The Team can now investigate which options are technically, economically and environmentally feasible. How this is done is described below. You can use Worksheet 16 to write down the results.
First of all, you must decide what tasks should be done for each option, i.e. what do you need to find out to know if an option is feasible? This should include (see Feasibility analysis tools for more details and examples):
- Technical feasibility: need for new equipment, space availability, impact on product quality, staff time required
- Economic feasibility: one-off investment costs, annual operating/ongoing costs, annual cost savings, payback period
- Environmental feasibility: impact on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but also look at water use, raw material use, solid waste, wastewater, other air emissions, noise, odours and dust.
Second, you need to identify other possible reasons for implementing the option. For example, if company emission levels are higher than legal limits then this may be a reason to implement an option even if the option is expensive.
Third, you need to think of possible barriers to implementing the option. For example, an option may have large savings and a short payback period, but investment capital is not available in the company. Lack of monitoring equipment may make monitoring of results difficult. Try to think of possible solutions too!
Also consider comments from top management on the reasons for energy efficiency, the current energy management practices and other factors of influence on improving energy efficiency (see Worksheet 1, 2 and 3). More examples of other reasons and barriers are under Feasibility analysis tools and in Company examples.
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