Case studies
Industrial sector case studies
As part of its program to promote energy efficiency, the Department has provided financial and professional support to demonstration projects, particularly in the industrial sector. Carried out in collaboration with various partners to demonstrate the features and benefits of new technologies, new approaches or new applications, these projects have promising energy efficiency potential and are readily reproduced.
The following projects were implemented by Quebec industries :
Compressed air systems - Producing quality aluminum using less energy (PDF | 263 ko)
Alcoa Canada’s Deschambault aluminum smelter cut back its energy consumption by 22.6 GW/h by reducing compressed air loss by means of simple measures. These were the result of a diagnosis made possible through a pilot project financed in part by the Department.
Cast aluminum with low resistivity and adjustment of cathode sealing parameters (PDF | 393 ko)
This project was carried out by the Alouette Aluminum Smelter in Sept-Îles. It demonstrated that chemical treatment of cathode bars reduced to 0% the air space ratio that results from the reaction between oxidation and the carbon in the cast aluminum. Untreated bars had an air space ratio of 3.5%, which limited transmission of current.
Analysis of value and energy efficiency (PDF | 321 ko)
The Baie Comeau Alcoa Smelter mandated a firm of engineering consultants to identify, from a technical standpoint and also in terms of value management principles, concrete measures that could improve energy efficiency in the smelter.
Top of page
