But what is energy efficiency?
Energy efficiency, also known as efficient energy use, is the process of using less energy to perform the same task or achieve the same result. According to research conducted by the U.S. government, energy efficiency is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change and reduce electricity costs and consumption [2].
Furthermore, energy efficiency plays a crucial role in the process of decarbonizing the energy matrix: it reduces the specific energy demand, increases the resilience and reliability of electric transmission networks, and therefore contributes to accelerating the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power [3].
And how can we achieve energy efficiency?
Basically, increasing energy efficiency can be pursued in two ways: through new technologies and through digitalization, and both approaches go hand in hand. As for new technologies, there are so-called smart buildings, cogeneration and energy storage systems, thermal energy recovery systems, new materials or smart materials, among many others, that can be applied both in the industrial sector and in the domestic environment [4-8]. Digitalization, in turn, enables the optimal performance of all these new technologies.
But what is industrial digitalization, and how does it promote increased energy efficiency?
Let's start by thinking about a relatively simple industrial example: choosing the best sequence for placing metal parts in a continuous tempering furnace. In the tempering furnace, there are several temperature stages that give the parts the desired tempering characteristics.
In the decision-making process regarding the sequence in which the parts will enter the furnace, there may be some constraints, such as the fact that parts of the same metal alloy need to be placed together to undergo the same heating and cooling curve. So the question is: given the temperature conditions that each metal alloy needs to reach, what is the best sequence of parts to consume the least amount of fuel in the furnace?
As shown in the diagram below, if there are only 3 types of metal alloys, there are 6 possible sequences. If there are 12 metal alloys, this number increases to 479,001,600 possible sequences. If the operator took 0.001s to evaluate each option, it would take almost 6 days to choose the best sequence!
The problem becomes much more complex when new constraints and objectives are taken into account. Thus, even in this simple example, it becomes clear that it is impossible to make the best decision in a timely manner without an artificial intelligence tool. And digitalization meets this demand.
Digitalization involves the acquisition and manipulation of a large amount of data from a specific industrial process and the construction of mathematical models based on this data. These models, based on artificial intelligence, function as energy management systems, identifying opportunities for increased efficiency, making accurate predictions about the process, and guiding decision-making so that these improvements can be implemented in industrial processes and operations.
Vetta has brought digitalization to hundreds of industries around the world. Our Viridis® digital solutions suite manages energy in industries, improves energy efficiency in the production system, reduces energy-related costs and raw material consumption, and intelligently tracks carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, and waste. Digitalization is the new way to produce efficiently, sustainably, and intelligently. It is not the future; digitalization is already the present.
Need our help to develop your next energy efficiency solutions and innovations? Contact us: info@vetta.digital
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IEA. Supply – Key World Energy Statistics 2021 – Analysis - IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/key-world-energy-statistics-2021/supply (2020). Department of Energy of USA. Energy Efficiency . https://www.energy.gov/eere/energy-efficiency (2022). IEA. Driving Energy Efficiency in Heavy Industries – Analysis - IEA. https://www.iea.org/articles/driving-energy-efficiency-in-heavy-industries (2021). He, K. & Wang, L. A review of energy use and energy-efficient technologies for the iron and steel industry. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 70, 1022–1039 (2017). Government of Canada. 4 NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO MANUFACTURING PROCESSES. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/publications/efficiency/industrial/6843. E-Green Electrical. Seven Smart Tech Innovations That Are Changing The Energy Efficiency Game. https://e-greenelectrical.com.au/seven-smart-tech-innovations-that-are-changing-the-energy-efficiency-game/ (2022). World Energy Council. World Energy Perspective: Energy Efficiency Technologies . https://www.worldenergy.org/publications/entry/world-energy-perspective-energy-efficiency-technologies (2022). ACEEE-American Council for an Energy-efficient Economy. Emerging Technologies. https://www.aceee.org/topic/emerging-technologies.
