The State of Baden-Württemberg recognises a milestone in efficiency checks in the Southern Upper Rhine region: the 1,000th KEFF+ check was carried out at ECHLE.
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Keeping track of energy and resources 1,000 times over
A ‘KEFF1000’ sculpture, crafted from steel offcuts, will in future welcome visitors to Echle Hartstahl GmbH in Wolfach. The sculpture, created especially for this occasion, commemorates a significant milestone: Since 2016, the Resource Efficiency Competence Centre for the Southern Upper Rhine (KEFF+) has carried out around 1,000 efficiency checks and supported companies in further developing their energy and resource use. The state of Baden-Württemberg recognised this commitment by the companies on Wednesday during a ceremony at ECHLE Hartstahl GmbH in Wolfach.
ECHLE Hartstahl GmbH used the efficiency check to put its energy and resource use to the test, explained Managing Director Jochen Echle during the ceremony. Together with the efficiency consultants, areas for improvement were identified and specific recommendations for action were set out in an action plan. Some of these have already been implemented, whilst others are being incorporated into the site’s long-term development. For Echle, the issue has long been more than just a question of energy costs:
“We are increasingly realising that energy is of fundamental importance to the company and that a steady and cheap supply cannot necessarily be taken for granted in the future. Our test runs with the electric excavators have revealed peak loads that are driving up our energy costs even further, on top of the increased base load. We need to manage this more effectively in future and take measures to save costs.”
He also sees room for improvement in terms of heating capacity and strategy, given the system’s historical development. The efficiency audit helped the company to systematically analyse these challenges and prioritise the next steps in its development.
On behalf of all companies that have carried out an efficiency check since 2016, Managing Director Jochen Echle accepted the certificate from the State of Baden-Württemberg from District President Carsten Gabbert. Mr Gabbert sees the efficiency checks as more than just a contribution to energy saving. They support companies in further developing their energy supply in a cost-effective and sustainable manner:
“The experience of recent years shows just how important low-threshold support schemes are for businesses. The transformation of our economy remains a joint task for businesses, regional partners and the State of Baden-Württemberg.”
During a subsequent tour of the production facilities, the guests gained an insight into the measures ECHLE Hartstahl GmbH is taking to continuously improve its energy and resource efficiency. For District Administrator Thorsten Erny, ECHLE thus exemplifies the importance of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises for the Ortenau region as a business hub: “The strength of the Ortenau region also lies in its small and medium-sized enterprises. The fact that so many businesses in the Ortenau and across the entire Southern Upper Rhine region are actively engaged with their energy and resource use demonstrates the innovative spirit of our regional economy. As a district, we are happy to contribute to creating favourable conditions, bringing people together and providing impetus.”
The milestone remains permanently on display on the company’s premises in Wolfach. The ‘KEFF1000’ was created specifically for the anniversary event and combines the material the company works with every day with the shared commitment of many businesses to a sustainable, future-proof economy.
“We work with steel every day – so it quickly became clear to us that the symbol for this milestone should also be made from our own material. The ‘KEFF1000’ stands for what we and many other companies do every day: building on what already exists, using resources wisely and improving step by step. The fact that this symbol will be on display at our site in future makes us feel a little proud.”
Background
The Southern Upper Rhine Resource Efficiency Competence Centre (KEFF+) supports small and medium-sized enterprises with free efficiency audits to help them identify opportunities for a more economical use of energy and materials. The project is implemented by the non-profit association Klimapartner Südbaden e.V., in partnership with the Southern Upper Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and the Regio Freiburg Energy Agency. KEFF+ is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy, as well as the European Union. Since the KEFF project was launched in 2016, a total of 1,000 KEFF and KEFF+ checks have been carried out in the Southern Upper Rhine region.
Images © Peter Herrmann
