In 2016, Acron Group invested RUB 668 million in improving the energy efficiency of its facilities. The Group’s facilities regularly test energy-consuming equipment in order to plan energy consumption efficiently. Additionally, changes in consumption of key energy resources are analysed on a regular basis and steps are taken to optimise resource use.
Ammonia-4, the most powerful and efficient unit compared to all currently operating peer units, was put on stream at Acron’s site in Veliky Novgorod in 2016. The design gas consumption rate is 938 m3/t, and the energy consumption is 7.7 Gcal per tonne of ammonia, which is 11% less than at other operating units. The efficiency of the new unit will help reduce natural gas costs significantly.
Acron (Veliky Novgorod) also completed a large-scale overhaul of the main step-down substation to leverage electrical power generated by the turbo generator at Ammonia-4 and provide a more sustainable energy supply for all of Acron’s major processes. In-house energy generation will save Acron up to RUB 120 million annually. The Company also reduced consumption of thermal energy, delivering savings of RUB 92 million through energy conservation measures.
Dorogobuzh (Smolensk region) launched its own turbine generating plant with aggregate capacity of 11 MW. The new plant will supply one-third of the electrical power consumed by the facility. Additionally, Dorogobuzh completed reconstruction of the Kislotnaya power substation, replacing the low-oil-content circuit breakers with vacuum circuit breakers and relay devices with microprocessors equipped with oscilloscopes. These upgrades improve the sustainability of power supply, provide accurate information about power distribution device status and reduce operating costs.
This year, Acron plans to continue implementing measures aimed at conserving all types of resources, maximising use of in-house sources of thermal energy, reducing consumption of thermal energy overall and using secondary energy resources.