March 2020

40 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk March 2020 Energy, the Environment & Water Focus on: HVAC T he rising cost of energy across the UK is putting companies under creasing financial pressure. As overheads and potential profit margins shrink, and with the cost of a permanent solution to alleviate concerns often proving too prohibitive, these organisations can find themselves in an unenviable and worsening situation. Energy bills are an on-going concern for plant owners and operations, constituting 20 to 25% of facility’s overall budget. When considered alongside the fact that energy costs have risen by 37% on average in manufacturing alone, it is understandable that many are looking to actively confront this issue. However, between capex constraints and the state of the UK’s ageing asset base, adopting a permanent solution that would ease concerns is becoming increasingly difficult. Reduced costs are clearly a priority, and more and more companies are taking initial steps to enact change. Yet while these steps are welcome and make a difference, more sweeping changes are required if the situation is to change. With the UK participating in a highly competitive worldwide market, it is clear that such decisive action is required if we are to level the playing field with our global competitors. However, though this aim is laudable, it is possible that the national grid will not be able to maintain the energy supply that UK businesses require. This shortfall can stunt growth and competitiveness, further reinforcing the current disadvantage at which UK businesses find themselves. In fact, there is even a risk that this situation will only get worse as the grid continues to age. Reducing overreliance Decentralised energy solutions offer a way to remedy these growing concerns. By adopting such a solution, industry can reduce its current overreliance on the national grid and pave the way for a future where the majority of electricity is generated on-site. This attractive option is becoming increasingly popular to business, with a 2019 survey from Aggreko finding that a 49% of companies citing lower energy costs as the main reason behind adopting a decentralised energy solution. Because of this, a growing number of Craig Akers, sector team leader for manufacturing at Aggreko, explores the benefits of temporary combined heat and power (CHP) solutions, and how by mitigating the impact of these rising costs, they can make UK companies more competitive worldwide. Bridging the gap with combined heat and power