The initial driver for the creation of this Focus Group came from participants of the 2010 inaugural EMANZ conference. It was observed that the focus of the event and indeed of the majority of attendees was on energy auditing and the commercial buildings sector.  EMANZ was keen to ensure that industrial energy users were represented in its membership (as there were a number from industry present at the event) but also to ensure that EMANZ was well positioned to cover energy issues of interest to industrial users.

In 2007, industry used the largest share of energy (31 per cent) in New Zealand, followed by the residential sector (13 per cent), transport industry (10 per cent), commercial sector (9 per cent), and agricultural sector (4 per cent). Thirty-three per cent of energy demand was ‘unallocated’.  The ‘Industrial’ sector is defined as including primary industry not accounted for in the other sectors for example,  food processing; textiles; wood, pulp, paper, and printing; chemicals; non-metallic minerals; basic metals; mechanical/electrical equipment; and building and construction.

It is recognised that while improvements in efficiency are being made there is still significant scope for energy use savings and improvements in energy management in the New Zealand industry sector.  Understanding how energy is used (or indeed misused) in the sector is the first step in making improvements, understanding alternatives (in terms of management and technologies) and in the most basic terms, securing the easy win savings.

IEU Focus Group Aims

The overall aim’s behind setting up the EMANZ Industrial Energy Users Focus Group are as follows:

• To provide ‘energy managers in industry’ a forum to interact with their peers;
• To facilitate networking;
• To create opportunities to learn from each other;
• To interact with other energy professionals;
• To facilitate relevant discussions / presentations and guest sessions on a regular basis and to ensure that industrial energy use issues are represented in a session at the next EMANZ Conference.  This aim is quite important.  The focus of the sessions would be the energy user).

Secondary aims are also noted as:

• Seek out new members for EMANZ and to broaden its energy appeal and coverage of issues.
• Ensure that as an Association, EMANZ has more clout by adding this industrial base to it membership
• Creation of an ‘alternative’ industry voice
• Develop new networking/new business opportunities for energy efficiency consultants/auditors / cross fertilization of ideas amongst EMANZ other Focus Groups.

Membership of the IEU Focus Group Committee

Members Only Area

EMANZ Members can access more details on the activities of the Group in the Member's Only Area.