Due to their particularly energy-intensive manufacturing processes, industries experience significant energy consumption. To limit the impact of this overconsumption on energy bills, manufacturers can (and should) implement energy optimization solutions. However, where do you start and which levers should you pull? Powesco explains!
Why do manufacturers need to optimize their energy consumption?
Industrial companies are among the largest energy consumers
According to key energy figures published by the Ministry of Territorial Development and Ecological Transition, industry is the third largest consumer of final energy in France in 2023, with 19% of the share.
Good to know: energy consumption translates into carbon emissions. Reducing energy consumption therefore contributes to industrial decarbonization.
Industrial energy consumption is expensive
This high energy consumption translates into high energy bills, especially when energy prices are rising, as was the case during the Covid crisis and the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Thus, according to INSEE, “Between 2019 and 2023, the energy bill (for industrial companies) almost doubled (+94%).”
Optimizing energy consumption therefore helps to reduce the financial costs of industries.
Regulations require industries to optimize their energy
Finally, there are numerous regulations concerning energy optimization for industries, both at the European (Fit for 55, carbon neutrality by 2050 etc.) and in France.
Thus, certain industries are affected by:
- the obligation to carry out an energy audit in accordance with the NF EN 16247 standard ;
- The tertiary sector decree : progressive reduction of energy consumption by 2050.
In this context, energy optimization makes it possible to meet regulatory obligations.
What are the levers for optimizing energy in industry?
Numerous solutions exist to improveenergy efficiency in industry.
Optimization of industrial equipment
Firstly, industries are generally equipped with energy-intensive machines : industrial ovens, dryers, crushers, conveyors, etc. The priority is therefore to optimize the energy consumption of these utilities.
Preventive and predictive maintenance
It is not uncommon to see machines break down regularly or consume excessive energy due to defects or poor maintenance. To address this problem, manufacturers must implement a suitable maintenance strategy: namely preventive maintenance (regular equipment maintenance to limit energy losses), or even predictive maintenance (detection of future anomalies using AI).
Machine replacement
Some machines are also energy-intensive due to their age or the energy source used to power them (fossil fuels). To optimize energy consumption, it may be worthwhile to replace your old machines with those that run on renewable energy : waste heat recovery, installation of solar panels to generate electricity for self-consumption.
Optimization of industrial processes
The second area to focus on to reduce an industry's energy consumption is the optimization of industrial processes. Many industries still rely on manual. However, these are often time-consuming, complex, or fail to properly identify energy sources.
Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0
Intelligent control presents an opportunity for manufacturers. It allows for the automated monitoring of machine energy consumption. Also known as Industrial IoT, it involves installing sensors on various equipment to collect consumption data, analyze it, and identify potential energy losses. This solution enables ushering in a new technological era: Industry 4.0!
EMS or SME
The EMS (Energy Management System) or SME in French (Système de Management de l'Energie) is a tool that allows real-time monitoring of energy consumption data from Significant Energy Consumption Domains (DCES) in order to optimize them.
Powesco offers its own Energy Management Expert System (EMES). Nextep, our energy consumption management platform, allows you to, for example:
- collect consumption data, bills and energy contracts
- visualize energy consumption and costs at the park, site, building, meter and sub-meter level.
- analyze monthly consumption by meter to better understand consumption habits.
- monitor your energy consumption in real time via tailored energy performance indicators and customized dashboards;
- be alerted in case of energy deviations or anomalies detected via multi-grid analysis (global, site, building, PDL);
- Optimize your processes through the implementation of corrective actions, as well as training, coaching, and workshops to raise awareness of eco-friendly practices.
How to implement an energy optimization project in industry?
There are two ways to deploy an energy optimization project in the industrial sector: internally or by using a specialist like Powesco.
Internally
If you choose to implement an internal energy optimization project for your industry, follow these steps:
- appoint one or more energy managers dedicated to managing this project;
- train your energy managers on energy efficiency issues via the PROREFEI for example;
- Conduct an audit to assess your current energy situation and compare it with your future progress;
- collect energy consumption data with a dedicated tool (SME, BMS etc);
- analyze the results obtained through the energy performance indicators (EPIs) in order to draw relevant lessons;
- suggest recommendations for improvement;
- monitor energy consumption in order to optimize existing systems.
Hiring a specialist like Powesco
Powesco is an energy services integrator. We offer a range of solutions and services tailored to the energy optimization challenges of your industry:
- an integrated design office to carry out your regulatory energy audit;
- the possibility of financing your energy optimization work through our third-party financing offer ( ESCO type energy performance contract );
- the execution of energy efficiency works by our teams and the supervision by our project manager and client (relamping, HVAC);
- making our platform to help you understand and reduce your energy expenses;
- Energy brokerage to choose the most advantageous energy contract for your industry and benefit from tax optimization.
