General Dynamics staff implemented a robust energy management system in conformance with ISO 50001 at a federal ammunition plant in Scranton, Penn., that improved performance by 11.9 percent to become the first US defense contractor to be certified to the US Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program.
The General Dynamics experience is the subject of a case study from the Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) Energy Management Working Group (EMWG).
Additional metering was installed to identify the units of plant equipment using the most energy. The staff developed ambitious energy performance projects and goals for seven of the most energy-intensive units, including a gas-fired rotary hearth forging furnace and a forge shop cooling tower.
The $255,000 invested to implement SEP was paid back by the resulting operational energy cost savings within six months. That investment included additional metering, training, audit preparation and costs, system development, and external consultants.
Project energy savings are based on actual data, according to the company. With the energy management systems in place and metering instruments installed, the justification for improvements became easier.
The energy management system now saves the plant 107 billion Btu (113,000 GJ) annually and lowers energy costs by $956,000 each year. The plant’s sustained energy savings of 11.9 percent were verified by an accredited third party, earning the plant SEP certification at the Gold level (10 to 15 percent savings).
The aim of GSEP is to significantly cut global energy use by encouraging the industrial and commercial buildings sectors to continually improve their energy efficiency. GSEP’s EMWG seeks to accelerate the broad use of energy management systems in industry and commercial buildings worldwide.