As global manufecturing faces conflicting energy c hallenges―an outdated 20th century power grid feeding 21 st century manufacturing automation—new answers are being found. The winners are innovating with power management, renewable resources and distributed power generation. Opportunity probably isn't knocking at your door right now, but it might be lurking behind your walls. Energy—the invisible force that is the lifeblood of any manufacturing operation need not be thought of as just a cost of doing business. These days the combination of advanced energy-delivery technologies and a desire to find more reliable sources of power have made energy a powerful strategic advantage for those who recognize its value. "Companies learn they can do a lot to control their energy destiny when they take the steps necessary to understand the important role that energy plays in the overall success ol their enterprise," says Ted Klee, vice president, power man-agement, at Palatine, 111.-based Schneider Electric North American Operating Division, which provides energy man-agement systems and services to manufacturers. "Unfortu-nately many companies only begin to think about power management in the wake of a disaster like the Northeast's power grid collapse of 2003. Many companies learned a vi-tal lesson the hard way: What matters most doesn't always get measured, monitored or optimized."
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