Sunace smashes energy efficiency target

SunAce is a leading polymer additive manufacturer in Australia, producing an extensive range of PVC stabilisers and metallic stearates. The Sunace plant in Brooklyn, western Melbourne, is a complex and highly controlled production line. Dedicated to efficiency at the plant, Sunace have had a series of energy audits performed from 2009 onwards. In 2013 Sunace decided to implement the following energy efficiency improvements:

1. Upgrade a 10 year old fixed speed 95kW air compressor with a new variable speed drive 95kW air compressor.
2. Install a voltage optimisation system to bring the site-wide voltage closer to 220V to achieve efficiency gains on all motors on site.

Sunace engaged Enhar to undertake a grant application to Sustainability Victoria’s Smarter Resources Smarter Business program.   Enhar included an energy savings analysis with the grant application and monitored energy consumption of the old air compressor. The application was successfully approved and provided part-funding towards the project. The air compressor was supplied by Southern Cross Compressors and the Voltage Optimiser was supplied by Mass Energy, installed by Corospark and was manufactured by Powerstar in UK. The installations were executed smoothly. Six months after the air compressor and voltage optimiser were commissioned, Sunace engaged Enhar to perform a verification audit to confirm the energy savings achieved. We analysed the production data as well as the electricity account data in order to determine the improvement in ‘energy intensity’ which is measured in kWh/tonne of production.  We compared the energy intensity for the 6 months following the installation of the 2 measures, to the energy intensity for a 6 month period one year prior. Impressively, Sunace had improved their energy intensity by over 26% from these two measures. The new air compressor was shown to be consuming 40% less than the old compressor during equivalent shifts.   The energy usage by the air compressor has reduced significantly and the site-wide energy usage has also reduced. These outcomes strenthen Sunace's position as a leading energy efficient manufacturer. Contact Enhar to find out about our energy auditing and verification assistance to manufacturing businesses.