Energy Efficiency in Industrial Processes

 

Energy efficiency in industrial processes is the ratio of useful output to input of energy in a system. This concept is not only important for environmental and economic reasons. It is also for creating value and innovation for industries. The most obvious benefit of improving energy efficiency can lower operational costs. In relation to that, it can enable to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance competitiveness for industries.

There are various strategies for improving energy efficiency in industrial processes. Implementing energy management systems and audits might be a start for most efforts. Those enable to identify and monitor energy use and performance. Then it is possible to set goals, track progress, and identify opportunities for improvement. For example, the ISO 50001 standard provides a framework for establishing and implementing an energy management system. This standard provides a practical way to improve energy use, through the development of an energy management system.

Adopting best practices and technologies for process optimization can be the tools to rely on. Technologies such as heat recovery, waste minimization, and variable speed drives can help to reduce energy losses, increase efficiency, and optimize production. For example, heat recovery systems such as boilers, furnaces, and ovens, can capture and reuse the otherwise wasted heat from caused by industrial processes. Renewable energy is a hot topic, thus investing in renewable sources can help to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, lower carbon footprint, and save costs.

Some other tools to further enhance those efforts could be applying innovative solutions, such as digitalization, smart sensors, and artificial intelligence. These can help to collect and analyze data, automate and control processes. For example, digitalization can enable to connect and integrate their processes, equipment, and systems, and to access real-time information and insights.

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Newton. Engaging in collaborative actions and partnerships with other stakeholders, such as governments, regulators, customers, and suppliers is a sure way to take. To share knowledge and best practices, or to create incentives and standards for energy efficiency benefits could be countless. These can help to align objectives, leverage resources, and overcome barriers. The Energy Star program, which recognizes and promotes energy-efficient products and practices has been running since 1992. It is estimated that, in 2020 alone, the program’s emissions reductions were equivalent to more than five percent of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, besides many controversies, create meaningful impacts as a result of energy efficiency projects. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), improving energy efficiency could deliver over 40% of the emissions reductions needed to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. At this point two other terms come into the mix, energy conservation and sustainable energy. Energy efficiency might be regarded as a subset of energy conservation, whereas it can also be regarded as a cornerstone of sustainable energy targets. For the sake of energy conservation, using the optimal amount of electricity for each process and minimizing the losses can be achieved by, for instance, utilizing power factor correction. On the other hand, efficient use of renewable energy sources can contribute to sustainable energy, that is another way of saying “meeting energy needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

By improving energy efficiency, industries can save money most obviously on energy bills. Global industry could save around $437 billion a year from 2030 via energy efficiency savings, a study by the Energy Efficiency Movement shows. It is an industry collective, which has Switzerland's ABB, Germany's DHL Group, Sweden's Alfa Laval and Microsoft among its members, said four gigatons of carbon emissions could be saved by 2030.

That brings another question to the table, enhancing competitiveness and market share. By improving energy efficiency, industries can improve product quality, customer satisfaction, and reputation, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

Fostering innovation and creativity could be a benefit as well as a challenge for organizations. According to the World Economic Forum, energy efficiency can drive the transition to a circular economy, where resources are used more efficiently and waste is minimized. In contrast, many industries may face technical and organizational challenges to improve energy efficiency, such as replacing or upgrading old and inefficient equipment, optimizing their complex and interrelated processes, and coordinating and collaborating with their internal and external stakeholders.

Many industries lack awareness and knowledge about energy efficiency opportunities and solutions.  They may not be aware of the potential benefits and solutions for improving energy efficiency or may not have the necessary skills and expertise to implement them. High upfront costs and long payback periods seem to be an entry barrier in that sense. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and International Energy Agency (IEA), today’s $135 billion financing has a gap of $1.5 trillion for energy efficiency projects in emerging markets.

There is some consensus regarding regulatory and polices as well as some uncertainties. Industries may face regulatory and policy uncertainties that affect their energy efficiency decisions. It is clear that there is a need for more stable and coherent policies and regulations to create a favorable environment for energy efficiency investments.

Energy efficiency is important for industries. It creates value and innovation. It also helps to solve environmental and economic problems. But energy efficiency has benefits and challenges. Industries and other stakeholders need to utilize different methods to measure industrial process’s energy efficiency, depending on the purpose and situation. Industries can use effective strategies to improve energy efficiency, that can help industries to reach their energy goals

Data Science and Your Business

British mathematician Clive Humby famously declared “data is the new oil.”

As a petroleum engineer that quote got me! When dug deeper into it I realized he meant that "data, like oil, isn't useful in its raw state". It needs to be refined, processed, and turned into something useful; its value lies in its potential. Be it the gas in your car, or the plastic components in the mobile device you are holding in your hand, or numerous other areas of your life you make use of the oil... Same approach needs to be practiced when talking about data.

