Lower Heavy Manufacturing Energy Costs in Elk Grove Village

Elk Grove Village's industrial park, spanning 3,600+ acres with over 3,700 businesses and 100,000+ employees, represents the nation's largest contiguous industrial development. This concentration of manufacturing operations—from plastics and metal fabrication to electronics and food processing—creates unique energy management challenges and opportunities. Manufacturing energy rates 60007 directly impact competitiveness for facilities ranging from 50,000 to 1,000,000+ square feet operating around the clock.

This comprehensive guide addresses energy optimization for Elk Grove Village industrial power needs, exploring strategies for the nation's largest industrial park energy management, managing 24/7 shift production loads, optimizing HVAC and lighting for large footprints, and why EGV manufacturers need private energy procurement. We'll demonstrate how facilities consistently achieve 20-30% energy cost reductions through systematic management.

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Sources:

• Elk Grove Village Economic Development
• ComEd Large Business Programs
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - ENERGY STAR for Manufacturing

Energy Strategy for the Nation's Largest Industrial Park

Elk Grove Village's industrial park scale creates both challenges and advantages for energy management. Understanding how to leverage the park's unique characteristics enables manufacturers to optimize energy procurement, operations, and capital investments more effectively than isolated facilities.

Industrial Park Energy Infrastructure

ComEd Infrastructure Investment: The concentration of industrial load in Elk Grove Village has driven substantial ComEd infrastructure investment:

• Multiple 138kV transmission lines serving the industrial park
• Dedicated industrial substations with capacity exceeding 500 MW
• Redundant distribution circuits minimizing outage duration
• Smart grid technology deployment prioritizing industrial customers
• Underground distribution in newer developments, overhead in established areas

This infrastructure density provides Elk Grove manufacturers with several advantages:

• Reliability: Industrial park SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) averages <3 hours annually vs. 4-6 hours for typical northern Illinois
• Capacity: Available capacity for facility expansion without customer-funded upgrades
• Competition: Infrastructure supporting multiple competitive electricity suppliers
• Responsiveness: Dedicated ComEd industrial account team based in Elk Grove

Natural Gas Infrastructure: Nicor Gas maintains robust natural gas distribution throughout the industrial park:

• High-pressure transmission mains serving major industrial users
• Interruptible service options for facilities with fuel-switching capability
• Transportation service enabling competitive gas procurement
• Capacity for combined heat and power (CHP) installations

Competitive Dynamics in Concentrated Industrial Area

Elk Grove's industrial concentration creates competitive pressure on energy costs:

Peer Benchmarking: With hundreds of similar facilities nearby, energy cost performance becomes visible competitive factor. Facilities significantly above peer energy intensity face questions from customers, investors, and boards about operational efficiency.

Labor Market Competition: Elk Grove's tight industrial labor market means manufacturers compete for skilled workers. Energy efficiency investments improving workplace comfort (lighting quality, temperature control, ventilation) support workforce recruitment and retention.

Real Estate Competition: Industrial real estate in Elk Grove trades at premium pricing ($80-120/sq ft) compared to outer suburban areas ($50-80/sq ft). Higher occupancy costs increase pressure to optimize all operating expenses including energy.

Supply Chain Integration: Many Elk Grove manufacturers operate as suppliers to other park tenants. Energy cost optimization supports competitive pricing while maintaining margins in integrated supply chains.

Industrial Park Energy Procurement Advantages

Elk Grove's scale creates procurement opportunities unavailable to isolated facilities:

Load Aggregation: Multi-facility manufacturers in Elk Grove can aggregate load across operations for volume discounts. A company with 5 facilities totaling 8,000 kW receives pricing 5-15% better than individual facilities purchasing separately.

Supplier Competition: Elk Grove's industrial load density attracts competitive electricity suppliers actively marketing to park tenants. This competition drives pricing improvements and service innovations.

