Energy savings in industrial plants

How much does electrical energy pollute in the industrial sector?

Electrical energy is essential for the operation of industrial plants, but it can also be one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the industrial sector is responsible for the 37% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and a large part of these emissions come from the generation and consumption of electrical energy.

However, the good news is that there are measures that can be implemented to save electricity and reduce the carbon footprint of industrial plants. For example, this is an excerpt from a report from Osinergmin, the supervisory body for investment in energy and mining in Peru.

13 steps to save electricity in industrial plants

Energy is one of the most significant operating expenses in the industry, including the manufacture of balanced foods. However, the reduction of energy costs can be achieved through accessible and numerous resources. The following checklist is for the plant and related facilities to improve energy efficiency.

1. Start with a focused evaluation in energy intensive systems, such as process heating, steam, compressed air, fans and pumps.
2. Identify the equipment that uses the most energy in the plant and its respective monetary expenditure. From the electricity, natural gas and fuel bills from the previous year's plant, the total annual energy cost by type of fuel and the cost per unit of energy are determined.
3. Create a work team that monitors energy use and develops savings plans.
4. Reduce excess air used in combustion by measuring and controlling the air-fuel ratio or the oxygen and carbon monoxide content of the exhaust gases of furnaces, boilers and similar equipment throughout the operation. This can result in energy savings ranging from 2 and 15%.
5. Clean heat transfer surfaces to lower the temperature of the exhaust gas and improve heat transfer, which can result in energy savings of the 1 to 5%.
6. Reduce radiation losses from openings in the plant to save energy, which is estimated to be between 1 and 2.5%.
7. Use the right furnace or boiler to reduce heat loss through walls, which can improve energy efficiency in a 1-2%.
8. Adequately insulate air- or water-cooled surfaces exposed to the furnace environment and the steam lines exiting the boiler to reduce pipe losses. This can result in energy savings of the 1 to 5%.
9. Install air preheating or other heat recovery equipment to recover available heat from exhaust gases and boiler purge, and transfer them back to the system through preheating. This can result in energy savings ranging from 1 and 25%, depending on the changes made.
10. Adequately size the drying and gas outlet system to reduce the main energy loss, which is what comes out through the outlet pipe. This can be achieved by evaluating and adjusting the exhaust system for processing conditions, which can improve many dryers in operation today.
11. Replace or repair balanced food milling equipment that is old or inefficient to take advantage of energy efficiency improvements in newly developed lines of equipment. Give priority to the machinery that requires the most energy.
12. Evaluate manufacturing and processing techniques to ensure that energy efficient processes match product needs. According to some research, the cost of additional equipment investment can be offset by less than a year of energy savings.
13. Avoid limiting energy evaluations to plants only; also evaluate computer center and office facilities to reduce the cost of energy. Replace inefficient lighting with cost-effective installations and bulbs and reduce unnecessary computer use.

In conclusion, reducing electrical energy consumption in industrial plants is a fundamental task to contribute to the fight against climate change and improve the efficiency of operations. Implementing measures to save electricity can not only reduce the carbon footprint, but it can also result in significant savings in electricity bills and improve the company's image in front of customers and stakeholders.

If you want advice and support in the certification of your next industrial project to achieve energy efficiency, contact us here.