Industry consumes a large percentage of both renewable and non-renewable energy. Therefore, targeting energy efficiency is a good goal for the industry and should be used in the different productivity and manufacturing systems.
To achieve the goal of reducing energy consumption in general, and electricity consumption in particular, there are energy efficiency measures in industry that have already proven to be successful. And no matter the sector or the characteristics of the factory or industry, if they are used, energy efficiency can be achieved.
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What is energy efficiency in industry?
We call energy efficiency in industry an objective or goal proposed by most industries to achieve a reduction in energy consumption while maintaining the same activity and productivity. In other words, to be energy efficient in industry is to try to reduce electricity consumption and bills while obtaining the same profits.
To this end, there are a series of energy efficiency measures in industry, also known as key measures. These include innovation in machinery, the replacement of non-renewable or polluting energies with clean or renewable energies, and many others.
How to improve energy efficiency in industry?
Improving energy efficiency is simpler than it may seem at first. In fact, there are only a few points or measures that, if worked on, will help to reduce the electricity bill by a large percentage.
These are some of them:
Optimization of industrial processes
Of course, the first step is to optimize the industry. That is to say, to detect all those spaces, mechanisms, activities, tools, etc., that offer a wide range of improvement or that delay and hinder productivity in relation to cost or expense. It is a matter of finding those elements that have an impact on the generation of benefits. That is to say, in the revenue - cost ratio.
As energy is one of the main costs, following this logic, totally unnecessary energy points or leaks will be found.
It is also important to know all the machinery and find out if there are new models or alternatives that consume less energy. The problem is that acquiring this new technology can be very costly, but often you get a return on your investment in a few months. For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to the price but also to its consumption and to crunch the numbers. Mesbook 's Mes system for factories is a great ally for this purpose.
The lighting system
The lighting of a factory or industry takes a high percentage of its energy consumption. Some studies show that depending on the factory this can reach up to 80% of total consumption. Therefore, changing the traditional lighting for a low consumption one can be the best bet for energy efficiency in the industry.
One of the best and most known alternatives is LED technology. But another even more important and beneficial point is to make better use of natural light, which may require some changes in the infrastructure. Therefore, not all industries can achieve an improvement in lighting.
Renewable energies, a measure to improve effective energy efficiency
Everything can change if energy consumption is made from renewable sources. In this way, the level of consumption will be minimal, the negative consequences will be non-existent and productivity will be equal or higher, often due to cost reductions. But it is true that this is a medium-term investment and does not cover the needs of all factories.
Renewable energies have endless advantages and more and more industries are betting on them. It is true that the investment in renewable energies can be significant, but in a few months it will have paid off. Specifically, one of the most economical at present is photovoltaic. In addition, it is a good time for self-sufficiency and separation with the electricity market with rising prices and so changeable.
Renewable energies help to take care of the environment, to take care of your bill, to reduce expenses and costs and to favor energy management.
These are the three main keys to energy efficiency in industry: optimization of machinery, lighting and renewable energies.
Of course, there are also other points such as having operators and workers who know the machinery and energy efficiency so that they are able to detect faults and improvements. Microgrids can also be a plus for generating energy and distributing it in a simpler way.
How is efficiency calculated?
There are many ways to calculate energy expenditure. In fact, industries and factories have probably been doing it for a long time already. So by following these same methods it is already possible to find out whether and how much energy efficiency measures are having an effect.
However, there is now ISO 50001, which is a standard for measuring energy efficiency, followed by the Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP). Both measure energy consumption in relation to productivity to derive the appropriate measure or mark for energy efficiency.
Does it apply to all sectors?
Yes, energy efficiency in industry is applicable to all sectors. This is not contradictory to the fact that there are differences between them. That is to say, there will be sectors that will not be able to lower their consumption more than a certain percentage because it is the minimum they need to produce. For example, the metallurgical sector and the chemical industry. Others, on the other hand, have wide margins for improvement that have not yet been put into practice. Contact us so that we can help you to make your company more efficient.
Assistant to Commercial Management
Concepcion Albert
Industrial Engineer with more than 15 years of experience in leadership and operations management, developed in the UK and Spain in the food industry and others. Used to train, lead and motivate teams oriented to the achievement and attainment of objectives within a culture of Continuous Improvement, as well as the creation of new business areas.