Group Purchasing: Industry associations and business groups periodically organize collective procurement for member companies, leveraging combined volume for rate reductions.

Flexible Products: Suppliers offer specialized products for Elk Grove manufacturers including block-and-index pricing, real-time pricing, renewable energy matching, and customized contract structures matching operational profiles.

Village of Elk Grove Economic Development Partnership

The Village actively supports industrial energy cost management:

Infrastructure Support: Economic development team coordinates with ComEd and Nicor Gas on infrastructure expansion supporting business growth.

Incentive Programs: Tax increment financing (TIF) districts can support energy efficiency investments as part of facility modernization projects.

Business Retention: Energy cost challenges receive priority attention from village economic development staff working with manufacturers on optimization strategies.

Permitting Coordination: Streamlined permitting for energy efficiency retrofits, solar installations, and CHP systems reduces project timelines and costs.

Managing 24/7 Shift Loads in Manufacturing

Elk Grove manufacturers operating continuous production face distinct energy management challenges compared to single-shift facilities. Understanding how to optimize around-the-clock operations requires strategies addressing shift transitions, off-peak opportunities, and continuous equipment loads.

Energy Consumption Patterns in 24/7 Operations

Typical Load Profile:

Night Shift (11 PM - 7 AM):

• Production equipment operating at 80-100% capacity
• Reduced HVAC load due to lower outdoor temperatures and fewer occupants
• Minimal office/administrative loads
• Lower demand charges due to off-peak timing
• Lowest electricity supply costs (off-peak pricing)

Day Shift (7 AM - 3 PM):

• Production equipment at full capacity
• Maximum HVAC load (cooling in summer, heating in winter)
• Office/administrative operations at full load
• Highest demand charges risk during shift change and lunch
• Higher electricity supply costs (on-peak pricing)

Swing Shift (3 PM - 11 PM):

• Production equipment at 85-100% capacity
• Declining HVAC load as outdoor temperature moderates
• Reduced office/administrative loads
• Moderate demand charge risk
• Moderate electricity supply costs

Key Observation: While total energy consumption varies only 10-20% across shifts, demand charges and supply costs create 25-40% variation in hourly cost per kWh. Strategic shift load management exploits these differences.

Shift Transition Demand Management

Shift changes create demand spikes from simultaneous equipment startup, HVAC system ramping, lighting activation, and compressed air pressure restoration. A typical 200,000 sq ft facility experiences 15-25% demand spike during shift changes.

Morning Shift Change (6:30-7:30 AM) creates largest risk:

• Night shift completing production runs at full power
• Day shift equipment startup and warm-up
• HVAC systems ramping for increased occupancy
• Administrative areas activating
• Compressed air systems recovering after night shift draw-down

Mitigation Strategies:

Staggered Shift Timing (15-30 minute offset):

• Start swing shift 15 minutes early (2:45 PM vs. 3:00 PM)
• Start day shift 15 minutes early (6:45 AM vs. 7:00 AM)
• Allows outgoing shift to shut down before incoming shift ramps up
• Reduces peak demand 8-15% during transitions
• No impact on total production hours or staffing

Equipment Sequencing Across Shifts:

• Prioritize critical production equipment startup
• Delay non-production equipment (material handling, packaging) by 30-45 minutes
• Stage HVAC system activation (production floor first, offices 30 minutes later)
• Implement compressed air pressure management preventing simultaneous compressor startup

Break Period Coordination:

• Schedule breaks to prevent demand spikes (avoid simultaneous cafeteria equipment, HVAC surges)
• Stagger lunch periods across production departments
• Use break periods for demand-intensive batch operations (heat treating, pressure washing)

Leveraging Off-Peak Hours for Load Shifting

Continuous operations enable strategic load shifting to off-peak hours when electricity costs less:

Time-of-Use Pricing Opportunities:

ComEd's real-time pricing (RTP) and time-of-use rates create significant price differentials:

