5 Methods of Industrial Efficiency That Support Renewable Energy Aspirations
by Lou Farrell
Industrial efficiency is top of mind amid soaring energy prices. Renewable energy is one of the lifelines companies are embracing to address energy security, as energy independence often equates to stability. However, renewable resources only work as intended if the rest of the facility optimizes processes and utilities to accommodate the generator’s capabilities.
These are the most effective ways businesses can achieve efficient and independent energy with greener resources.
1. Process Heating Efficiency
A food manufacturer uses process heat to dry products, while a metal company may require it to melt recycled materials. Many activities across a facility are innately energy-intensive, and analyzing each one could reveal opportunities to make reasonable cuts.
Doing so will make renewable energy more viable, as its capacity will better match production requirements.
In 2022, total energy consumption across U.S. manufacturing totaled 18,348 trillion British thermal units, underscoring the need to prioritize industrial efficiency. Organizations must identify their most energy-intensive processes and machinery, such as fuel-fired furnaces.
Then, they can determine both why they waste heat and how to reduce their energy consumption while maintaining production quality. The cause may be everything from a programming issue in a robot to a cracked pipe causing a leak.
The workforce can translate these findings into actionable improvements. This includes replacing broken components, reconsidering fuel feedstock options or increasing preventive maintenance. After these changes are in place, teams can review other energy-saving opportunities related to the building itself.
This may include improving insulation in the furnace or building walls to reduce thermal transfer, or replacing heat-producing light bulbs with lower-energy alternatives. These changes support renewable generators while cooling environments.
2. Optimized Air Systems
Most people consider HVAC when they think of energy consumption, but compressed air in industrial facilities is another hidden utility that demands optimization. Every leak and piece of aging equipment that releases excessive air can cause utility costs to skyrocket, using more resources than necessary and wasting a significant amount of compressed air.
Failure to right-size could be a hidden reason for this wastage, so facilities could compare capacity with usage to see if they align.
Air compressors can account for 20%-30% of a facility’s electricity consumption, and many of their parts could be the cause. Teams can review the fans, drives, and motors and replace them with high-efficiency alternatives, such as variable-frequency drives (VFDs). Then, technicians can experiment with the controls to find the optimal setpoints.
Additionally, teams can institute more regular leak detection and inspections. If there is no consistent testing method, management can acquire more accurate devices to produce more comprehensive results, using regulatory compliance as a guideline.
This can reduce the power requirements of compressed air systems, placing less strain on renewable energy systems and backup power.
3. Efficient Electric Motor Systems
Each device and machine in a facility has a motor that consumes resources. The industrial ceiling fan, the air pump, and the robotic arm all have components keeping them powered. Over half of an industrial building’s electricity goes to machine drives.
With so much energy diverted to these mechanisms, teams can focus on a single goal while achieving significant energy gains to support renewable generators.
Ensuring every device follows current standards is the best place to start. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has recommendations for efficient designs and organizations seeking to minimize energy losses. The International Electrotechnical Commission is another invaluable resource that designates motors by efficiency class.
When determining which motors to install, right-sizing is key. They should meet and exceed needs, but only by a reasonable threshold. VFDs are ideal for automating loads because they adjust speed as needed.
For continued success and motor preservation, teams must use the components’ specs to determine a reasonable motor management plan, ensuring the components live to their expected lifespans.
4. Waste Heat Recovery
If facilities could capture the excess heat that would otherwise be emitted as waste, then they could recycle and repurpose it. This would supplement electricity needs while lowering the input required. Around 20%-50% of a facility’s heat goes to waste as exhaust gases, combustion excess, and radiant heat from machinery.
Heat recovery effectively supports all industrial processes. Teams can install machinery, such as recuperators and regenerators, to capture and utilize waste gases that can circulate through the system and preheat incoming air. Other options include:
- Economizers for boilers
- Heat pumps for low-temperature waste
- Organic Rankine Cycle systems for making electricity from waste heat
5. Strategic Industrial Insulation
Much like how compressed air leaks create waste, a building’s envelope can sacrifice even more. Auditing the structure optimizes renewable energy from a big-picture perspective, as solid insulation for walls, pipes, ducts, and tanks preserves internal conditions.
Therefore, everything internal can maintain optimal performance more frequently.
Facilities can request an insulation assessment to identify areas where insulation may be missing, outdated, or damaged. It may also be installed incorrectly, reducing its effectiveness.
Correcting these oversights will have a large-scale, long-term impact on overall electrical efficiency. When replacing insulation, the workforce must install the correct style and thickness. It has to be suited to the expected working environment so it lasts as long as possible.
Industrial Efficiency As the Gateway to Stabilizing Green Power
The first step in implementing renewable energy as the primary power source in a facility is process discovery. Plants need to know where most of their on-site energy is produced and lost, how much is wasted, and where teams can optimize to make their output conducive for a fully renewable electrical system.
The insights from these audits will simultaneously enable sustainable energy while optimizing manufacturing and production for greater quality and productivity.
Lou Farrell
Lou is the Senior Editor of sustainability and technology for Revolutionized Magazine. He has over 4 years of experience crafting compelling articles on a variety of topics, from energy efficiency trends to eco-friendly construction. He loves to write, and is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others.