Volatile energy prices, the expectation to turn a profit, the desire for a sustainable production and increasing environmental regulations. Many business owners face all of these challenges every day. When it comes to compressing air, however, there is a solution: Reducing your air compressor energy consumption by switching to a more efficient model.
At first glance, that might seem counterintuitive. How can spending more money be economical? Or how does adding more equipment help the environment? However, replacing an old model with a new one can make a major difference. By lowering your air compressor energy consumption you can address all of these challenges.
The reason is that compressors are like no other capital goods. Here, the initial investment constitutes a very small slice of their total cost of ownership. Over the air compressor's lifetime, you will spend the bulk (80%) of your money on energy.
That is why replacing an older, inefficient machine with a new one will pay off rapidly. This is especially the case during times of high energy prices or looming supply bottlenecks.
A simple calculation
Let’s say that you’ll spend €100,000 over the lifetime of a standard compressor. Only €10,000 of that total will go toward purchasing the machine. The same amount is spent on maintaining it, and the rest is taken up by the air compressor energy consumption.
It’s easy to see where your greatest savings potential is in that scenario.
However, if you increase the initial investment and purchase a highly efficient compressor, you can realize massive energy savings. For example, the GA VSDS from Atlas Copco, the world’s most efficient compressor, allows you to lower your energy consumption by up to 60% compared to conventional fixed-speed compressors.
That generates savings and makes your operation less vulnerable to fluctuating and high energy prices.
A greener production thanks to lower air compressor energy consumption
That takes care of the financial side of things. But switching to a new compressor has benefits that go beyond money. This is especially true at a time in which sustainability is becoming a priority for more and more businesses.
The reduced air compressor energy consumption doesn’t just translate into lower expenses but can also minimize a company’s emissions. This is particularly true in the area of compressing air, which is responsible for 10% of the global power use.
More efficient compressors can make a major difference in this regard. Just imagine what would happen if every business were to replace its old machines with more efficient models.
Making the switch will also allow you to meet more stringent environmental standards in the future.
An additional benefit is that your consumers now expect a more sustainable production. With efficient compressors, you can let them know that you are doing your part to protect our shared environment.
