Possible Upgrades to Energy Supply as a Business Strategy for Optimising Company YX Operations

In the diploma thesis, the author attempted to present the options available to a manufacturing company for reducing energy costs. For its operations, the company cannot avoid certain costs, such as costs for the operating energy of machines and production processes, for lighting, for heating and cooling of premises, and for the operation of other equipment in the company. The start of implementing the short-term cost reduction plan was moved to 2010, so the thesis was able to present real results as well. The data in the tables show a return on investment by mid-2016, meaning that the ** investment in upgrading the system is more than justified.**

Problem

In the diploma thesis, the author attempted to present the options available to a manufacturing company for reducing energy costs. For its operations, the company cannot avoid certain costs, such as costs for the operating energy of machines and production processes, for lighting, for heating and cooling of premises, and for the operation of other equipment in the company. However, it can reduce energy losses to the environment, seek alternative cheaper energy sources, or find more favourable methods of energy supply.

Very often, together with the transition to alternative and cheaper energy sources, we also manage to simultaneously reduce harmful environmental impacts, which is very positive given the environmental burden. In the short-term cost reduction plan, the focus was primarily on optimisation, which does not represent an excessive financial cost, and the payback period for the investment is economically acceptable. Therefore, there is no investment in equipment for combined heat and power generation; instead, a specialised company is enabled to install the equipment, and then cheaper electrical and thermal energy is purchased, which from an economic standpoint represents a ** cost reduction without one's own investment. ** The investment in the 'energy recovery' system means utilising previously wasted energy and also represents a major step from an environmental protection standpoint; the investment itself pays back in a relatively short time due to very high efficiency.

Results

The start of implementing the short-term cost reduction plan was moved to 2010, so the thesis was able to present real results as well. The data in the tables show a return on investment by mid-2016, meaning that the investment in upgrading the system is more than justified. Regarding the long-term cost reduction plan, due to considerably larger investments in upgrades, ** environmental aspects** must also be taken into account, as reducing harmful environmental impacts is very important for the successful development of the company as well.

Therefore, it is not sufficient to consider only the payback period of financial resources for the profitability of the investment; rather, the reduction of harmful environmental impacts must be taken into account. In the thesis, the author presented the possibility of reducing electricity consumption for cooling and replacing it through the use of solar thermal energy via an ** adsorption heat pump system.** The system consumes practically no chargeable energy for its operation. All the necessary energy for cooling, which is of course free of charge, is drawn from the environment.

The reduction in energy costs is proportionally greatest in the first part of the comparative period, as there were the most deficiencies at the beginning that could be eliminated. Interventions thereafter are increasingly demanding and more expensive. In conclusion, it can be established that in the field of reduction, quite a few improvements can be made that give us good results in a relatively short time; certainly, the fact that in parallel with cost reduction we also ensure a reduction in harmful environmental impacts is not negligible either.

In any case, I recommend to the company management the continuation of the cost reduction policy, as this is a major ** investment in the future**. In future, however, it is advisable to consider additional methods for reducing energy costs.