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Smaller-Sized PLCs
News Release from: Mitsubishi Electric Automation Systems
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 10 October 2005
Centre to focus on energy efficiency
A one-stop advise and support operation called the Energy Centre has been established by control systems specialist Mitsubishi Electric and a number of partner companies.
Businesses are having to look at their energy efficiency in a way unthought of only 10 or 20 years ago National and international laws and obligations are coming into force, and carrot-and-stick fiscal and support measures are developing alongside new expectation from consumers and clients
Engineers could easily drown beneath these waves of new requirements, so a one-stop advise and support operation called the Energy Centre has been established by control systems specialist Mitsubishi Electric and a number of partner companies, each expert in a particular aspect of energy or technology.
For instance, the impact of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions are serious issues in boardrooms across the country.
Few company directors have sufficient specialist knowledge of such issues, so will look for external assistance.
Most consultants have a narrow focus so cannot help with broad-ranging strategy development, whereas the Energy Centre's "big picture" approach allows all aspects of the energy equation to be weighed and prioritised.
"Carbon management is a strategic as well as an operational issue", says Alistair Norman of the Energy Centre.
"In the not too distant future it will impact relationships with customers, shareholders and the community".
"If managed effectively, organisations will be able to decrease their carbon emissions whilst increasing shareholder value".
"But a cavalier approach will lead to more and more difficulties".
The UK Government has set a series for goals for carbon dioxide reduction: a 20% cut on1990 levels by 2010; a 60% cut by 2050, and milestone progress by 2020.
"Several initiatives have already been developed to encourage a greater awareness of energy issues, with more expected in coming years".
"Keeping up with these will be a major task", says Norman.
The UK Climate Change Programme, for instance, combines both regulatory and obligation based measures to reduce carbon emissions through a combination of energy efficiency in the short term and renewables in the long term.
The Climate Change Levy (CCL) was set up to encourage industry to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases through a price based signal on energy usage.
The CCL came into effect on 1st April 2001 and applies to energy used in the nondomestic sector (industry, commerce, and the public sector).
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was developed as the world's first bid-in economy-wide greenhouse gas emission trading scheme and helped UK organisations gain experience at trading prior to the introduction of the EU ETS.
Many companies have already voluntarily taken on a legally binding obligation to reduce their emissions against 1998-2000 levels, delivering over 4 million tonnes of additional CO2 equivalent emission reductions in 2006.
The scheme is also open to the 6000 companies with climate change agreements, who can use it either to buy allowances to meet their targets, or to sell any over-achievement of their targets.
One of the great difficulties relating to carbon reduction is that the problem is a global one - everyone shares the same atmosphere, but some countries do not appear to be addressing the issues with as much urgency as others.
This leads to a suggestion of reduced competitiveness in world markets for manufacturers operating in regions with a progressive environmental approach.
However it seems likely that most countries will adopt similar climate change measures in the end, so experience in such regimes should then become a competitive advantage. Request free introductory details about products from Mitsubishi Electric Automation Systems ...
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