J.R. Simplot (AgriBusiness Group): Energy performance

Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge partners strive to decrease portfolio-wide source energy use intensity (EUI), and to increase the percent improvement compared to a set baseline.  J.R. Simplot's AgriBusiness Group portfolio consists of 9 plants as of 2015. The AgriBusiness Group's energy management program emphasizes staff training and use of an internally-developed Best Practices guide.  After implementing many energy efficiency projects, group-wide energy intensity improvement is 8% since the baseline year.  In 2015, the two largest AgriBusiness plants in terms of energy footprint led the way, with each demonstrating over 9 percent improvement for the year. 

To view J.R. Simplot's Food Group savings, click here.

Looking at the percent improvement in energy performance across all facilities can provide insight into how an organization is saving energy.  Performance, as measured by energy intensity compared to the baseline year of 2009, has lagged at four AgriBusiness Group facilities.  However, five facilities have exceeded 15% improvement in energy intensity, and two of those have improved by almost 30% or better. 

JR Simplot's AgriBusiness Group includes mines, pumping stations, and fertilizer plants and calculates energy intensity at the plant level, in terms of source energy consumed (in MMBtus) divided by physical output from each plant measured in tons. Relative intensities among the plants varies significantly because they make different types of products. Because of this, corporate level energy intensity improvement is calculated by taking a weighted average of the plant level improvement (in percentage terms). Simplot's AgriBusiness Group used an average of its 2006-2009 consumption to develop a baseline year.  This was done because a four-year average evened out the significant production variation Simplot experienced from year-to-year over that time period. Note: Simplot tracks energy intensity separately at its Food and AgriBusiness Groups. The table at the right, however, displays plant and energy consumption totals across both business groups.