Seminar theme Through extensive participation by product and service suppliers, as well as proponents of energy conservation, a comprehensive programme has been compiled covering the significant energy consuming plant items encountered in mining and industry. Compressed air systems, conveyors, drives, fans, motors, pumps, project funding and much more is included.
The aim is to continuously develop the seminar programme so that a greater portion of mining and industrial electrical consumption is properly considered and addressed. Comprehensive follow-up seminars addressing detailed technical issues, site audits and execution options will be approached with a view to holistically educate and inform delegates in the mining and industrial sector.
The seminars kicked off in October 2008 with the first of them called “10+% payback energy savings”. In 2009, considerable work went into the preparation of the seminars to ensure that delegates got balanced and practical guidelines for finding and evaluating significant energy efficiency and energy saving opportunities in their own plant. 2010’s seminar focus led delegates along the steps towards taking action to realize real energy savings. Funding options for energy savings projects were also considered.
For 2011 the seminar theme was ‘sustainable energy saving in industry and mining’. Topics include holistic energy management, materials handling systems, quantifying energy efficiency savings. Consideration is given to energy saving opportunities with variable speed drives, electric motors, mining and industrial fans, pumps and pumping systems and the processes of crushing, milling and grinding, amongst others.
By 2012 the ‘how to implement’ aspect of each solution will be covered. First steps, implementation time, factors that could affect this, factors that should be considered in selecting a pilot production line or plant area, vendor selection, interruption to the operation and how soon after implementation can savings begin to be realized?
Feedback from delegates showed the way forward for 2013. During this year’s seminar series we will look at the barriers that prevent companies from implementing the energy savings that they know very well by now. A successful Esco will also do a presentation on how to overcome all barriers.
Topics and material are generic and not vendor-specific to ensure that they are universally applicable.
Aim of the seminar Due to the vast energy savings possibilities within the industrial and mining sector, the seminars are intended to secure commitment from this sector to deliver sustainable and significant lowered energy use for the benefit of all. The seminars will specifically aim for delegates to gain knowledge on:
- Where significant energy savings can be found within their organization and processes.
- Why the opportunities exist.
- How to identify and realize these savings.
- Who needs to act to make these savings a reality and sustainable.
- What costs and paybacks are associated with the interventions.
Nature of the seminar The prepared programme provides for a full day of interactive presentations. To enhance the effectiveness of the programme, a small exhibition runs concurrently with the seminar and allows for viewing of relevant products, services and solutions.
The seminar starts at 08h00, with a welcoming address and keynote speaker. Lunch and tea breaks are provided at regular intervals. Presentations are limited to 20 minutes each to allow ample time for questions and discussions to address relevant issues pertaining to delegates’ specific needs. A panel discussion at the end of the programme encourages delegate participation and open debate.
The format of the presentations demonstrates ‘how to save and where to save’. This allows for the greater portion of mining and industrial electrical consumption use, and savings opportunities, to be effectively considered. Since the key objective is to emphasizes the systems approach, the programme does not consist of a series of disjointed product promotions, but is a collection of presentations from different sources which are integrated to form a coherent whole.
Due to the nature of the targeted delegates, presentations have limited technical detail since the focus is to introduce and illustrate key energy savings concepts. A key outcome will be portraying these in financial terms in order to earn the support of top level management. After each presentation, the seminar chairman takes the lead by reviewing how information presented could be applied in the typical mining and industrial environment. The time allocated for questions and discussions is intended to draw examples from the floor, to work through these, to illustrate how savings targets can be achieved, and hopefully, exceeded.
Presentations are brand- and vendor-neutral, and the principles introduced are not brand-specific, but can be applied generically across the board. This will provide a holistic approach to the wider scope of overall optimization of an organization’s energy reduction targets.
The structure of the seminar not only provides a source of education for, and networking with, like-minded individuals, but also allows for one-on-one interaction with speakers, all of whom are experts within their specific field of energy efficiency and energy saving.
Delegates are required to pay to attend. The fee covers administration costs and is less than market rates for events of this type due to sponsorships of the venues.
Attendee profile The seminars are targeted at responsible decision-makers, top-level management and energy professionals* within the mining and wider industrial sectors who wish to:
- Acquire sufficient knowledge to identify and assess energy saving potential within their organizations.
- Learn how to prioritize projects and ensure maximum ROI in energy efficiency projects and energy saving initiatives.
- Be knowledgeable about the variety of aspects that encompass energy efficiency.
- How to access the different incentives and funding schemes available for energy efficiency projects.
*An energy professional is considered to be any person appointed by his/her employer to assume responsibility for managing energy consumption of the employer organisation.
Practical guidelines for achieving significant energy savings will be presented on the following:
- Electric motors.
- Variable speed drives.
- Industrial and mining fans.
- Pumps and pumping systems.
- Compressed air systems and leak detection.
- Energy measuring and monitoring systems.
- Crushing, milling and grinding.
- Optimised voltage control.
- Demand Side Management (DSM) technologies and funding mechanisms.
- Access to Energy Services Companies (ESCOs) to outsource energy efficiency initiatives and register projects for DSM recognition.
- Strategic approach to energy management, and systems or process optimization.
Due to the fact that the seminars are aimed at providing information to persons in top-level management responsible for strategic thinking, allocation of resources and capital expenditure programmes, technical detail is presented. It is considered more important to concentrate on introducing, and illustrating, key energy saving concepts which are then portrayed in financial terms in order to win the understanding, support and long-term commitment from top-level management in an understandable manner.
