Case Study: How Lavazza Saved $278,000 Annually by Optimizing Their Compressed Air System

When Lavazza — one of the world's oldest and most recognized coffee brands — set out to reduce energy consumption at their West Chester, Pennsylvania production facility, they discovered that compressed air was driving 37% of total energy costs. What followed was a textbook case study in how metering, analytics, and systematic optimization can transform a compressed air system from an energy drain into a model of efficiency.

The Challenge: Compressed Air as an Energy Drain

Lavazza's facility relies heavily on compressed air to generate the nitrogen that keeps their coffee fresh from production line to consumer. While producing nitrogen on-site is less expensive than purchasing and transporting liquid nitrogen, it remains extremely energy-intensive. The aging compressed air infrastructure had developed leaks, inefficient piping runs, and suboptimal control strategies that compounded the problem.

In 2022, compressed air accounted for 37% of Lavazza's total electricity costs — a staggering proportion that made it the single largest target for energy reduction. As Lavazza manufacturing engineer Josh Miller put it: "It was a huge opportunity for Lavazza to be more responsible with our energy use, and also just reduce our monthly spend on electricity."

The Approach: Data-Driven Optimization

Lavazza partnered with Kai Wong of Emergent Energy Solutions, who had previously collaborated with the facility on LED lighting retrofits. Using advanced energy analytics and metering, they developed a comprehensive picture of the compressed air system's performance:

Phase 1 — Baseline Metering and Analysis Power meters, flow meters, and pressure transducers were deployed across the compressed air and nitrogen generation system. This instrumentation revealed:

• Leak load quantification: Non-production hour monitoring showed significant air loss through system leaks
• Pressure drop mapping: Excessive pressure drops across piping runs, elbows, and undersized headers were identified
• Compressor loading patterns: Analytics revealed opportunities to optimize compressor sequencing and implement eco-mode controls

Phase 2 — Systematic Improvements Based on the metering data, Miller and Wong planned a series of incremental improvements:

• Leak remediation: Systematically locating and repairing compressed air leaks plugged a major energy drain at its source
• Piping upgrades: Repiping with reduced elbows and upsized pipe diameters decreased frictional losses throughout the distribution system
• Eco-mode implementation: Configuring compressors to shut off generators when demand decreased, rather than running unloaded
• Additional sensor infrastructure: Installing monitoring points for future automation and troubleshooting capability

Phase 3 — Minimized Disruption A critical success factor was maintaining continuous nitrogen and compressed air supply to the production line during all modifications. "For the most part, we were able to work through it and valve off certain areas," Miller explained. Pre-planning the installation sequence ensured zero production downtime.

The Results: Measurable, Verified Savings

The combined improvements delivered extraordinary results:

• 2,531,772 kWh in annual energy savings
• $278,490 in estimated annual energy cost savings (at $0.11/kWh blended rate)
• Over 5 PSI reduction in total system pressure drop
• $210,360 in project costs — 100% covered by PECO Ways to Save utility incentives ($253,180 approved, capped at project cost)

As Wong noted: "There are so many run-hours on a compressed air system like this that even very minor changes can have huge impacts on energy use."

Why This Case Study Matters

The Lavazza project illustrates several principles that apply to any compressed air optimization effort:

1. Metering Is the Foundation Without comprehensive metering data, the specific sources of energy waste would have remained invisible. Power meters on each compressor, flow meters on the distribution system, and pressure transducers at key points provided the actionable intelligence needed to prioritize improvements.

2. Incremental Improvements Compound No single change produced the full $278,000 in annual savings. It was the combination of leak repairs, piping upgrades, and control optimization that delivered the total result. Each improvement reduced system demand, which in turn improved the efficiency of the remaining equipment.

3. Utility Incentives Change the Economics The PECO Ways to Save program covered 100% of project costs, making the ROI effectively infinite from day one. Many utilities offer similar programs, and the combination of metering data and verified savings makes applications straightforward. "PECO Ways to Save has found a way to make it easier every year to access incentives for energy-saving upgrades," Wong observed.

4. Sustainability and Profitability Align Lavazza's corporate commitment to sustainability — evidenced by their LEED-certified facility — aligned perfectly with the financial case for compressed air optimization. Reducing 2.5 million kWh annually translates to approximately 1,770 metric tons of CO₂ avoided (using EPA's eGRID average emission factor).

Applying These Lessons to Your Facility

If your compressed air system represents a significant portion of your electricity bill, the Lavazza case study provides a proven roadmap:

• . Install metering on all compressors and key distribution points to establish a baseline
• . Analyze the data to identify leaks, pressure drops, and loading inefficiencies
• . Prioritize improvements based on ROI and implementation complexity
• . Apply for utility incentives using metering data to support your application
• . Verify savings with ongoing monitoring to ensure improvements persist

Contact Emergent Energy Solutions for a complimentary assessment of your compressed air system. Our cloud-based analytics platform and engineering expertise can identify opportunities like those at Lavazza — and help you capture them.

*Case study data sourced from the PECO Ways to Save program. Estimated Annual Energy Cost Savings based on a blended rate of $0.11/kWh.*