Let us start with the process of extracting the data. The business must commission the site for extracting the data, it could be an automatic data collection (like a combination of IIOT and ERP systems) or a manual labor (could be spreadsheets). -- I will share more on how to collect data in later articles. – At this point, there might be a need to use third party contractors to assess the data quality and examine the usability of the data. Also, the business needs to keep in mind the process of transferring and storing the data. Finally, the data is ready to be refined, so as the data-driven decision-making.

Data-driven decision-making is a powerful tool that can help businesses make informed decisions that drive growth and process improvement. By leveraging data science, businesses can gain insights into customer behavior, market trends, and other key business metrics that can help them make better decisions. For example, a business might use data science to measure the speed of rotating equipment in their manufacturing plant to identify the average capacity of the facility. By analyzing this data, businesses can optimize their production processes and improve efficiency. This can help them reduce costs, increase output, and stay competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment.

There are some important parameters comes into play here. Most data work is focused on tasks such as adding new fields to databases, aligning systems, defining metadata, and implementing low-level governance. Those who work with data often struggle to engage the business on these tasks. Aligning all these with business strategy is completely another level requiring an expert. When businesses ask for better data controls, data specialists may lack the skills or business acumen needed to drive an idea forward. As a result, data activities are often disconnected from business strategy and tend to be low-level and short-term in nature. Data activities are becoming increasingly costly so to minimize such risks it is imperative to collaborate with experienced professionals. Even someone from outside of the company would be a better choice.

There is abundance of opportunities in the field of data science, such as analytics, artificial intelligence, data quality, monetization, privacy, small data, and security. Just like extracting oil out of the rocks deep into the earth’s crust, data needs to be carefully extracted and refined. I would be happy to provide my consulting services and industry expertise to carefully extract things that the eye cannot see—no pun intended!

Fossil Fuels: Three shades of energy forms

 

 

Thermodynamics and energy transformation are fascinating topics that explore how heat, work, and energy are related. Thermodynamics is the branch that studies the laws governing physical phenomena, such as the conservation of energy and the increase of entropy. Energy transformation is the process of changing one form of energy into another, such as converting chemical energy into mechanical energy or electrical energy into thermal energy. Energy transformation is governed by the principles of thermodynamics, which determine the efficiency and feasibility of different types of energy conversion.

One way to measure the efficiency of energy conversion is to calculate the ratio of the useful output energy to the input energy. For example, generally a solar panel converts 100 joules of solar energy into 20 joules of electrical energy, so efficiency is 20%. The remaining energy is usually lost to the environment as heat unless it is made useful, e.g., district heating. The higher the efficiency, the less energy is wasted in the process. In another example, nuclear energy plants have about the double efficiency (~40%) of converting nuclear fission into electricity, but it also has high costs, safety risks, and radioactive waste disposal challenges. Wind energy has about the same efficiency of converting wind into electricity, but it works as long as there is wind. Therefore, efficiency should not be the only factor that affects the feasibility of energy conversion.

The best energy sources and technologies for a sustainable future depend on several factors, such as cost, availability, reliability, environmental impact, and social acceptability. Each energy source and technology has its own advantages and disadvantages, and no single solution can meet all the energy needs of the world. Therefore, a mix of various types of energy conversion (source) and optimal balance between efficiency and feasibility might be the best way to ensure energy security, affordability, and environmental protection. For example, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and biomass can provide clean and abundant energy, but they also depend on weather conditions and geographic locations. On the other hand, fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are widely available and reliable, but they also emit greenhouse gases and cause air pollution. Nuclear energy is another option that can produce large amounts of electricity with low carbon emissions, but it also poses safety and waste management challenges. Therefore, the costs and benefits of each energy source and technology need to be carefully evaluated, and the most suitable combination for different regions and scenarios need to be found.

Fossil fuels have been a controversial topic for many years, with some people arguing that they are essential to our way of life and others arguing that they are destroying the planet. However, there might be some advantages to fossil fuel use that tend to be overlooked. Fossil fuels have a high energy density, comparable only to nuclear energy. They can produce a lot of power with a small amount of fuel. This makes them efficient and cost-effective. Fossil fuels are versatile and can be converted into different forms of energy, such as gas, oil, coal, and biofuels. This gives them flexibility and adaptability to different needs and situations. They also have well-established infrastructures and markets that support their production and distribution. In addition, fossil fuel technology is globally developed making it to enable many products and services that is used every day, even in the remotest parts of the world. They do not depend on weather conditions or geographic locations. They can also meet the high demand instantly whenever needed.  