• Off-peak (11 PM - 7 AM): $0.035-0.055/kWh typical
• Mid-peak (7 AM - 12 PM, 9 PM - 11 PM): $0.055-0.075/kWh typical
• On-peak (12 PM - 9 PM weekdays): $0.075-0.120/kWh typical
• Price Spread: 40-65% between off-peak and on-peak

Shiftable Load Identification:

Not all operations can shift, but opportunities exist in most facilities:

Heat Treating and Ovens: Load furnaces during night shift, run heat treat cycles overnight when electricity costs 40-50% less. For facilities consuming 500 kWh daily for heat treating, this saves $40-60 daily = $10,000-15,000 annually.

Material Processing: Batch operations like grinding, mixing, or compounding can often shift to night shift production scheduling without impacting daytime operations.

Compressed Air Storage: Operate compressors primarily during off-peak hours, filling large receiver tanks (1,000-3,000 gallon capacity) that supply compressed air throughout on-peak periods. For facilities consuming 200 kW in compressor load, shifting 40% to off-peak saves $12,000-18,000 annually.

Water Heating and Steam Generation: Pre-heat process water or generate steam during off-peak hours, store in insulated tanks, use during production peaks. Reduces on-peak electrical load while maintaining process requirements.

Battery Storage Integration: Advanced facilities install battery energy storage systems (BESS) that charge during off-peak hours, discharge during on-peak to reduce demand charges and avoid high-cost electricity. Typical 500 kWh battery system costs $200,000-300,000 but can save $40,000-70,000 annually for facilities with substantial on-peak loads.

HVAC Optimization for Continuous Operations

24/7 facilities face different HVAC challenges than single-shift operations:

Continuous Operation vs. Setback Opportunities: Single-shift facilities save energy through nighttime temperature setback (reducing heating/cooling when unoccupied). Continuous operations lose this opportunity but gain others:

Pre-Cooling and Pre-Heating: Use off-peak hours to pre-condition spaces:

• Summer: Over-cool facility during night shift (70-72°F) to 68-70°F, allowing temperature to drift to 74-76°F during afternoon on-peak hours without operating chillers
• Winter: Over-heat facility during off-peak hours to 74-76°F, allowing drift to 70-72°F during on-peak periods

Zone-Based Scheduling: Most facilities don't require identical temperature control in all areas:

• Production areas: Maintain tight temperature control 24/7 for process requirements
• Administrative areas: Setback temperatures during off-shift hours when unoccupied
• Warehousing/shipping: Wide temperature bands acceptable (60-85°F)
• Break rooms/cafeteria: Reduce conditioning when not in use

Demand-Controlled Ventilation: Outside air ventilation for air quality scales with occupancy:

• Night shift: Reduced ventilation rates (fewer occupants)
• Day shift: Full ventilation rates
• Automatic CO2 monitoring adjusts ventilation to actual needs
• Reduces heating/cooling of outside air by 20-35%

Case Study: Elk Grove Plastics Manufacturing 24/7 Operation

Facility: 280,000 sq ft plastics manufacturing, injection molding and extrusion, 3 shifts, 185 employees

Baseline Energy Consumption:

• Annual usage: 4.8 million kWh
• Annual cost: $312,000 ($0.065/kWh average)
• Peak demand: 1,450 kW (occurring at shift changes)
• Demand charges: $140,000 annually (45% of total bill)

24/7 Load Management Implementation:

1. Shift Transition Management:

   • Staggered shift start times by 15 minutes
   • Implemented equipment sequencing protocol
   • Installed demand monitoring with alerts
   • Result: Peak demand reduced to 1,250 kW (14% reduction)
   • Demand charge savings: $36,000 annually

2. Process Load Shifting:

   • Moved plastic pellet drying operations to night shift
   • Scheduled maintenance/cleaning during off-peak hours
   • Shifted material grinding/recycling to overnight
   • Result: Reduced on-peak consumption 180 MWh annually
   • Energy cost savings: $14,400 annually

