German region of Lower Saxony inaugurated a power-to-gas plant that employs hydrogen, borne of electrolysis, for underground storage – essentially morphing renewable electricity into raw material for natural gas.

Hand in hand with local utility giant Avacon AG and technical collaborators from the Osterholz-Scharmbeck district, this multi-million-euro endeavor serves as a stellar example of how stockpiled hydrogen can meet supply demands efficiently whilst harmonizing fluctuating renewable sources such as wind turbines during periods of limited grid availability.

Conclusion

Hydrogen technology is redefining energy and water storage with cutting-edge products, presenting a sustainable power source that provides clean electricity and efficient water conservation. From Germany’s pioneering power-to-gas projects to innovative fuel cell systems for off-grid use, this technology shows great potential for global positive impact. As we strive for a greener future, adopting such advancements is crucial in preserving Earth’s resources and environmental stability.

The post Innovative Hydrogen Technology: Revolutionising Water Storage and Energy Savings first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

If you’re a manager or owner of a company, you may already be making headway with reducing your carbon footprint and thinking more about waste management. Should you be looking for further ideas to help keep your company green, here are some eco-friendly measures that you could introduce in your day to day operations.

Why go green?

Before we can look at ways to make your business more sustainable, it’s important to know why you’re focusing on this. First, you’ll be helping the climate. Offices tend to consume a lot of energy and the larger the office space, the more energy it consumes. By adopting energy saving and eco-friendly measures, it can be possible to reduce the carbon output of these office spaces and this can impact positively on the environment.

Google, for instance, has been carbon neutral for over a decade. In 2019, the company announced that, for the second year, it matched 100% of its energy consumption with renewable energy, offsetting its output.

That being said, it’s, indeed, possible to make your company carbon neutral while protecting the planet. Thankfully, with the help of eco-friendly organizations, your business won’t only minimize your carbon footprint, but you’ll also be empowered to maintain a sustainability plan and make better choices for the environment. So, if you want to get started, you can work with certain organizations to offset any unnecessary emissions of carbon to balance things out and keep your company green and sustainable.

Second, as a business you can save money. On average, the UK spends £29.1 billion on energy annually. By picking up some simple ideas, you could save on your energy bills and channel this money into other aspects of your business.

So, what can you do to make a difference?

1. Use sea or rail shipments

If you use international couriers to do business, now is the ideal time to rethink how you do this. Whether you’re an e-commerce business that depends on imports and exports or your clients are based around the world and regularly ship products to you, opting to have them get to you via rail or sea can cut down on air traffic pollution.

To find the couriers that specialise in this service, use a price comparison site such as Parcel2Go. This can be an easy way to whittle down your options and find the right fit for your company.

2. Add renewable tech

By introducing smart technology that can keep track of the energy your office or workspace consumes, you can see exactly how much energy is being wasted. This can then give you the numbers to aim for and help you to trial ideas to reduce your output.

Energy monitoring systems are one type of tech that can prove to be a real investment. These can show you in real time how much is being consumed.

Another renewable tech you may want to consider for your business is a solar panel system. It can be one of the most popular eco-friendly technologies designed to generate electricity for business purposes. It can be used to light up your office, and power up office appliances and even your business vehicles, while saving on energy bills and other related business expenses. Switch to e-invoicing to reduce the carbon footprint of your business.

3. Create a green ethos

By making an eco-friendly ethos part of your everyday operations, your employees will follow suit. Getting everyone into the habit of turning lights off when not in use, popping paper into the recycling bin, and ensuring that you are a paperless office are some easy and quick updates that can go a long way.

4. Switch up your lighting

Making the switch from traditional to LED lighting is another energy efficient update. An LED bulb will use just 9 Watts, compared to a standard bulb’s 60 Watts, plus an LED bulb lasts for 23,000 hours longer than a typical bulb. When your current light bulbs run out, it’s worth making a note and adding LED ones in their place.

Which of these methods have you already introduced in your office?

Conclusion

In today’s modern world, increasing your company’s environmental outlook is important for its success. With more and more people looking for companies with green practices, you need to make your business as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible in order to stay on top of the competition. Also, by making your business greener, you can also preserve the environment and the future generation.

So, if you haven’t become a green company yet, keep the information mentioned above in mind to help you get started with the eco-friendly measures your business should follow.

The post 4 Eco-Friendly Measures Your Business Could Follow first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.