ABSTRACT
Measuring energy efficiency sounds easy, but there are a large number of details to be considered when calculating plant and furnace performance. This chapter discusses the general topic of data collection, and defines the terms power and energy. It describes the energy types of electricity and fuels, including information on meters and heat content to use it to find the proper Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the plant and process. Plant level is a minimum to measure progress, but most projects are identified and tracked at the furnace or process level. The chapter uses the concept of load factor to explain how to handle peak demand. Theoretical energy requirement is the amount of energy required to perform the required work in a perfect world. Energy intensity (also called specific energy) is the ratio of the energy used during a heating operation to the product mass that absorbs the energy.