3. HVAC Optimization:

   • Installed pre-cooling strategy for summer months
   • Implemented zone-based temperature control
   • Added economizer controls for free cooling
   • Result: HVAC energy reduced 22%
   • HVAC savings: $28,600 annually

4. Compressed Air System:

   • Added 2,000 gallon receiver tank capacity
   • Scheduled primary compressor operation for off-peak hours
   • Repaired identified leaks (145 CFM total)
   • Result: Compressor energy reduced 28%
   • Savings: $18,000 annually

Total Results:

• Annual savings: $97,000 (31% reduction)
• Investment: $95,000 with $38,000 utility incentives = $57,000 net
• Simple payback: 7.0 months
• Ongoing annual savings maintained for 5+ years

HVAC & Lighting Upgrades for Large Footprints

Elk Grove's industrial facilities averaging 100,000-500,000 square feet face substantial HVAC and lighting costs. Large-footprint buildings require specialized approaches different from smaller facilities.

Lighting Energy in Large Industrial Spaces

Typical Lighting Profile (200,000 sq ft manufacturing facility):

• High-bay production areas: 140,000 sq ft with 400W metal halide fixtures (600 fixtures)
• Office/administrative: 40,000 sq ft with T8 fluorescent (800 fixtures)
• Warehouse/storage: 20,000 sq ft with fluorescent (200 fixtures)
• Exterior/security: 50 fixtures at 250W each

Baseline Energy Consumption:

• High-bay: 600 fixtures × 455W (including ballast) × 6,000 hrs/yr = 1,638,000 kWh
• Office: 800 fixtures × 110W × 3,000 hrs/yr = 264,000 kWh
• Warehouse: 200 fixtures × 110W × 4,000 hrs/yr = 88,000 kWh
• Exterior: 50 fixtures × 280W × 4,380 hrs/yr = 61,320 kWh
• Total: 2,051,320 kWh annually = $133,336 at $0.065/kWh

LED Retrofit Economics for Large Facilities

High-Bay LED Retrofit:

• Replace 400W metal halide with 150W LED high-bay
• Improved light quality (5000K color temp, 90+ CRI vs. 4000K, 65 CRI)
• Instant-on (no warm-up period) improves operations
• Longer life (100,000 hrs vs. 20,000 hrs) reduces maintenance costs

Energy Savings Calculation:

• Baseline: 455W per fixture (including ballast loss)
• LED: 165W per fixture (including driver)
• Savings per fixture: 290W (64% reduction)
• Total savings: 600 fixtures × 290W × 6,000 hrs = 1,044,000 kWh annually
• Annual savings: $67,860

Project Economics:

• LED fixture cost: $180-220 each installed
• Total investment: 600 fixtures × $200 = $120,000
• ComEd incentive: $35 per fixture = $21,000
• Net investment: $99,000
• Simple payback: 1.5 years
• Additional maintenance savings: $12,000 annually (labor + lamps)

Office and Warehouse LED Retrofit:

• Replace T8 fluorescent with LED tubes or troffer retrofits
• Energy savings: 40-55%
• Investment: $50-80 per fixture
• Payback: 2-3 years

Beyond Energy Savings - LED upgrades deliver operational benefits:

• Improved light quality reduces errors and improves safety
• Instant-on eliminates productivity loss from warm-up delays
• Reduced heat generation lowers cooling costs 3-8%
• Lower maintenance reduces disruption to production
• Dimming and controls compatibility enables further savings

Advanced Lighting Controls

Large facilities benefit from sophisticated lighting controls:

Occupancy Sensors: Install in areas with intermittent use:

• Break rooms, restrooms, storage areas, conference rooms
• Turn lights off after 10-20 minutes of no activity
• Saves 25-45% in controlled areas
• Cost: $50-150 per sensor; payback 1-2 years

