Northwoods Industrial Energy Efficiency Forum

8:30 - 9:00 AM
Registration, networking breakfast

9:00 - 9:15 AM 
Welcome 

• Syed Abbas, Director of Education and Training, Slipstream
• Jeff Klaver, Account Manager, Xcel Energy

9:15 - 10:00 AM
Program updates

• Jeff Klaver and Tim Bartels, Xcel Energy, Xcel Energy program updates and resources
• Peter Speckman, Randy Urness, and Hannah Nelson, Focus on Energy incentive and rebate program updates
• Kimberly Johnston, Slipstream - C-PACE Wisconsin financing overview

10:00 - 11:15 AM
Strategic waste heat recovery for industrial facilities

• Tom Tucker, Principal and Founder, Kinergetics

11:15 - 11:20 AM
Networking break

11:20 - Noon 
Compressed air systems: Opportunities for improved efficiency 

• Frank Melch, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Zorn Compressor & Equipment

Noon - 12:30 PM
Lunch  

12:30 - 1:30 PM
Breakout session option #1: Strategies to increase cooling tower efficiency

• Kate Brebrick, Principal and Founder, Kinergetics

Breakout session option #2: Xcel Energy Empower Intelligence - save time and reduce costs with our energy management software 

• Jeff Klaver, Account Manager, Xcel Energy

1:30 PM
Adjourn  

Strategic waste heat recovery for industrial facilities

It is estimated that 20-50% of industrial energy input is lost in the form of waste heat from hot exhaust, condensing vapors, and cooling water systems. This loss can be attributed to a lack of energy recovery processes and poor process integration. Join us to learn about waste heat reduction and recovery opportunities available to improve your building’s energy efficiency and productivity, while reducing your operating costs and carbon footprint.  

As the industrial sector continues working toward de-carbonization and beneficial electrification, it is increasingly important to implement strategic approaches to recovering waste heat in the most cost-effective manner. In this session we will explore available waste heat recovery technologies and approaches as well as real world examples of how many industrial facilities are implementing them. 

The goal of this session is to help plant operators and engineers recognize potential opportunities to reduce and recover energy in industrial process operations and facilities. Leveraging case studies and real-world examples, we will cover topics like:

• Understanding why waste heat recovery is critical to your business processes and knowing the difference between quantity and quality. 
• How to identify and quantify heat recovery opportunities.
• When to consider energy recovery strategies versus modifying existing operations. 
• Specific waste heat recovery methods like:  
  • Direct and indirect heat exchange
  • Waste heat to power
  • Mechanical and thermal vapor recompression
  • Closed cycle heat pumps

Compressed air systems: Opportunities for improved efficiency 

Compressed air is a vital component used throughout manufacturing and repair businesses. It is often also the largest motor in the facility, and an area of great opportunity when it comes to reducing electric consumption and expenses. In this session, our expert speaker will explore the opportunities for right sizing and optimizing air compressor performance through pressure, flow, and partial load controls. Some examples include:

• The relationship between critical pressure and operating pressure 
• Partial load control methods for rotary screw air compressors
• An overview of the other factors affecting the compressed air utility

Attendees will also receive a handout to help you identify opportunities in your own system. At the end of the session, you will be able to: 

• Leverage a better understanding of compressed air system dynamics
• Identify compressor control options and their partial load efficiencies
• Understand compressed air dryer partial load control options
• Identify opportunities in your own system 

Strategies to increase cooling tower efficiency  

Knowing how to make your cooling tower as energy efficient as possible can save your facility energy, water, and operating costs. It can also help extend the equipment service life and decrease the amount of chemicals required for water treatment. So, how do you recognize when your cooling tower can be more energy efficient and what the impact could be?

Our expert speaker will highlight the major components of a cooling tower and provide insight on the things that impact system performance and cost of operation. This will include a live demonstration using a cooling tower model to show common efficiency opportunities and their impact. With these examples and real data, the session will illustrate energy efficiency gains possible in cooling towers. 

Attendees will be able to:

• Describe the difference between cooling towers, dry-coolers, and adiabatic coolers
• Identify the potential causes of poor cooling tower performance
• Recognize the potential for poor cooling tower performance to impact other operations
• Understand the impact of different conditions on cooling tower performance through our cooling tower demonstration    

Xcel Energy Empower Intelligence

Empower Intelligence from Xcel Energy offers businesses energy management, data analytics, and reporting services for their electric, natural gas and water usage. Customers can see detailed consumption and demand information on an accessible and user-friendly interface. Reports can be set up so information is emailed to customers and available on a web portal/computer/phone. Real time energy consumption combined with historical records provides the customer with the ultimate in decision making tools when it comes to management of energy use, and associated costs.