Process industries and manufacturers are grappling with the urgent need to improve energy efficiency while minimising substantial investments in new equipment.
The escalating cost of energy that affects both households and businesses across the UK is also taking its toll on industrial organisations.
Moreover, as legislation continues to push towards a Net Zero target by 2050 and global energy security concerns persist, few companies will have large CAPEX budgets for the digitalisation required to meet the challenges head on.
However, amidst these testing times, there is a promising opportunity: leveraging the wealth of data already generated within operations to forge innovative, energy-saving tactics and strategies.
Some reports suggest the issues around energy security and costs will negatively impact the UKās ability to reach Net Zero by the target date in the short term, but accelerate the overall adoption of supply-side renewable energy sources in the longer term.
However, the necessary investment in renewable energies and associated infrastructure is large and fossil fuels will remain an important part of the UKās energy mix for some time yet. In short, process industries must be mindful of the cost of sustained high-cost energy for the short and perhaps medium term and adopt strategies to minimise the cost by reducing demand.
Creating an Energy Strategy
Crafting an effective energy strategy requires a holistic approach, and a good understanding of how much energy is used and by what within an organisation. Simple energy-saving measures, like switching off unused lights or using energy-efficient bulbs, while essential and worthwhile, won't considerably impact industrial-scale energy usage in process industries. The real key lies in reducing energy intensity without compromising on productivity.
In the consumer world, turning off unused devices can significantly reduce energy consumption on a small scale. The same principle, when applied to industry, can have similar benefits. But not all equipment in a facility can be turned on, off or down like a light switch.
Some devices are designed for constant operation, others require a large and expensive energy load to start-up. Shifting from fixed speed to Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) can provide huge energy-saving benefits but VSDs aren't suitable for all applications.
Harnessing the Power of Data
The real game-changer is the data woven into the fabric of the process industryās operations. Today's industrial assets are equipped with IoT capabilities, able to meticulously track energy consumption and usage patterns across the entire plant.
Where older machines, lines and factories are concerned, adding IoT sensors to generate this data is inexpensive. So, if the data already exists, or is inexpensive to harvest, how can it be used to drive down demand-side energy use? The answer lies in software.
The right software enables manufacturers to access detailed information on assets, including temperature, pressure and energy usage in a contextualised way, allowing operators and managers to understand the full picture of energy usage in light of the processes and performance of the whole site.
This level of data can highlight sources of inefficiencies at the machine level, like worn-out bearings or compromised pullies that need extra energy to perform their task. Whilst such inefficiencies might not halt production instantly, they can escalate a facilityās energy usage over time.
Data-driven maintenance schedules assist in decreasing both energy usage and unexpected downtime. Beyond maintenance, a fully contextualised understanding of energy usage offers operators and managers the insight to make changes to, for example, run times and shift times, to ensure that the most power hungry appliances pull energy when it is cheapest to buy. Gaining actionable intelligence from data then, is key to creating and implementing a strategic energy plan.
A real-world strategic energy plan anchored around an evolving digital pathway using data should incorporate:
Equipment Efficiency: Data provides insight into asset health, revealing inefficiencies not easily visible by sight alone. Monitoring variables such as temperature and pressure can pinpoint issues like worn-out components, which, if addressed, can decrease energy consumption and reduce unplanned downtime. A full understanding of asset health at any point is essential to identifying immediate opportunities to take remedial action.
Workforce Efficiency: Remote access (enabled by modern process manufacturing software) to a unified digital thread can facilitate swift issue assessment and resolution by experts. This cuts down on lost production time, streamlines the maintenance process and puts people at the heart of the business.
Energy Efficiency: Intelligent software can guide the rescheduling of energy-intensive processes to off-peak hours and slash costs. This not only saves money but also pushes the energy demand towards greener, more renewable sources from the supply side.
Rising energy costs are an issue for everyone. Yet for the process industry the challenge is amplified by the added complexity of managing multiple stakeholders and tight budgets. The good news? Upgrading equipment (CAPEX) isn't the only path to improved efficiency and a way to better protect the environment.
The right software can help the UK process industry to reduce energy consumption, enhance overall efficiency, and optimise their workforce operations with minimal disruption, and a rapid return on investment.