Daylight Harvesting: For facilities with skylights or large windows:

• Photosensors dim artificial lighting when daylight sufficient
• Saves 15-30% in daylight zones (typically 20-40% of floor area)
• Requires dimmable LED fixtures and control system
• Cost: $2-4/sq ft; payback 3-5 years

Task Tuning: Right-size lighting levels to actual needs:

• Reduce ambient lighting from 50-70 footcandles to 30-40 footcandles
• Provide task lighting where needed (inspection stations, assembly)
• Saves 20-30% lighting energy
• Cost: Minimal if implemented during LED retrofit; payback <1 year

Scheduling and Dimming: Automated lighting schedules:

• Reduce lighting levels 50% during low-occupancy periods
• Turn off non-essential areas during breaks
• Coordinate with production schedules
• Saves 15-25% beyond occupancy sensors
• Cost: $5,000-15,000 control system; payback 1-3 years

HVAC Challenges in Large Industrial Buildings

Large footprint facilities face unique HVAC challenges:

High Ceilings and Stratification: Heat rises, creating temperature gradients:

• Floor level: 65-70°F in winter
• Ceiling level: 85-95°F in winter
• HVAC works harder heating already-warm air at ceiling
• Destratification fans mix air, reducing heating costs 15-25%

Perimeter vs. Core Loads: Large buildings experience different loads in different zones:

• South and west perimeters: High cooling loads from solar gain
• North perimeter: Lower cooling loads
• Core areas: Equipment heat offsets heating needs even in winter
• Single-zone systems waste energy conditioning spaces uniformly

Dock Doors and Infiltration: Loading docks create massive air infiltration:

• Each open dock door admits 15,000-25,000 CFM outside air
• Dock traffic prevents keeping doors closed
• Air curtains reduce infiltration by 70-85%
• Dock seals and shelters reduce infiltration 60-75%

HVAC Optimization Strategies for Large Facilities

Rooftop Unit (RTU) Upgrades and Controls:

Most Elk Grove facilities use multiple rooftop packaged units (10-25 ton capacity) rather than central systems:

RTU Optimization:

• Replace 15+ year old units with high-efficiency models (14-16 SEER vs. 10-11 SEER)
• Install economizers for free cooling (outside air when <65°F)
• Add VFDs on supply fans for variable air volume
• Implement demand-controlled ventilation
• Combined improvements: 30-45% HVAC energy reduction

Zone Control Enhancement:

• Convert single-zone systems to multi-zone control
• Wireless thermostat systems enable low-cost zone expansion
• Right-size conditioning to actual space requirements
• Typical savings: 20-30% HVAC energy

Destratification and Air Movement:

• Install high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) ceiling fans (8-24 ft diameter)
• Circulate air to eliminate temperature stratification
• Improve summer comfort (increased air movement)
• Reduce winter heating costs by preventing heat from concentrating at ceiling
• Cost: $2,000-5,000 per fan; payback 2-4 years
• Energy savings: 15-25% heating, 5-15% cooling

Loading Dock Improvements:

• Install dock seals and shelters ($1,500-3,000 per door)
• Add air curtains on high-traffic doors ($3,000-6,000 per door)
• Implement dock door monitoring/alarms
• Combined savings: 10-20% facility heating/cooling costs
• Payback: 1-3 years

Process Cooling Optimization:

Many Elk Grove manufacturers require process cooling for equipment, materials, or products:

Chiller Plant Optimization:

• Sequence multiple chillers based on actual load (prevent simultaneous operation at partial load)
• Optimize chilled water supply temperature (raising from 42°F to 48°F reduces chiller energy 12-18%)
• Install VFDs on chilled water pumps and cooling tower fans
• Clean condenser coils quarterly to maintain efficiency
• Combined savings: 25-40% chiller plant energy

Heat Recovery Opportunities:

• Capture waste heat from process cooling
• Use for space heating, domestic hot water, or process heating
• Typical heat recovery ROI: 2-5 years

Why Elk Grove Manufacturers Need Private Procurement

While Illinois electricity is deregulated allowing competitive supply choice, many Elk Grove manufacturers remain on utility default service leaving substantial savings uncaptured. Understanding the benefits of private procurement and working with specialized industrial brokers transforms this major cost center.