All that being said, it comes down to our greed. Fossil fuels also allow us to enjoy many of the things that we take for granted, such as air conditioning, refrigeration, and television. Without fossil fuels, we would have to live in smaller homes, would have to travel less, and would have to eat a less varied diet. That is where environmental impacts begin. Concepts such as carbon footprint can tell us where to stop being greedy. Humankind since the control of fire used fossil fuels in all three energy forms, solid-liquid-gas. Evidence for the "microscopic traces of wood ash" as controlled use of fire by Homo Erectus, beginning roughly 1 million years ago. Until the industrial revolution, we were kind enough to live within our means. In conclusion, fossil fuels do have environmental impacts, these impacts can be mitigated with new technologies and regulations. We should continue to use fossil fuels in a responsible way while we develop new energy sources. We should also invest in new technologies to reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use.

Carbon

Carbon is one of the most important and versatile elements in nature. It is the only element that has a major field of chemistry devoted to the study of its compounds, organic chemistry. Most organic compounds come from living things, or once living things.

Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe. Carbon atoms forged in the heart of aging stars. Most carbon on Earth is stored in rocks. The rest is in the ocean, atmosphere, living cells, soil, and fossil fuels.

Carbon has unique physical and chemical properties that make it capable of forming a wide variety of compounds, from simple molecules like carbon dioxide and methane to complex macromolecules like proteins and DNA. Carbon can form four covalent bonds (sharing of electrons to form electron pairs) with other atoms, allowing it to create different shapes and structures, such as chains, rings, and networks. Carbon can also form multiple bonds, such as double and triple bonds, with other carbon atoms or with atoms of other elements, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. That is how carbon is found in many forms in nature, such as graphite, diamond, coal, charcoal, and organic matter.

For instance, graphite and diamond are two allotropes of carbon. Allotropes mean they have the same chemical composition but different physical structures and properties. Graphite is soft, black, and metallic looking, while diamond is hard, clear, and shiny. Graphite is a good conductor of electricity and heat, while diamond is a good insulator. Graphite is used in pencils, lubricants, and batteries, while diamond is used in jewelry, cutting tools, and abrasives.

Carbon is the main component of organic molecules, that makes it essential for life on Earth. Carbon is present in all living organisms, from bacteria and plants to animals and humans. Carbon is involved in many biological processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, metabolism, and synthesis of biomolecules. Carbon is also stored in various reservoirs on Earth, such as the atmosphere, the oceans, the soil, and the biosphere. The movement of carbon between these reservoirs is called the carbon cycle.

The carbon cycle is the process by which carbon moves between different reservoirs on Earth, such as the atmosphere, the biosphere, the oceans, and the geosphere. The atmosphere contains carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas that traps heat and regulates the Earth’s temperature. Carbon dioxide is exchanged between the atmosphere and other reservoirs through various processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, or combustion. The biosphere consists of all living organisms on Earth, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.

The biosphere stores carbon in the form of organic matter, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The biosphere takes in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, which converts light energy into chemical energy and produces oxygen. The biosphere releases carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere through respiration, which breaks down organic matter and releases energy and water. The biosphere also transfers carbon to other reservoirs through decomposition, which converts dead organic matter into simpler compounds, such as methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

The oceans contain carbon in the form of dissolved inorganic carbon, which is mainly composed of bicarbonate, carbonate, and carbon dioxide. The oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through air-sea gas exchange, which depends on factors such as temperature, salinity, and wind speed. The oceans also release carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere through the same process. The oceans also store carbon in the form of living and non-living marine biota, such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, coral, and shells. The oceans transfer carbon to other reservoirs through the biological pump, which involves the sinking of organic matter to the deep ocean, and the carbonate pump, which involves the precipitation of calcium carbonate to the ocean floor.

The geosphere comprises the Earth’s interior, such as the mantle and the crust, and the surface, such as the rocks, minerals, and sediments. The geosphere stores carbon in the form of inorganic compounds, such as limestone, dolomite, and coal. The geosphere exchanges carbon with other reservoirs through geological processes, such as weathering, erosion, volcanism, and plate tectonics. Weathering and erosion dissolve and transport carbon from rocks and sediments to the oceans and the atmosphere. Volcanism and plate tectonics release carbon from the Earth’s interior to the atmosphere and the oceans through volcanic eruptions and subduction zones.

The carbon cycle is a complex and dynamic system that involves many interactions and feedbacks among different reservoirs and processes. The carbon cycle is also influenced by human activities, such as deforestation, land use change, and fossil fuel combustion, which have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and altered the natural balance of the cycle. The carbon cycle is important for understanding the Earth’s climate and its changes over time. The fast and slow carbon cycles maintain a relatively steady concentration of carbon in the atmosphere, land, plants, and ocean. However, if anything changes the amount of carbon in one reservoir, the effect ripples through the others. In the past, the carbon cycle has changed in response to climate change. Variations in Earth’s orbit alter the amount of energy Earth receives from the Sun and leads to a cycle of ice ages and warm periods like Earth’s current climate. Today, changes in the carbon cycle are happening because of human activity.

