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More efficient use of compressed air
June 26, 2002Compressed air is an indispensable source of energy. 60,000 compressed-air systems in Germany consume 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which corresponds to the entire power requirement of the German railroads. Although compressed air is the most expensive source of energy, industry consumes up to 40 percent more than necessary, because many installations are not run at optimum capacity or are in need of repair.
The members of the project partnership directing the "efficient compressed air" campaign are German energy agency dena, the German Engineering Federation VDMA and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI. Speaking at a meeting a few weeks ago, the technical campaign manager at the ISI, Dr. Peter Radgen, summed up the situation: "There is a considerable demand for analytical and consulting services. In particular, we have received many inquiries from customers facing heavy international competition, such as the car industry."
Information on the energy-efficient use of compressed air can be accessed on the Internet at www.druckluft-effizient.de. Companies can sign on there for a free analysis of their compressed-air installations. As Dr. Ernst Rothstein of the VDMA remarked during the meeting: "Measurements taken at one firm's facilities showed that 25 percent of the compressed air was being lost through leaks in the system." And Stephan Kohler, managing director of dena, added: "Making more efficient use of compressed air not only raises the cost efficiency of a company's operations but also helps to reduce air pollution."
By cutting pollution from compressed-air systems, it could be possible to reduce total industrial emissions of CO2 by almost two percent. Through this measure alone, industry could accomplish a significant part of its voluntary commitment according to the Kyoto Protocol - namely to cut annual CO2 emissions by 23 million metric tons by 2010. Over the coming three years, the campaign sponsored by the German ministry of economics and technology, BMWi, hopes to reach even more compressed-air users. Pilot projects are being set up to test new compressed-air technologies and seminars will be held to raise awareness of the significance of compressed air as an economic factor. The offer of a free measurement service for compressed-air installations will run until the end of 2002.
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