321,000 $/year saved through heat recovery – Ouellet Canada
63 %
Propane reduction
$1.09 M
in financial incentives
$321,000
in annual savings
Ouellet Canada, located in L’Islet, is a Quebec-based company renowned for the design and manufacture of electric heating solutions for the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. Its production plant includes manufacturing areas, a paint booth, propane thermal equipment and several ventilation units essential to the process. With a heated area of over 102,000 sq ft, the plant is an energy-intensive production site where air and wash water heating play a crucial role in daily operations.
Challenges and objectives
Facing significant reliance on propane – representing nearly 70% of consumed energy – and equipment that discharged large quantities of unused heat, Ouellet sought to reduce its operating costs, improve the energy performance of its processes and substantially decrease its GHG emissions. The company also aimed to secure access to incentives from the MERN Écoperformance program to make the project economically optimal. The central objective was to recover lost heat from drying and curing ovens, reduce propane consumption and modernize thermal equipment, all while maintaining optimal indoor air quality within the plant.
Our solution
E’nergys designed an energy efficiency project combining heat recovery, partial electrification and ventilation optimization, enabling Ouellet to drastically reduce its propane consumption related to process and air heating.
The approach is based on two main interventions:
- Wash water heating via an economizer
Heat recovery from oven exhaust gases using a high-performance economizer, allowing for preheating of wash water. An electric boiler supplements the thermal input when necessary.
- Fresh air heating by recirculating hot air above the ovens
Implementation of an H-system that captures exhausted hot air to preheat fresh air for the plant. A new air supply unit, equipped with an electric coil and a supplementary propane burner, ensures stable indoor conditions.
These two interventions allow to make maximum use of the heat already present in the processes, while ensuring adequate and compliant ventilation
Results achieved
Massive propane reduction
The project enables a 63% reduction in annual propane consumption, equivalent to a decrease of 564,940 liters/year.
Reduction in GHG emissions
Thanks to partial electrification and heat recovery, the plant reduces its GHG emissions by 871 tons per year, a major environmental gain.
Significant annual savings
Direct savings reach $321,355/year, combining propane reduction and the advantageous cost of electricity.
Equipment modernization
Replacing aging units with high-performance solutions improves operational reliability and avoids future investments.
2022-2023
Years of completion
Industrial
Sector
$1.69 M
Investment
$321,000
Annual Savings
$1.09 M
Financial Incentives
871 tons/year
GHG Emission Reduction
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