Performance Management Systems Improve Energy Efficiency at Kodak

As new environmental regulations impose numerous constraints on companies and significant implications for their financial health, Martin Jetté of OSIsoft Canada writes in Plant Engineering that its time for companies to collect and analyze data in order to measure efficient energy management.

He cites the success at Kodak, which launched an energy initiative two years ago to improve demand-side management to reduce production costs and optimize generation assets at its manufacturing site in Rochester, N.Y.

Kodak used OSIsoft’s PI performance management infrastructure to collect, unify, archive and process data.

Overall, Kodak saved millions of dollars and saw a return on investment in two years.

According to Jetté, other key factors for the success of energy management projects includes:
– having the full support and cooperation of senior management
– appointing a person directly responsible for energy management
– maintaining good relationships with technology suppliers
– placing value on energy management alongside production and quality
– having a corporate culture that promotes continuous improvement
– establishing simple, achievable goals
– having a long-term vision with returns on investment of from two to five years

Earlier this year, Kodak reported on the progress it has made on its sustainability goals. Since 2002, the company has reduced its GHG emissions by 28 percent, and total energy use by 30 percent. The company is also helping the film industry “green” up the business. Six years ago, the company teamed up with Dolby to inaugurate a new process for adding soundtracks to film that discontinues the use of dangerous toxins.