Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Shanghai, Hongbo Qin; & McKane, Aimee. (2008). Improving Energy Efficiency of Compressed Air System Based on System Audit. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Retrieved from: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/13w7f2fc

Industrial electric motor systems consume more than 600 billion kWh annually, accounting for more than 50 percent of China s electricity use. The International Energy Agency estimates that optimizing motor systems results in an improvement of 20-25 percent, which is well-supported by experience in both the U.S. and China. Compressed air systems in China use 9.4 percent of all electricity. Compressed air use in China is growing rapidly, as new industrial plants are built and the production processes of existing plants expand and change. Most of these systems, whether existing or new, are not optimized for energy efficiency. This paper will present a practitioner's perspective on the emergence of compressed air auditing services in China, specifically as it pertains to Shanghai and surrounding areas. Both the methodology used and the market development of these compressed air system services will be addressed. Finally, the potential for energy saving opportunities will be described based on highlights from over 50 compressed air system energy audits completed by Shanghai Energy Conservation Service Center, both during the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) China Motor System Energy Conservation Program, and after this training program was completed.