The Least Energy Demand Method as Metric to Describe the Relative Energy Efficiency of a Product Based on its Manufacturing

Abstract

This paper presents a calculation system for evaluating the energy efficiency of a product regarding its production. In order to evaluate the energy efficiency of the manufacturing of a product value-adding processes as well as auxiliary processes are taken into account. Furthermore, the energy consumption of the periphery, in total is included. Since the total value-added chain of a product usually is not located at only one company, the energy efficiency of the manufacturing of the bought-in parts must also be included. In a last step, the plant specific energy efficiency at the product level based on all plants that produce the observed product can be determined. The basic target is a comparability of the energy efficiency across products by derivation of significant KPI’s. The basis to derive possible saving potentials is he relative energy efficiency (REE), which is the quotient of the minimal energy demand and actually measured consumption. For this, it is required that the actually measured energy consumption is based on an independent basis of comparison. This is assured by the stepped least energy demand method, for a product, based on the process-related perspective level of the bottom-up approach.