Ten Tips to Help You Trim Your Energy Bills

John Lawn

By John Lawn

It's a safe bet the energy efficiency of your kitchen and servery is nowhere near the top of the list in terms of your most pressing concerns. Nevertheless, in today's "cost-cutting" environment, utility costs remain an area where a little attention can often go a long way.

This is particularly true in organizations where foodservice directors now share more of the overhead burden of a facility, or where directors have taken on responsibility for other departments. Being able to make constructive, money-saving suggestions about overall operations emphasizes your ability to contribute to the team effort, and can help take the attention off other cost-cutting targets in your department.

The fact is, utility costs are an area that haven't received the attention in recent years that they had back in the early 1980s, when energy was on everyone's mind. In a typical restaurant, they represent only two to seven percent of the cost of doing business, and much more attention goes to labor and food costs, which often run 30 to 40 percent each.

On the other hand, as savings in this area accrue every day over the course of a year, they can really add up.

No article will make you an energy expert overnight, but you can learn to understand the major energy wasters in a typical foodservice environment.

Start by paying close attention to when equipment is turned on and off. Significant savings can often be had by identifying startup and shutdown times, managing "warmup" periods and by keeping grills, fryers and other equipment clean and well-maintained.

The 10 tips at the end of this article will give you several other areas where you can look for immediate energy savings. Often, the biggest causes of energy waste can be addressed by low or no-cost operational changes that don't require major investments.

If you want to go beyond the basics, you'll probably need to have a consultant help you perform a wide-ranging-energy audit of your facility. Such help is often available from local utility companies.

Bring in the energy auditors

An audit will include an examination of your energy bills, with a particular look at how different forms of energy are used and charged for. This is also a good idea if you're planning to replace equipment in a renovation.

Energy costs vary regionally and by type, sometimes creating large operating cost differences between using electricity or gas for the same purpose. For some tasks, like water heating, gas is almost always the less expensive fuel. For others, electricity's versatility is unbeatable.

Knowing how electricity is charged for is also important. There can be time of day rate differences, so-called "demand charges" and other rate variables that significantly affect the overall bill. Demand charges in particular can complicate the accuracy of "estimated" costs of operation for electrical equipment. Strategies in this area almost always will be organization-wide and will involve load-shedding energy management controls, building HVAC systems, etc.

Particularly when it comes to kitchen equipment, energy is important but it is never the only issue. First cost is also important and must be balanced against longer term operating costs.

Learn how payback periods are calculated. Simply put, it's not smart to save $50-100 dollars on a fryer if the cost of operating a more efficient unit will pay back the initial price difference in six months. As a general rule, longer paybacks can be justified for equipment that will remain in place for longer periods of time.

At the same time, recognize that "energy efficiency" is often touted the same way "light" foods are, with the hype sometimes exceeding the actual savings. And for most operators, production reliability will always be more important than efficiency.

Some equipment with the highest efficiency ratings may have unacceptable recovery times, letting you down during peak periods. Define kitchen production needs first and then establish levels of efficiency that are appropriate.

Efficiency isn't the only issue
Payback must be evaluated in light of actual usage. It often pays to keep older, less efficient equipment available for periods of peak demand or backup purposes. An inefficient fryer that's used for only an hour or two a week is probably not worth replacing.

Versatility of equipment also affects the energy equation. Some newer equipment is able to combine multiple use and high efficiency.

A combi-oven, for example, in one footprint can provide the advantages of a steamer, an oven and a combination steamer-oven. This can give you more room for an expanded pantry area or another piece of equipment. Electric appliances tend to be more flexible in the way they can be placed. Consider such advantages when making purchase decisions.

Finally, it's a good rule to be cautious about implementing energysaving techniques when they may compromise systems that are used to preserve food or will seriously affect customer comfort.

For example, letting a cooler's inside temperature fluctuate outside of the preferred range shortens product shelf life, increases waste and can encourage food spoilage. At the same time, an energy audit is the perfect time to make sure that temperatures are being maintained in the right range.

Often, procedures for saving energy (like installing cooler door thermal curtains, or emphasizing that frozen and cooled items should be put away immediately after delivery) both save energy and help maintain cooler temperatures.

Significant energy savings often come from low or no-cost changes in everyday operations. Here are some opportunities to look for:

To read two editorials on the subject of today's energy situation, click here:

The Facts of Energy Life
Let the True Cost of Energy Drive Strategy