TEXTILES SECTOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMME
Energy is vital to the textiles care industry. Electricity, gas, and sometimes coal, are used to drive
energy intensive processes like washing, drying, pressing and hand finishing.
It is estimated that energy is between 10% and 30% of a textiles care business’ overheads. Any
improvements in the efficiency of use of energy in the sector will deliver financial savings as well as
environmental improvement.
The Textiles Sector Energy Efficiency Programme has been set up as a partnership between the
Textile Care Federation, Textiles NZ and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
The programme was started in 2010 to provide practical advice and resources that help textiles care
companies to work on energy efficiency.
ENERGY MONITORING
An important first step in improving energy efficiency is to monitor energy use. Simply recording
energy consumed against production levels is a great place to start.
The Textiles Sector Energy Efficiency Programme has developed an easy to use energy monitoring
tool that enables textiles care companies to monitor monthly data on energy and production.
[DOWNLOAD ENERGY MONITORING TOOL]
SITE ASSESSMENTS
The programme is offering practical onsite assessments of your energy use that will identify real
opportunities to save energy and reduce energy bills.
Each assessment is conducted by an expert engineer who quantifies energy efficiency opportunities
for the site.
A report is produced setting out all possible opportunities, and an action plan is developed to allow
companies to prioritise changes.
Companies are guided right the way through the process by a Textiles NZ coordinator.
Assessments of textiles care companies under this programme have so far identified, on average,
annual savings of close to 20% for each site. Some results are shown below:
Textile
care
business
Annual
energy
spend
Annual
energy
savings
identified
Savings as
% of
energy
spend
1
$55,982
$13,359
23.9%
$838
$5,758
2.82
2
$48,970
$12,881
26.3%
$960
$4,947
2.64
3
$54,211
$9,334
17.2%
$412
$2,646
2.29
4
$101,138
$6,802
6.7%
$600
$6,802
2.35
$260,301
$42,376
18.5% (avg)
$2,810
$20,153
2.53
TOTAL
Annual Annual savings
savings with that payback in
zero cost to
less than 12
implement
months
Energy
use index
(kWh/kg)
With funding from EECA, the Textiles Care Federation is offering companies a heavily subsidised
energy assessment package that will help reduce energy bills.
For more details please contact Simon Wilkinson, Textiles Energy Efficiency Programme Coordinator,
on 021 944992.
RESOURCES
Quickstart Energy Efficiency Guidebook (Coming soon)
Textiles Energy Efficiency Guidance Note 01 - Compressed Air [Download PDF]
Compressed air systems are usually only between 10% - 15% efficient. As a rule of thumb, for every
one unit of compressed work output, eight units of energy input are required at the air compressor.
As a result, it is important to design and install the system correctly from the outset. Given the
inefficient way these systems use energy, small reductions in compressed air use can often result in
large energy savings. This best practice guidance note provides some simple tips and real-world
examples of how to design and use compressed air systems more efficiently within textiles plants.
Textiles Energy Efficiency Guidance Note 02 – Efficient Thermal Systems [Download PDF]
The energy and maintenance cost of a boiler over its life often far exceeds the upfront capital cost. It
is therefore important to design and install the system correctly from the outset. Given the large
amount of energy these systems use, small improvements in energy efficiency can often result in
large energy savings. This best practice guidance note provides some simple tips and real-world
examples of how to design and use thermal systems more efficiently in a textiles plant.
COMPANIES SAVE MORE THAN 20% ON ENERGY BILLS – NZ article from The Australian National
Drycleaner & Launderer, July August September 2011 [Download PDF]
TCF 2010 conference presentation on energy efficiency [Download PDF]
LINKS
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
http://www.eecabusiness.govt.nz/
EECA Textiles Care Case Studies
Canterbury Laundry Service replaced two steam powered dryers with LPG direct fired dryers and cut
its annual energy costs by $46,000.
http://www.eeca.govt.nz/resource/canterbury-laundry-service-replaces-steam-powered-dryersand-saves
Southern Lakes Laundries has installed a high-efficiency heat exchange unit for their main industrial
washing machine that is delivery savings of up to $45,000 a year.
http://www.eeca.govt.nz/resource/southern-lakes-laundries-heat-exchange-unit-delivers-savings
After a half-day visit from an energy engineer to test and re-tune the burners on its boilers, Taylors
Laundry Christchurch has found itself using 21,643 fewer litres of Light Fuel Oil (LFO) and saving
$17,532 annually.
http://www.eeca.govt.nz/resource/laundry-finds-over-17000-saving-simple-boiler-tune