ComEd Default Service vs. Competitive Supply

ComEd Default Service (Hourly Pricing):

• Charges based on hourly day-ahead market prices
• No supplier relationship or account management
• No customization or risk management options
• Rates average $0.058-0.078/kWh depending on market conditions
• Extreme price spikes during heat waves or grid emergencies ($0.20-0.50/kWh possible)

Competitive Supply Procurement:

• Fixed-price contracts providing budget certainty
• Customized products matching operational profiles
• Account management and strategic advisory
• Rates typically $0.055-0.070/kWh for well-timed procurement
• Price protection from market volatility

Price Comparison (typical 500,000 kWh/month Elk Grove facility):

Supply Option	Average Rate	Monthly Cost	Annual Cost
ComEd Default Hourly	$0.066/kWh	$33,000	$396,000
Fixed 24-Month	$0.060/kWh	$30,000	$360,000
Block-and-Index 40/60	$0.058/kWh	$29,000	$348,000
Annual Savings vs. Default	-	$3,000-4,000	$36,000-48,000

For a typical Elk Grove manufacturer, competitive procurement saves $36,000-48,000 annually with virtually no effort or risk—10-15% supply cost reduction through a single contract negotiation.

Aggregation Advantages for Multi-Facility Operations

Many Elk Grove manufacturers operate multiple facilities:

• Multiple buildings within industrial park
• Facilities in Elk Grove plus other Chicago-area locations
• Corporate facilities across Illinois or multi-state

Aggregating electricity procurement across multiple facilities delivers advantages:

Volume Discounts: Suppliers offer better pricing for larger aggregated loads:

• Single 2,000 kW facility: $0.062/kWh
• Three facilities aggregated to 6,000 kW: $0.058/kWh
• Savings: $48,000 annually for combined facilities

Operational Efficiency: Single contract, single supplier relationship, consolidated billing, unified strategy across portfolio.

Strategic Flexibility: Larger aggregated loads qualify for sophisticated products:

• Block-and-index pricing
• Load-following products matching variable production
• Renewable energy purchases
• Demand response program access

Negotiation Leverage: Multi-megawatt loads receive priority attention from suppliers competing for business.

Procurement Strategies for Elk Grove Manufacturers

Fixed-Rate Contracts:

• Best for: Manufacturers prioritizing budget certainty, conservative financial management
• Typical terms: 12-36 months
• Pricing: Fixed $/kWh for contract term
• Risk: Market timing—locking in during price peaks
• Benefit: Complete protection from volatility

Block-and-Index:

• Best for: Manufacturers with financial flexibility seeking cost optimization
• Structure: Purchase fixed-price "block" for 60-80% of load, remainder at market index
• Pricing: Weighted average of fixed block and index components
• Risk: Index portion exposed to market volatility (but only 20-40% of load)
• Benefit: Market participation upside with downside protection

Load Following:

• Best for: Manufacturers with seasonal or variable production
• Structure: Minimum take quantity with flexible upside bandwidth
• Pricing: Structured around baseline plus tolerance bands
• Risk: Over/under bandwidth penalties if consumption varies excessively
• Benefit: Matches contract to variable operations better than fixed blocks

Procurement Timing:

Energy markets fluctuate seasonally and cyclically. Strategic timing improves outcomes:

Forward Market Analysis: Monitor forward price curves 6-12 months pre-renewal:

• Identify favorable procurement windows when forward prices dip
• Avoid peak pricing periods (typically late summer)
• Consider multi-year contracts during market lows

