Electric mobility, a key element in the decarbonisation of your company
In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, replacing internal combustion vehicles with electric vehicles is crucial. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to the transport of people and goods keep rising within the European Union. This concerns all types of vehicles, and a transition is necessary to meet national and European targets.
Purchasing these vehicles in principle requires the installation of one or more electric charging station(s) and can be supplemented by the installation of photovoltaic panels.
Key steps and aspects to consider when planning and implementing this change are outlined below.
In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, minimising the use of the vehicle fleet and promoting soft mobility alternatives is crucial. This measure aims to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by reorganising the company’s general mobility.
Considering the country’s special situation in that public transport is free, employees should make more use of it by changing their consumption habits.
Implementation of a variable speed system on dust or fumes extractor fans
The project consists in setting up a speed regulation system on the extractor fan, activated by the machines in operation which actually require the extraction of sawdust or fumes. It involves the addition of valves and a speed variator on the extractor fan. The valves open only when the machine is operating and the fan flow rate adjusts according to the pressure.
Installing this technology, which has been available on the market for more than 5 years, the company can save significantly, up to 50%, on its electricity bills (depending on the baseline production regime) and reduce its carbon footprint. This measure is quite simple to implement, can show a rapid return on investment, and does not require a production shutdown during installation.
Use of high-performance, combination tools to reduce cycle time
The measure involves replacing simple machining tools, changing the production mode and avoiding shutdowns for unplanned maintenance and cleaning.
Use of high-performance machining tools to increase machining speeds.
Use of combination machining tools to reduce the operating time of machine tools.
Optimisation of production changes using the SMED method (Single Minute Exchange of Die – rapid tool change in less than 10 minutes).
By installing these technologies, which have been available on the market for over 5 years, companies can save up to 30% on electricity costs and reduce their carbon footprint. This measure is not simple to implement and would entail a medium-to-long term return on investment. This measure can be implemented with only a partial production shutdown during installation.
The use of articulated arms to extract dust and fumes is a system that optimises dust collection.
Dedicated profiled nozzles must be placed as close as possible to the points generating dust or fumes.
It is necessary to set up a heat recovery system on the extracted air flows with air reinjection to balance the pressures.
By installing these technologies, which have been available on the market for over 5 years, companies can save up to 20% on electricity costs and reduce their carbon footprint. This measure is quite simple to implement and would entail a medium-to-long term return on investment. However, this measure requires a production shutdown during installation.
Some older machines do not have standby mode or energy-saving mode. Companies need to purchase new machines equipped with automatic shutdown functions to save money during periods when their equipment is not in use. Here are some examples of equipment requiring ECO mode: lubrication pumps, cooling fans, hydraulic pumps, servo motors and display standby (screens).
Installing this new technology can save businesses up to 5% on electricity consumption and reduce their carbon footprint. This measure is not easy to implement and cannot be justified by the cost of energy alone. This measure requires a temporary shutdown of production during installation.
Unclogging of dust filters using a differential pressure sensor rather than a timer
Most filter unclogging installations are equipped with a timer which injects compressed air against the flow to remove the sawdust. However, this practice is energy-intensive and does not work if the filters are clogged. Instead of ordering filter unclogging, it would be better to install pressure sensors upstream and downstream of the filters. The operation entails controlling filter unclogging by differential pressure sensor (pressure difference upstream and downstream of each filter), i.e. only when the filter bags are saturated with sawdust and when unclogging is really necessary.
The use of this technology, which has been on the market for over 5 years, can save businesses up to 5% in electricity costs and reduce their carbon footprint. This measure is quite simple to implement, can show a rapid return on investment, and does not require a production shutdown during installation.
The project consists in controlling the quantity of exchanged air required in an oven, by installing a speed variator on the exhaust fan controlled by an O2 sensor and a humidity sensor.
By installing this new technology, the company may save up to 20% on gas or fuel oil consumption and also reduce its carbon footprint by around 20%. This measure is rather difficult to implement, has a quick return on investment, but requires a production shutdown during installation.
Replacement of a gas or fuel oil oven with an electric oven (baking ovens)
The project consists in replacing an existing oven running on gas or fuel oil with an electric oven using infrared to bake the product.
Installing this technology, which has been available on the market for over 5 years, can save a company up to 80% on the oven’s energy consumption, as well as considerably reduce its carbon footprint because of its transition to a new energy source (from gas/fuel oil to electricity). However, this measure is rather difficult to implement, would entail a medium-to-long term return on investment, and requires a production shutdown during installation.
Waste heat recovery in oven exhaust system (baking ovens)
The project consists in installing a heat exchanger to capture the waste heat from the oven to heat the bakery store and to produce domestic hot water.
Installing this technology, which has been available on the market for more than 5 years, will allow the company to save up to 20% on its electricity consumption as well as reduce its carbon footprint by up to 20%. This measure is rather complex to implement, would entail a medium-to-long term return on investment, and requires a production shutdown during installation.
