Energy audits in industrial processes

Abstract

Efficiency improvements such as the adoption of many energy efficiency measures represent a driver for increasing industrial process performance due to related economic costs and significant environmental impacts. The energy audit, a well-known tool for analyzing energy flow and assessing energy saving opportunities, is demonstrated in this paper as one of the steps in an energy efficiency initiative.The focus of this study is on investigating the outcomes of energy efficiency improvements and analyzing the benefits achieved under various energy efficiency measures from energy audits based on case studies. Specifically, the objectives of the paper are listed as follows: (i) multidimensionality of energy audits for energy conversion, (ii) example tools used for energy audits, (iii) outline of competences of energy auditors. By discussing energy audit structure, new insights into non-energy benefits are defined with very positive outcomes in achieving the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions in industrial processes. The results show that the cost-effective and energy conservation potentials represent reduction in energy consumption by 30%, 13%, 70%, 14%, 10%, and 5% respectively for targeted processes used by energy-efficiency investments. The energy-efficiency investment plans were carefully formed based on local realities with the reasonable and acceptable return period of less than 2 years. The paper demonstrated non-benefits for achieving industrial energy efficiency, which should be embodied in the energy auditing framework and considered by plant operations managers during evaluation of energy efficiency investments.Based on six case studies, competences of energy auditors are also formulated as well.