# 261: Energy Transition Explained: How Manufacturers Can Save Energy and Build a Sustainable Future featuring Veregy’s Eric Spink & Shiva Subramanya

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2025-11-11
- Length: 52m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Eric Spink and Shiva Subramanya from Veregy discuss how manufacturers can achieve energy transition goals by focusing on secondary utilities and leveraging performance contracting to bypass capital constraints. They highlight that perimeter equipment like boilers and HVAC consumes 60-80% of plant energy but is often overlooked, and they illustrate this with a pizza plant project where advanced controls and AI reduced energy use and improved product quality. The guests emphasize the importance of integrating production data with utility systems and establishing realistic sustainability plans funded by energy savings rather than competing capital budgets.

## Chapters

- [0:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=59) Defining Energy Transition and Veregy's Focus
- [7:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=435) The Opportunity in Secondary Utilities and Performance Contracting
- [11:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=670) Low-Hanging Fruit: Leaks and Maintenance
- [16:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=974) High Payback Projects: PLC Controls and VFDs
- [18:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=1104) Case Study: Advanced Controls in a Pizza Spiral Freezer
- [26:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=1618) On-Site Generation: Solar, Biogas, and Fuel Cells
- [31:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=1886) The Gap Between Sustainability Goals and Funding
- [42:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=2579) AI and Production Data Integration in Dairy Processing
- [49:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-11-261-energy-transition-explained-how-manufacturers-can-save-energy-and-build-a-su#t=2940) Final Advice: Smart Manufacturing and Leadership

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Veregy (company)
- Rockwell Automation (company)
- PLC (tool)
- VFD (tool)
- Ammonia (material)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [When Legacy Thinking Gets in the Way of Manufacturing Innovation w/ Annie Lu](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-06-16-when-legacy-thinking-gets-in-the-way-of-manufacturing-innovation-w-annie-lu) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [With Great Power: What other industries can teach utilities about innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation) (Catalyst)
- [Aligning Sustainability and Profitability in Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-10-18-aligning-sustainability-and-profitability-in-manufacturing) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [A Renewable Energy Future for Manufacturing w/ Gareth Evans](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-09-19-a-renewable-energy-future-for-manufacturing-w-gareth-evans) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Why Connecting Machines And Companies Unlocks Real Factory Value with Koh Young's Michael Zahn and Joel Scutchfield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-11-why-connecting-machines-and-companies-unlocks-real-factory-value-with-koh-youngs) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

## Citing this page

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