This article originally appeared in the July/August 2013 issue of Food Manufacturing.
The Food Manufacturing Brainstorm features industry experts sharing their perspectives on issues critical to the overall food industry marketplace. In this issue, we ask: What steps can food manufacturers take to reduce energy costs?
Food manufacturers, along with other industrial facilities, should consider these three simple ways to reduce their energy costs:
1. Competitively Bid Out for Lower Rates. If you are in a de-regulated state that allows for competitive energy shopping, history shows that choosing a supplier other than your utility will save you significant dollars on your electricity and natural gas bills. Energy consulting firm, BidURenergy (BUE), works with thousands of industrial customers and will bid your accounts out to only the most reputable and competitive suppliers through its blind auction platform, PowerPit. Clients can save up to 15 to 20 percent on their energy bills.
2. Demand response programs. These programs pay businesses big dollars for reducing their electricity during periods of electric grid stress (blackouts, brownouts, etc). The PowerPay! demand response program is available in all de-regulated states.
3. Have your energy bills audited. It is not uncommon to discover errors or overcharges on a utility bill in the course of a free energy bill audit. An audit looks at years of billing history and recovers any money a business has overpaid.
