Energy sobriety is all about common sense…
Individual carbon emission reduction involves common sense and a reflection on and questioning of one’s habits. The same goes for the industry.
Are the operating methods that were relevant 20 or 30 years ago still suitable given the current environmental paradigm?
Can the manufacturing process be reviewed without disrupting the entire production chain and while embracing a more efficient and energy-respectful change approach?
What is energy sobriety?
A true approach, its main objective is to reduce unnecessary consumption in order to limit harmful effects on the environment.
The negaWatt association specifies that energy sobriety is achieved through 4 levers:
– Convivial sobriety, which involves sharing equipment and its use.
– Dimensional sobriety, which concerns the proper sizing of equipment according to their conditions of use. This involves adapting the operation of machines in industries according to real needs.
– Structural sobriety, which consists of creating conditions in the organization of space or our activities for moderation of our consumption.
– Usage sobriety, which focuses on the proper use of equipment in order to reduce consumption.
Why do we hear more about energy sobriety today?
Facing the risk of gas and electricity shortages this winter, the government, specifically Prime Minister Elisabeth Born, presented her energy efficiency plan on October 6, 2022, with a clear objective: to reduce France’s consumption by 10% in two years and by 40% by 2050.
Dametis is proud to be a signatory of the Energy Efficiency Commitment. “Like the hummingbird, Dametis is doing its part.”
Energy Efficiency in Industry
This significant share highlights the major challenge that this sector represents. Initiating an energy efficiency approach today for industries is crucial to massively reduce their environmental impact and become true players in sustainable development in France.
Industries must implement actions to limit their consumption and achieve energy sobriety. Several simple gestures can be easily applied and result in substantial savings on annual energy bills: turning off machines/appliances at night, investing in less energy-intensive machines, and avoiding leaving devices on standby mode.
Reducing energy bills is also an important aspect of energy sobriety not to be overlooked. To reduce their bills, industries can turn to renewable energies such as biomass, geothermal, and wind power.
How to take action?
First step
- An assessment of your energy consumption and usage is essential to precisely identify possible improvements.
- Developing a tailored action plan for your company.
- Identifying the real needs of your factory, current carbon footprint, costs, and expected results.
- Taking the necessary steps to understand your factory’s operations and identify areas for improvement.
- Conducting a thorough study to offer you a solution tailored to your needs.
Second step
- Proposal of a less energy-consuming and more efficient alternative solution which aims to:
- reduce your energy consumption and expenses
- initiate you into an energy sobriety approach
- Support throughout your approach by implementing the selected technical and material solutions.
Third step
- Regular reports on commitments made to ensure the proper functioning of the implemented solution.
- Remote monitoring of the evolution of your installations’ consumption.
Customer cases to illustrate energy sobriety
Algae production activity
The current situation: Dametis has worked with a German alginate production industry located in Brittany, operating in a niche market. Created from algae, the manufacturing of alginate, which is then used for food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical purposes, is a rather complex process that requires heating and cooling the material several times.
Step 1: The reflection. Instead of multiplying the steps that each time require a significant amount of water to be heated or cooled to achieve the heating or cooling process, schematically, we confront the two masses of water: one at 100° and the other at 10° in order to recover the energy from one to cool the other.
Step 2: Next, we support the replacement of the existing equipment with the one recommended following the analysis to aim for energy efficiency.
Step 3: Then comes the time for the assessment, without which the approach would not make sense. The team reviews the initial data, the commitments made at the beginning of the project, and assesses the results of the new installation.
Guillaume Lecore, Director of Services at Dametis, adds: “This is a particularly interesting case at Dametis because instead of simply implementing a heat installation on a refrigeration system, we went further in the process to put in place rather unique things through an innovative process breaking the verticality of this type of industry.”
Dametis, alongside agri-food producers to optimize their production
Onion production activity
The current situation: An agri-food company producing onions wants to review its gas burner drying process to optimize its yield, avoid losses, and reduce its energy costs in a context where prices are often under pressure and where energy transition must be imminent. The issue is as follows: when an onion is harvested, it is moist. To preserve it, the moisture must be removed by drying it at a precise temperature never exceeding 22°C to prevent it from losing its properties and to avoid counterproductive effects that could lead to rotting. Once dry, however, it can then be stored for a very long time at 4°C.
Step 1: After a preliminary analysis of the environment and the current situation, air dehumidification was chosen as the drying method. The Dametis team recommended using outdoor air to blow on the onions to dry them. This air can then be cooled by a refrigeration system, and then reheated using the energy recovered from the cooling process before being blown onto the onions. It can capture much more moisture and thus allow for effective drying.
The solution: Implementation of a refrigeration system that has a much higher performance than the gas previously used, and which operates on electricity, therefore with a much better carbon footprint.
Guillaume Lecore, Director of Services at Dametis, adds: “This solution was recently implemented, we will provide a precise remote assessment, but immediately, by replacing gas with an electric system, we reduce CO2 emissions by around 75 to 80%.”
[2] https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/edition-numerique/chiffres-cles-energie-2021/pdf/chiffres-cles-de-l-energie-edition-2021.pdf
