Aussie industry takes the lead in energy

BJ Ball is in the process of setting up the first structured environmental group with a focus on the printing industry. The strategic goal of the new group – called E3 – is to reduce their customers’ CO2 emitting energy consumption by 50% over the next few years.

The term E3 reflects a ‘triple E’ management approach: energy, efficiency and environment. A focus on energy efficiency will reduce the industry’s impact on the environment. While many firms aim to become more environmentally focused, the E3 strategy is based on the knowledge that by achieving energy efficiency, the impact on the environment is an obvious positive consequence. The work stems from some early business strategy concepts put forward by people such as Michael Porter from Harvard and Joseph Huber from Munich University.

The target is an audacious one. It is based on a number of innovative technologies and initiatives that are in place in other industry sectors and other technologies in early develop­ment. The reality is that energy efficiency is yet to be a fully explored area in business.

There are two key things driving companies to reduce energy use. One is the extreme cost increases over the past few years, which have seen electricity prices increase by as much as 90% in many parts of the nation. The second driver is the positive impact that reduced energy consumption and the shift to renewable energy will have on the environment.

BJ Ball is in the process of structuring a partnership with Power Perfector. Over the past five years, Power Perfector has introduced dynamic voltage power optimisation into Australia. This DVPO technology can reduce the incoming voltage from the power grid to a business site by as much as 15%. The technology has been used in other countries with tremendous success. For example, the UK printing industry is significantly populated with Power Perfector units, saving between 10% and 15% of the energy costs, and significantly reducing the CO2 emissions from the industry sector.

In Australia, just like in the UK, the incoming voltage to a business site can be much higher than the level actually required to run the plant and equipment. As a result, the additional voltage supplied is wasted, but still charged to the business. A Power Perfector unit not only reduces the incoming voltage but also in effect cleans the energy profile to reduce harmonics and spikes and, therefore, improves the running efficiency of a wide range of electrical appliances such as printing machines, bindery, pre-press and lighting.

This technology could help BJ Ball achieve 30% of its target. I have joined with David Chatillon and Tony Bertrand to head up the E3 project, under the guidance of BJ Ball chief executive Craig Brown. Over the past few weeks, the E3 group has started a number of development projects in new technology areas that will make a transformational change to the way energy is applied to the print sector.

The technologies, such as the Power Perfector installations, are independent of each other, but collectively build towards the 50% reduction target, while maintaining or increasing the production potential of the customer.

The long-term target of a 50% reduction is in line with the Australian national target to reduce our total reliance on CO2-based energy by 80% by 2050. If the BJ Ball E3 strategy plays out well, it will put many firms in the print sector well ahead of companies in many other industry sectors.

Phillip is a PhD scholar, consultant and speaker who specialises in print and the environment. He was employed by BJ Ball to consult on this project

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