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October 12, 2005
Benchmarking compares a specific plant to its peers or to the industry best practice. Although many companies often think that they are highly energy-efficient, benchmarking provides a tool to test this perception. Benchmarking programs typically result in increased attention to energy-efficiency.
The Benchmarking and Energy-Saving Tool (BEST) uses industry best practice values for each process used at the plant. The plant inputs its actual energy consumption data, and BEST provides comparison with best practices. This method avoids issues associated with proprietary data. BEST begins with an assessment of plant's current situation, and allows companies to select from an extensive menu of energy-efficiency technologies and measures that could be implemented. BEST is process-related and cross-cutting, includes motor systems, boilers, steam distribution, cogeneration, and general measures. For each option, BEST provides the typical energy savings per ton product (iron, steel); the relative cost of implementation (high, medium, low); and other benefits such as reduced emissions, reduced water use, increased productivity, etc. Once options for implementation are selected, BEST calculates potential EEI for the plant. The BEST-Steel program was developed for evaluating the energy efficiency potential of two steel mills in China. BEST was used to set energy efficiency targets as part of negotiated energy efficiency agreements (also called voluntary agreements). This project was funded by Energy Foundation's China Sustainable Energy Program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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