The guiding principle for the ninth edition is the growing significance of energy management. Emerging energy technologies, rising energy costs and shortages have made yesterday's simplistic energy management approaches inadequate, the authors emphasize. For example, the authors point out that many manufacturing plants do not maintain an electric motor inventory and only examine motors after failure has occurred.
The book's updated approach is intended to help transition management thinking into a more comprehensive systems engineering approach, one encompassing both process and product. "Only when the total picture is viewed will the solution become obvious," the authors contend.
Topics covered include cogeneration, gas-distributed generation technologies, steam system optimization, geothermal heat pumps, electricity purchasing strategies and power quality case studies.
Energy management rewards can be substantial. The book cites a recent survey conducted by the Association of Energy Engineers where 22.2% of members surveyed have reduced accumulated costs by $5 million or more. In addition, 36% of those surveyed indicate further savings amounting to over 10% were possible.
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