Emerson Exchange 365

Because energy is one of the largest operating expenses associated with producing pulp, Canfor Pulp —the leading Canadian-based producer of bleached, high-performance kraft paper — is highly motivated to reduce energy consumption. Management knows that even a small fraction in energy reduction translates into huge financial savings.

While the company, which operates three mills in Prince George, British Columbia, had a sustainable energy management plan in place for years, it was only able to access energy reporting at a mill level, not an area level. In addition, operators used static targets, which poorly defined the actual energy efficiency of the mill and minimized its energy conservation opportunities. However, after implementing an energy management information system (EMIS) at its Northwood pulp mill, Canfor achieved significant energy savings.  

This week at Emerson Exchange, Devin Marshman of Spartan Controls explained the steps Canfor took to implement its EMIS and inspire its workforce to become  energy conscious.  

The project covered all electricity, steam, gas, and hog fuel consumption, and encompassed steam production from three boilers, and electricity generation from two turbo-generators. The mill was divided into 30 energy account centers (EAC), each representing a process area. Target performance models were built for all energies produced or consumed by these EACs, and an online real-time and historical reporting system showed performance against targets.

The EMIS was also instrumental in helping the company shift from a production-based culture to a culture that also cares about energy efficiency.  “It’s challenging to make that change in an organization that measures employee performance on production targets, rather than energy targets,” Marshman shared. “To make this shift, employees have to be held accountable for energy use and have tools to monitor their energy usage.”

Since implementing the system, the mill has achieved verifiable reduction in energy use. Because EMIS tracks energy consumption against dynamic targets in real time, it is now possible to properly monitor energy usage, measure it, and compare it to an intelligent target, then summarize performance against those targets– so poor performance is quickly spotted.

“Prior to using the EMIS, energy data existed, but operators were unable to translate it into actionable information,” Marshman said. “And for most processes, there were no performance targets or reporting systems.”

After implementation, the EMIS provided the structure to drive energy efficiency within the existing strategic energy management plan. It creates better understanding of energy usage, leading to improved operating practices and reduced energy costs. Although this system is new, it is showing its value to Canfor by identifying abnormal energy performance and quantifying its value.