Simplot's Don Plant working to save energy

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Story Published: Nov 6, 2009 at 5:44 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 6, 2009 at 6:39 PM MST

By Wes Horrocks

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POCATELLO - A Department of Energy grant is helping J.R. Simplot Co. to become more energy efficient.

The company goal is to reduce energy intensity by 25% in 10 years.

They've already cut 7% at several facilities, and this grant will help them do even more.

Simplot is one of the largest electricity consumers in the state.

Reducing that means saving money. Kirk Adkins, Environmental Manager at the Don Plant said, "We've reduced our energy intensity at the facility. We've also substantially reduced the need for water as a natural resource at the facility."

They've done that at the Don Plant by converting some areas to energy efficient lights, using a steam turbine to generate their own power, installing variable speed motors, and reusing water so that they don't have to pump as much out of the ground. Adkins said, "Less water means less horsepower, which means less energy."

Altogether about 175,000 million BTU's of energy actually.

That's about the same amount of energy required to heat a 1,000 sq. foot room for 6 million hours.

And the extra $140,000 from the DOE means more can be done.

Just installing new equipment is only half of the project.

Simplot also wants employees to be more energy conscious by turning things off, or finding ways they can recycle materials that normally would just go down the drain. Paul Malek, Don Plant Area Maintenance Manager said, "We've trained a number of people in pump systems, in fan systems, in compressor systems."

And by working together they can generate more cost saving ideas.

On Friday afternoon one person suggested putting a steam generator into a steam system. Malek said, "Now the cost is high, but if we can reduce by several hundred thousand the amount of BTU's that we use in the plant, (the savings) can offset that cost."

And saving energy now means more resources will be available for use in the future. "We feel like we're making a difference in Idaho and the nation," said Malek.

Pocatello isn't the only facility trying to save.

In Aberdeen, they're using bio-gas from food processing to heat the boilers.

And company-wide 250 employees have had Department of Energy standard training in steam, pumping, compressed air, or motor efficiency.

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