Powerhouse Energy Management and Reporting Systems (EMRS) Improve the Mill Bottom Line, 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference

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Pulp and paper powerhouse value is increasing with the evolution of electrical utilities and the Smart Grid. Tradi-tional powerhouses are being upgraded to create new value by exploiting real time pricing (RTP) and time-of-use (TOU) electrical rates. Facilities are currently achieving savings of 2% to 10% of overall mill energy costs through the implementation of advanced Energy Management and Reporting Systems (EMRS). Achieving those savings requires altering operating procedures to proactively manage the balance between profit and performance. Equip-ment and control system upgrades are minimal with the primary objective being to correct deferred maintenance items and improve equipment agility and reliability. A new class of intelligent, closed loop controls allows the pow-erhouse to dynamically respond to changing mill loads, electrical rates and fuel costs; and exploit the spark spread for bottom line savings. However, optimized economics are not the only benefits provided by an EMRS. Advanced controls reduce operator error and variability in individual operating styles, and savings are also realized mill wide due to improved uptime and availability for critical assets within the powerhouse. Fewer unscheduled outages in the steam plant equate to mill production improvements by reducing downtime, production rate slow down, and off quality product.