The Australian operating arm of Fuchs Lubricants has been awarded $49,000 to update its facility. The funding was received via the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) initiative and will allow the lubricant maker to fit a cutting-edge heat pump to support its pre-heating oil processes.
Once deployed and in use, the pump could potentially cut gas usage on side by as much as 25 percent to unlock gas savings of around 2.4 Terajoules a year. Cost-wise, this could save Fuchs approximately $125,000 annually.
A leading lubrication solution supplier, Fuchs develops and produces a wide range of products from chain oil and silicon grease to coolant and gear oil. The lubricant maker expects to payback the heat pump investment in under two years.
The investment process also identified new ways for Fuchs to enhance energy efficiency via waste heat recovery, reducing required temperatures for blending processes, optimising use pf excess heat generated by boilers and decreasing gas usage.
The Fuchs facility is among 36 sites that participated in the “Large Energy User Electrification Support Programme” that was set up to pay for feasibility assessments for enterprises with high levels of energy use. The feasibility assessments supply business cases focused on upgrades in energy efficiency via the VEU initiative like updating furnaces, dryers, hot water boilers and ovens, which helps firms save money and reduce energy costs.
Fuchs can also receive a $45,000 discount via the VEU programme to support the new heat pump installation. Operating since 2009, the initiative has aided over 17,000 enterprises to date.
