During the last decade, much effort has been put into research and development of energy consumption technologies. Both industry and universities and research institutes, followed by government institutions, have been working to find the best way to cut the energy consumption of large consumers.

Of course, manufacturers are at the top of this list, especially in heavy industries, like those that produce chemicals, metal, or concrete.

Energy efficiency is a very topical issue, especially following increases in energy costs in recent months. In particular, according to an estimate by the Confindustria Study Center, in 2021 the cost of energy for businesses increased by 13 billion euros compared to 2019, while that forecast for 2022 will be 37 billion.

Energy efficiency diagnosis in the industrial sector: from the plant to the machinery

The first step is to provide information on the overall energy consumption on the entire factory floor. The following step is to see how much energy each machine consumes. You should be able to record accurate data from each piece of equipment that consumes energy, both modern and legacy industrial machines.

Furthermore, factory lighting, air conditioning, and all other auxiliary services should not be overlooked, as they can be high-energy consumers.

Having a clear vision for each stage of the sustainability journey is also of principal importance. Just remember that every successful strategy needs to be based on multiple balanced objectives – the value for the whole society, the financial benefits, and the value for the consumers.

Energy targets for 2030

The European Union has decided to make at least a 32,5% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030 as its target. This is part of the general climate and energy framework, which also encompasses cutting greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the share of renewable energy in Europe.

Is your company on the right track when it comes to energy efficiency? Do you have a plan in place?

Power consumption monitoring and energy cost reduction

Industrial IoT solutions are one of the most innovative and cutting-edge solutions in recent years. By allowing monitoring of production processes, they enable industries to reduce the use of energy resources, optimize production and minimize operating costs.

See the Zerynth IoT Platform in action watching this 30-min webinar “Power consumption monitoring and energy cost reduction”. You will discover how Zerynth, with Ergsense, created a complete IoT solution to monitor machine energy consumption parameters using non-invasive implementation methods.