Injection molding plant in North Carolina on Duke Energy's Schedule LGS-TOU. They run 24/7 but could potentially shift some production to off-peak hours. Current on-peak demand is 3,200 kW, off-peak around 1,800 kW. The rate differential is substantial. How do other manufacturers approach production scheduling for TOU optimization?
Plastics manufacturer time-of-use optimization
James, it really depends on the process flexibility. Injection molding can sometimes shift runs to off-peak, especially for inventory products vs just-in-time orders. The key is understanding which processes are truly flexible vs time-critical. We helped a similar plant save $85K annually by moving 30% of production to off-peak hours.
Lester, that's encouraging. This plant does have some inventory flexibility - they could potentially run larger batches during off-peak and store finished goods. The challenge is coordination with shipping schedules and raw material deliveries. Might be worth a detailed production analysis.
Don't forget about demand charges too. Even if you shift energy to off-peak, you still need to manage overall facility demand. Lighting, HVAC, and auxiliary equipment all contribute. Sometimes demand management gives better ROI than time-shifting production.