Carbon as a free element by itself is harmless and considered nontoxic. On the other hand, carbon is threatening to life because it is a major contributor to global climate change because of the disturbances in the carbon cycle. Carbon cycle mechanisms are formed in the scale of billion years. The carbon released with the use of fossil fuels is basically releasing the energy trapped in the crust for millions of years in a relatively short amount of time. Without human interference, the carbon in fossil fuels would leak slowly into the atmosphere through volcanic activity over millions of years.

According to NASA, through a series of chemical reactions and tectonic activity, carbon takes between 100-200 million years to move between rocks, soil, ocean, and atmosphere in the slow carbon cycle. On average, 10^13 to 10^14 grams (10–100 million metric tons) of carbon move through the slow carbon cycle every year. In comparison, human emissions of carbon to the atmosphere are on the order of 10^15 grams, whereas the fast carbon cycle moves 10^16 to 10^17 grams of carbon per year. This energy release accompanied by carbon dioxide makes conditions more damaging. That is because, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning it helps to keep the earth warm retaining the heat from sunlight. Carbon dioxide also remains in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years, affecting the temperature and weather patterns.

Carbon is a vital element that has many roles and impacts on our planet and our lives. Carbon is the basis of chemistry, biology, and technology, as well as a key factor in environmental and social issues. Carbon is a remarkable element that deserves our attention and appreciation.

Build a business like a sculptor

 

In the words of Michelangelo, “I take a piece of marble and cut off the excess.”

I was experimenting with a business simulation today and this quote comes up. Those words felt relevant to the world of business, particularly business process improvement. The goal is to identify inefficiencies and streamline processes to create a more efficient and productive organization.

Business process improvement is a critical aspect of any organization. It involves analyzing existing processes, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing changes to improve productivity, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. The use of ERP components can help organizations achieve these goals by providing insights, automating manual processes, and optimizing supply chain management. To effectively use the ERP management system, data needs to be fed. Data plays a crucial role in business process improvement by providing insights into customer behavior, identifying trends, and predicting future outcomes. Industrial instrumentation and IIOT are key components helping organizations monitor and control their real-time manufacturing processes. At this point product lifecycle can benefit from business process improvement. By optimizing product development processes, organizations can reduce time-to-market, improve product quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to money. Without improving monetary aspects of the business all other improvements will be void. Thus, financial and cost management must be addressed when talking about business process improvement. By identifying areas where costs can be reduced without compromising quality or customer satisfaction, organizations can improve their bottom line while maintaining ambitious standards. With carefully taken steps alongside a trusted consultant, the business improvement process should go smoothly.

A hammer and a spreadsheet

Spreadsheets may be the bookkeepers of many businesses, but are they really the best tool for all?

Spreadsheets are the core of many businesses around. They are also the first-to-look-at sources of KPIs. In fact, there is nothing wrong with that. Considering many businesses still did not implement any kind of MES, ERP or CRM system spreadsheets are the bookkeepers of many verticals along that business. They are like a Swiss Army knife; they are versatile and can be used for many different tasks. A Swiss Army knife can be used to open a bottle of wine or cutting vegetables but many kitchens, be it a home or a professional one, still uses separate corkscrews and knifes.

Spreadsheets have also allowed us to create management systems, where we can pull numbers, transform them, plot them and generate actions. The questions here can be, are we extracting valuable information? Are we transforming that information into actions? Are we upgrading our tools and get better insights?

With all questions in mind, the cost of the solution is also an elephant in the room. From my experiences I have seen a wide range of prices for a product or a service. There is an advantage in the name of the prices coming from a specialized startup that has a particular feature. Alternatively, an open-source library (maybe a Python library) that can be used at zero cost, but it may not be user-friendly. There are also widely known, expensive options that provide powerful data analytics and impressive graphic displays (which I am not a big fan of).

I am on the roll to help my clients achieve their business goals. Whether looking for a custom solution tailored to specific needs or an off-the-shelf product that can be easily integrated into existing workflow, I can provide you with the expertise needed. With a focus on data analytics and management systems, valuable insights can be extracted from your data and transformed into actionable items. Additionally, access to the latest technologies and best practices in the field can be provided. If you’re interested in learning more about how I can help, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

P.S.: Hammer analogy was from a piece I have read recently reminding the saying “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will start treating all your problems like a nail.”