Greases and lubricants may not jump to mind in discussions of sustainable products, but synthetic, energy-efficient versions can promote sustainability in a variety of ways, says an individual an official from ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties.
Paul Grives, a global services and grease marketing manager with the U.S.-based company, said recently that energy-efficient greases and lubricating fluids may or may not be made from non-petroleum-based materials generally considered sustainable. But he said they can promote sustainability in a broader sense by reducing energy consumption, reducing lubricant use and saving end-users money that can be invested in productive endeavors.
Paul said This is all about taking a broad, holistic view of the entire ecosystem, and identifying how a small change in one part of the energy chain can have large positive effects, Grives told Lube Report Asia in an e-mail exchange. Lubricants based on synthetics can provide energy efficiency benefits, helping users to use less energy, providing overall sustainability benefits.
By requiring less lube to be replenished, a user has more working capital to reinvest in their operation, the economy can grow as businesses can become more successful, and by producing less new lube, not only is less crude refined, but less waste oil is generated for disposal.
Grives addressed the same subject in a February address at the annual general meeting of the India Chapter of the U.S.-based National Lubricating Grease Institute in Chandigarh. He noted that lubricants help enable energy production from wind and tidal sources – poster children of sustainability. If the greases and fluids used in such applications protect equipment, it lasts longer, requiring less maintenance, allowing more uptime and increased production.It also reduces waste from maintenance activities.
Grives highlighted potential benefits for the mining industry, one of the larger industrial sectors of Indias economy. By combining the use of high quality lubricants and effective oil and equipment analysis, mining operators can maximize productivity and reduce the fuel consumption – both of which may help them gain competitive advantage.