Experiences from an industry-university study on control benefits

A proper benefits study achieves more than simply estimating potential economic improvement. It provides the basis for variable selection, control design, equipment specification, and implementation strategies. General approaches for such studies are available but are not widely employed for two major reasons, lack of training and a mistaken idea that the study adds substantial cost to a project. We review currently available study methods and offer a proposal for improvements by focusing these methods on specific processes.