HARNESSING THE POWER OF DATA: OPTIMIZING ENERGY MANAGEMENT FOR EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY
In our ever-evolving industrial landscape, the efficient management of energy resources has become paramount. As we strive towards sustainability and cost-effectiveness, energy data management emerges as a critical tool in achieving these goals. This edition of our newsletter delves into the essentials of energy data management, its components, benefits, and real-world applications.
Understanding Energy Data Management
Energy data management involves the collection, analysis, and use of energy consumption and production data to optimize energy usage, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. This process is crucial for industries, utilities, and even residential users aiming to manage their energy resources more effectively.
Christoph Dorigatti, Vice President of global business development at automation supplier COPA-DATA, explains how energy data management systems (EDMS) are critical to complying with EU sustainability reporting requirements.
According to the Deloitte 2023?CxO Sustainability Report, 75?per cent of organizations have increased their sustainability investment over the past year. Nealy one in six companies have taken actions to increase energy efficiency and 54?per cent of them have invested in energy-efficient or climate-friendly machinery, technologies and equipment.
To succeed, these companies must measure their performance against sustainability targets. Accurate reporting is core to this strategy and is now a legal requirement. Starting from January 2025, around 50,000?EU companies will need to report on their sustainability progress under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The Directive applies to large companies, listed small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and non-EU companies generating over €150?million on the EU market.
Sustainability reporting challenges
SMEs may lack the resources to invest in dedicated environmental, social and governance (ESG) software or specialized personnel to monitor greenhouse gas emissions. These companies must also track indirect emissions generated by other stakeholders along their value chains. These are the so-called scope three emissions, which can be particularly difficult to measure. Manual processes aren’t a viable alternative. Monitoring emissions and energy consumption involves regular on-site meter readings. This process can be costly and time-consuming, as meters may be in hard-to-reach locations. In addition, manual data entry can lead to errors and inaccurate reporting. Another limitation of manual processes is the lack of continuous real-time energy monitoring. It is virtually impossible to gain valuable insight into consumption trends and implement efficiency measures without real-time data.
Energy data management software
EDMS can help companies continuously gather and analyze information from multiple data points to generate accurate reports on energy consumption and emissions.
Thanks to more than 300?connection options, software solutions like zenon from COPA-DATA connect with virtually any hardware out-of-the-box. Companies can collect and process all the data on a single platform.
By gaining real-time visibility into energy usage patterns, companies can identify inefficiencies and implement targeted improvements, achieving energy savings and reducing carbon emissions.
By automating data collection, solutions like zenon also streamline reporting and auditing, helping companies meet their regulatory requirements.
Brewing sustainably
The ?elarevo brewery in Serbia, owned by the Carlsberg Group, is an excellent example of how companies can progress toward sustainability with an automated EDMS.
?elarevo’s EDMS is based on the zenon software. This setup enables the brewery to easily monitor energy consumption in real-time, detecting peaks and irregularities during production. This approach ensures compliance with energy efficiency standard ISO 50001, while enabling data exchange with other databases, including SAP or other ERP systems. Thanks to its compatibility with multiple HMIs, zenon also enhances the user experience. Operators can easily visualize data on their devices and react promptly to increased consumption or other anomalies.
Despite increasing its production, ?elarevo achieved annual steam consumption savings of four per cent — that’s the equivalent of 0.45?kWh per hl of beer. The brewery also achieved three per cent water savings or 0.15?hl of water per hl of beer.
Automated data collection, reporting and analysis also enhanced operational efficiency, eliminating on-site meter readings and the time spent on manual data entry. By freeing up these resources, the company can focus on making progress toward its sustainability goals.
Toward better sustainability reporting
Modern EDMS supported by zenon can go a long way toward helping companies report on sustainability more accurately. This approach should be a cornerstone of every organization’s sustainability strategy, from large to small companies. Real-time monitoring and data analysis support these organizations on their path to a sustainable future.
What is an energy data management system (EDMS)??
Energy data management systems (EDMS) collect real-time consumption and production data.?Instead of collecting this data manually, an EDMS does this work for you automatically and provides reliable data for your reporting purposes. An EDMS is part of a higher-level energy management system (EMS).?
Users at manufacturing companies or makers of industrial equipment can actively monitor power consumption and take steps to reduce it.
Ultimately, it's about increasing efficiency and reducing costly carbon-emitting processes. By using an energy data management system, you can bring more transparency to your power consumption mix and identify the biggest consumers in your company.
An established energy data management system is the foundation of a fully automated factory, a smart factory or connected factory.
It collects the data from your production processes and provides a real-time picture of your equipment’s power consumption. This allows you to reduce potential environmental pollution caused by high consumption and, at the same time, reduce costs.
Conclusion
Energy data management is not just a technological advancement; it's a strategic necessity in today's energy-conscious world. By harnessing the power of data, businesses and individuals can achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and sustainability.
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