Contract Layering: Don't renew entire load on single date:

• Execute 50% of load 12 months out
• Execute remaining 50% at 6 months
• Averages market entry timing, reduces timing risk

Current Market Conditions (Early 2026):

• Forward curves showing moderate pricing through 2026-2027
• Recent PJM capacity auction results adding upward pressure
• Natural gas prices stable, supporting favorable electricity outlook
• Recommendation: Favorable environment for 18-24 month fixed contracts

Working with Industrial Energy Brokers

Manufacturers benefit from specialized broker expertise:

Broker Services:

• Market Analysis: Forward curve monitoring, timing recommendations
• RFP Management: Competitive bidding across 5-10 suppliers
• Contract Negotiation: Terms, conditions, pricing, flexibility provisions
• Ongoing Monitoring: Market updates, renewal timing, performance tracking

Broker Compensation:

• Supplier-paid commission (typically $0.001-0.003/kWh)
• No cost to manufacturer
• Disclosed in supplier contracts
• Important: Ensure broker represents manufacturer interests, not supplier interests

Selecting an Industrial Broker:

• Industrial specialization: Experience with manufacturing, not just commercial buildings
• Elk Grove knowledge: Understanding of local market dynamics, infrastructure, programs
• Supplier relationships: Access to multiple competitive suppliers
• Ongoing service: Not just transaction-focused but long-term partnership

Beyond Supply Procurement: Comprehensive Energy Strategy

Leading Elk Grove manufacturers integrate supply procurement with broader energy strategy:

Demand Charge Management: Work with brokers to understand how contract structures interact with demand charges and identify optimization opportunities.

Incentive Program Coordination: Brokers can connect manufacturers to ComEd efficiency programs, expedite incentive applications, and identify project opportunities.

Renewable Energy Procurement: For manufacturers with corporate sustainability goals, brokers structure renewable energy purchases (RECs, green tariffs, PPAs).

Risk Management: Brokers help manufacturers understand and manage energy price risk through hedging strategies, contracts structures, and portfolio diversification.

Get Expert Help for Elk Grove Village Manufacturing Energy Optimization

Final Recommendations for Elk Grove Village Industrial Energy Management

Elk Grove Village's position as the nation's largest industrial park creates unique advantages for manufacturers committed to energy cost optimization. The combination of robust infrastructure, competitive supplier activity, substantial incentive programs, and proximity to energy expertise makes EGV ideal location for achieving world-class energy performance.

Key Success Factors:

Leverage Scale: Elk Grove's industrial concentration provides procurement advantages, peer benchmarking opportunities, and specialized service provider access unavailable to isolated facilities.

24/7 Optimization: Continuous operations require specialized approaches focused on shift transition management, off-peak load shifting, and time-of-use pricing opportunities.

Large-Footprint Focus: HVAC and lighting represent 35-50% of energy costs in large buildings. LED retrofits and HVAC optimization deliver 1-3 year paybacks with ongoing annual savings.

Private Procurement: Competitive electricity supply procurement saves 10-20% vs. utility default service—$36,000-48,000 annually for typical facilities with minimal effort.

Systematic Approach: Combine operational optimization (no capital), quick payback projects (<2 years), and strategic capital investments (2-5 years) for comprehensive 25-35% cost reduction.

Incentive Maximization: ComEd programs can offset 30-50% of capital costs for efficiency projects. Failing to capture available incentives significantly impacts project ROI.

Elk Grove manufacturers implementing these strategies consistently achieve 20-30% energy cost reductions while improving workplace quality, operational efficiency, and competitive positioning. The opportunity is substantial, the resources are available, and the competitive imperative is clear.

Start today by gathering 24 months of utility data for competitive procurement analysis, requesting a free ComEd energy assessment, and identifying your top three efficiency opportunities. The combination of procurement optimization and facility improvements delivers rapid payback and sustained competitive advantage.