Industrial Decarbonization by a New Energy-Baseline Methodology. Case Study

Abstract

The main target of climate change policies in the majority of industrialized countries is to reduce energy consumption in their facilities, which would reduce the carbon emissions that are generated. Through this idea, energy management plans are developed, energy reduction targets are established, and energy-efficient technologies are applied to achieve high energy savings, which are environmentally compatible. In order to evaluate the impact of their operations and investments, companies promote measures of performance in their energy management plans. An integral part of measuring energy performance is the establishment of energy baselines applicable to the complete facility that provide a basis for evaluating energy efficiency improvements and incorporating energy performance indicators. The implementation of energy management systems in accordance with the requirements of ISO Standard 50001 is a contribution to the aim and strategies for improving cleaner production in industries. This involves an option for the industry to establish energy benchmarks to evaluate performance, predict energy consumption, and align production with the lowest possible consumption of primary and secondary forms of energy. Ultimately, this goal should lead to the manufacturing of cleaner products that are environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and are in accordance with the global environmental targets of cleaner manufacturing. This paper discusses an alternative for establishing energy baselines for the industrial sector in which several products are produced from a single raw material, and we determined the energy consumption of each product and its impact on the overall efficiency of the industry at the same time. The method is applied to the plastic injection process and the result is an energy baseline (EBL) in accordance with the requirements of ISO 50001, which serves as a reference for determining energy savings. The EBL facilitates a reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in sectors such as plastics, a sector which accounts for 15% of Colombia’s manufacturing GDP.

Energy Management Model for Sustainable Development in Hotels within WB6

“…Another study presents the application of an energy characterization method based on the ISO 50001 standard in a dry paper production plant, including combining energy management indicators and life cycle assessment indicators [65]. An alternative for establishing energy baselines for the industrial sector and where the energy consumption of each product was identified was presented in [66]. The presented method was applied to the plastic injection process, and the result was an energy baseline in accordance with the requirements of ISO 50001.…”

A Methodology to Analyze Significant Energy Uses and Energy Consumption for Improving Energy Performance in Higher Education Buildings

“…This standard establishes guidelines for planning, implementing, monitoring, and controlling an organization's energy performance through adopting an EnMS (Fichera et al, 2020). The implementation of the EnMS, under ISO 50001 requirements, contributes to reducing energy consumption and thus achieving commitments to reduce carbon footprint in organizations both at the national and international levels (Castrillón-Mendoza et al, 2020), being an element to strengthen the path towards energy sustainability.…”