Case study · Manufacturing
Viridor, Bolton TRF
A waste transfer and recycling facility achieved 9% power reduction and £212,852 annual saving, with a project payback of just 3.6 months and 335% return on investment.
The site
What we were dealing with.
Viridor is one of the UK's leading waste management, recycling, and energy recovery companies. The Bolton Transfer and Recycling Facility (TRF) was looking for viable ways to make substantial energy savings.
The on-site engineering team evaluated power optimisation as a technology and selected Volta to carry out a detailed survey and provide a combined voltage optimisation and power factor correction solution.
The combined approach offered two complementary techniques: voltage optimisation directly reduces power drawn by connected equipment by supplying it nearer to design voltage; power factor correction improves how efficiently that power is consumed. Together delivering both financial and environmental benefits.
| Sector | Manufacturing |
| Site size | Transfer & recycling facility |
| Operating pattern | Continuous industrial operation |
| Baseline voltage | — V |
| Post-install voltage | — V |
| Annual kWh saving | 548,251 kVAh kWh |
The install
What we did.
A VOP1800i Power Optimiser with TrueBypass switch and integral power factor correction was specified for the site. Prior to installation, a detailed site survey and datalogging programme established baseline consumption.
The unit was installed and the site re-logged post-installation. The combined VO and PFC unit reduced the total power drawn from the network, translating directly into additional generator export revenue for the site as well as reduced import costs.
The result
What we measured.
The installation achieved an 11.2 % reduction in current draw (average 1,019 A with VO vs 1,148 A without) and a 9 % reduction in total power drawn from the network.
Financial summary: 548,251 kVAh annual reduction in consumption, delivering £212,852 annual savings against a project cost of £63,436, a payback period of 3.6 months and a 335 % return on investment.
CO₂ emissions reduced by 288 tonnes per annum. The project demonstrates VO at its strongest: heavy continuous industrial load, high annual spend, and a passive unit that delivers measurable savings from day one.
Measurement & verification method
Detailed site survey and datalogging to establish baseline. Post-install datalogging to measure reduction. Current reduction of 11.2% observed (average with VO: 1,019 A vs 1,148 A without), equating to 9% reduction in total power drawn from the network. Savings verified by comparing kVA consumption pre- and post-install.
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