Energy audits help businesses control costs and overcome operational challenges

Energy costs directly affect manufacturing costs and competitiveness. An energy audit identifies where energy is used, where it is being wasted and which improvements should be prioritised.

Why start with actual operating data?

Monthly electricity bills alone cannot explain why costs have risen. Businesses need to compare output, operating hours, product mix and equipment condition. This helps distinguish increased production demand from inefficient energy use.

An audit combines document review, system surveys and measurements within an agreed scope. The findings give management a basis for choosing improvements rather than investing on intuition alone.

Systems to review

• Motors, pumps, fans and drive systems.
• Compressed air, refrigeration, air conditioning and ventilation.
• Boilers, steam systems and heat-using processes.
• Lighting, operating schedules and load allocation.
• Metering, maintenance and energy-data management.

Turning audit findings into action

1. Prepare records: energy bills, production output, operating schedules and equipment lists.
2. Identify opportunities: locate losses, underloaded operation or equipment that does not match actual demand.
3. Evaluate options: consider investment costs, potential savings, operating conditions and impacts on production.
4. Assign implementation responsibilities: define owners, schedules and how results will be checked.
5. Monitor improvements: compare energy use under equivalent production conditions.

Improvements may start with operating adjustments and maintenance before equipment replacement or process upgrades are considered. Savings and payback periods depend on the facility and require measured data for evaluation.

Experience shared by ITVC

The original article reported energy-audit and energy-management consulting activities by ITVC Global at companies including PVTEX, Vinapipe, LS, Phuc Son Cement, Dai Viet Beer and Phu Lam Plastics. These experiences highlight the value of combining technical assessment with participation from the operating team.

Local statistics and savings percentages in the older news report reflect the circumstances when they were published. Businesses should assess their own facilities and should not treat those figures as guaranteed savings.