Decarbonising compressed air
What happened
Process Online published a practical guide showing compressed-air inefficiencies are often the cheapest near-term decarbonisation and O&M target. The piece lays out common failure modes (leaks, pressure creep, part-load inefficiency) and claims many sites can cut compressed-air energy use by a substantial fraction inside a year with modest spend. Operationally, the article gives concrete levers (leak surveys, pressure band tuning, right-sizing compressors) to scope vendor work and what to watch next is whether suppliers can commit to scoped spare kits and firm service windows
Why the category manager should care
Treat compressed-air optimisation as a category-capable program: scope leak surveys and consumable spare kits into tenders so supplier responsibility and lead‑times are clear
Key facts
- Potential 25–40% compressed-air energy reduction inside 12 months with modest capital
- Compressed air often accounts for ~10% of general plant electricity and more on air‑intensive
- Primary levers: leak repair, pressure-band correction, right-sizing for part-load