Manufacturers have been urged to embrace energy efficiency methods of production to reduce the cost of doing business and boost productivity.The advice was given by Indian experts who were in the country recently to facilitate at a training workshop on energy efficiency mechanisms. The training was organised by the Rwanda Resource Efficient and Cleaner production centre and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) . It was aimed at helping firms find ways to address the issue of high power consumption in equipment like boilers, pumps, fans, air compressors, furnaces and electrical systems, among others.Taby Joshua Abraham, an energy consultant at the Confederation of Indian Industry in India, said manufacturers could save about $8000 (about Rwf5.5m) in profits annually if they used energy saving appliances and agro-waste fuels such as rice husks and other bio-fuels. “Typically, a plant’s energy cost is about 30-50 per cent of total production expenses. This is too much; it eats into a firms’ profits. That’s why it is essential for industrialists to embrace energy saving systems to reduce this cost,” Abraham told local manufacturers during the training in Kigali.The expert also warned that high electricity tariffs could hinder Rwanda’s industrial growth if the rates are not reviewed.Kannan Muralikrishnan, a senior energy consultant at the Confederation of Indian Industry, pointed out that installing air pre-heaters and reducing fan speed during production could cut energy fees by an average of $4,800 annually.“You need to cut production costs by all means to stay in business and expand. This also calls for use of digital production equipment that is more efficient and consumes less energy,” Muralikrishnan noted.Andre Habimana, the UNIDO Rwanda boss, highlighted the need for more resource efficient and cleaner production means, and plugging of loopholes that cause power leakages.Steven Niyonzima, the national co-ordinator at the Rwanda Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre, urged industrialists to always conduct energy audits periodically to be able to monitor their energy consumption.He said use of appropriate technologies and finding ways of cutting production cost will be crucial to foster Rwanda’s industrial growth.Jean Pierre Bucyana, the Inyange Industry plant maintenance engineer, reiterated the need for companies to train staff so that they understand the importance of producing efficiently and at the lowest cost possible.
