~ How choices around the facility impact heat transfer system performance ~

Our environment has a significant impact on how we work. According to a study by the Staples Corporation, 94 per cent of workers surveyed reported feeling more productive in a clean workspace. Businesses often want a clean space because it can reduce sick days, increase motivation and reduce stress, but did you know it can also improve equipment performance in manufacturing facilities? Here Dave Dyer, technical sales engineer at thermal fluid specialist Global Heat Transfer, explains how manufacturers can make changes around the facility to improve the productivity of their heat transfer system.

Proactive maintenance is vital when operating a heat transfer system. Regular maintenance of the equipment, as well as regular fluid sampling as part of a preventative maintenance programme such as Thermocare, enables manufacturers to monitor performance and fluid condition and prepare for maintenance before it leads to downtime.

While system and fluid maintenance are integral to productivity, manufacturers might still find that the system and thermal oil have a shorter lifespan than expected. In these situations, manufacturers might find that performance is impacted by conditions outside of the system.  

So, how can the choices you make around the facility impact productivity?

Housekeeping

A clean, organised working environment can both aid productivity and keep workers safe, so facilities managers should consider how they can improve general housekeeping of heat transfer systems. Taking steps to clear pathways and remove electric cables and rubbish, for example, are quick ways to reduce trip hazards on site.

When working with dangerous and flammable substances, such as thermal fluid, manufacturers should pay close attention to any oil outside of the system. Any spillages should be cleaned up immediately — while a smaller spillage might not directly impact production, leaving it unattended can increase the risk of slips and trips as well as fires.

Equipment needs

Over time, parts of the heat transfer system will begin to wear, reducing overall efficiency. While manufacturers might concentrate on proactively maintaining core components of the system, they should also prepare for when that part breaks down. Unplanned downtime stops production and increases operational costs, so manufacturers should have spare parts on site to reduce any production losses. Keeping critical spares on site, such as pump cartridges, parts for the heater or burner and spare fluid for topping up the system, can be integral to maintaining production.

Signage

To remain compliant with health and safety regulations and pass safety audits, manufacturers must have clear signage across the facility about safety procedures. Labelling flammable and high voltage areas and other hazards is important when using heat transfer oils.

Facilities managers can also introduce signage across the facility to improve maintenance procedures. Correctly labelling fluid ensures that old and new fluids are not confused when topping up the system — adding old fluid into a new barrel will result in more waste. Manufacturers should also add signage to the system indicating the direction of oil flow.

In an emergency

We all know the saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. Despite this, we often find that manufacturers have not adequately prepared for some emergency scenarios. While risk assessments may outline the probability of some of these issues occurring, facilities managers and health and safety managers should consider how they can better prepare for serious issues and ensure they are aware of who is best to call in each potential scenario.

Manufacturers should ask themselves what they would do if certain scenarios occur, such as the fluid going off low level, the heater stopping or the pump failing. Most importantly, manufacturers should consider how the facility would respond to major incidents. Having this plan in place is critical to protecting staff and reducing damage. Similarly, management teams must consider how to stop production quickly when issues occur. While many facilities have an emergency stop button, it is often located on or near the system. Placing the button far away from the system, in another room, by the door or by an exit, means that engineers can safely cease production while evacuating.

Storage

Where do you keep your thermal oil? To save on space, manufacturers can store oil outside, but leaving barrels to the elements can negatively impact the quality of the oil. For example, if rainwater sits on top of barrels or intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and then the air temperature heats up, the barrel or IBC expands. Once it cools down, the container contracts, syphoning water from the top, rendering the new oil as unusable, even if completely capped and sealed.

Similarly, when replacing oil, manufacturers should take care to clearly label waste oil and new oil, keeping them separate in the facility. Mislabelling could cause problems further down the line, such as topping up a system with old waste oil.

Making improvements   

Investing time and effort in preventative maintenance can improve site safety, increase productivity and reduce costs for manufacturers. Educating staff, both existing and new, on the importance of safety measures such as signage and housekeeping, as well as best practices like good oil storage and emergency planning, is integral part to heat transfer maintenance. Taking these steps is integral to regulatory compliance. For example, to comply with UKEX (formally known as ATEX 137) Regulations, manufacturers must follow best practice to ensure the safety of the site, monitor fluid to manage risk and train staff to effectively operate and maintain the system.

Just like a cluttered office can cause stress and reduce a team member’s ability to concentrate, a disorganised manufacturing facility can negatively impact machine performance. By including facility checks in proactive maintenance, facilities managers can extend the lifespan of their heat transfer system and better prepare for incidents that could lead to health and safety risks or costly downtime.

For more advice on heat transfer fluid and system management, contact thermal fluid supplier Global Heat Transfer by visiting www.globalhtf.com/contact.

About Global Heat Transfer: Global Heat Transfer is a thermal fluid specialist, providing heat transfer engineering assistance and thermal fluid supplies. Services offered include sampling and analysis, 24 hour delivery of premium quality thermal fluids, system drain down / cleaning / waste management, planned maintenance programs and a broad portfolio of affiliated system design and installation services. It is part of the Global Group of companies.

Valmet introduces a redesigned Valmet Rotating Consistency Measurement (Valmet Rotary) for pulp and paper producers. With the latest technology, a new user interface and easier maintenance, the transmitter continues to offer highly accurate fiber consistency measurement for critical applications. 

“Built on well-known technology and the long experience, the new measurement is robust and built to last. The patented technology ensures rapid measurement response and fast reaction to consistency variations,” says Sami Laaksonen, Product Manager, Automation Systems business line, Valmet. 

Reliable fiber consistency measurement

The redesigned Valmet Rotating Consistency Measurement has a new mechanical design and an electronic solution to improve reliability. Thanks to high sensitivity, the third generation is as accurate as the previous one. The simplified design makes on-site maintenance easier and faster for low overall lifetime costs.

Valmet Rotating Consistency Measurement and Valmet Link user interface

Based on shear force measurement technology, Valmet Rotating Consistency Measurement has excellent performance even in challenging environments with high temperature or pressure and abrasive chemicals. A modular design secures a universal use covering consistency range from 1,5 to 16 percent.

New user interface for enhanced operation

Commissioning, calibration, and operation have been enhanced with a new Valmet Link user interface, a flexible platform with secure remote connection possibilities. With a graphical display and a clear menu structure, set-up and operation are fast and easy. The intuitive user interface and bigger display enable easier calibration and give a better overview of the calibration data. The user interface is prepared for different communication protocols and can be updated for future functionalities.

About Valmet

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our 17,500 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. Valmet’s net sales in 2022 were approximately EUR 5.1 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.    

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Valmet has signed a EUR 175 million loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The loan will support Valmet’s Research and Development (R&D) activities to help finance technologies that replace fossil fuels with renewables. The loan agreement is linked to company’s R&D activities in 2023-2026.

The financing aims to enhance the resource and energy efficiency as well as the performance of Valmet’s technology, promote the use of recyclable raw materials and to improve the sustainability of Valmet’s operations. The financing is part of the EIB’s dedicated package of support to REPowerEU — the EU plan to eliminate dependence on fossil fuel imports.

Valmet’s R&D spending was EUR 95 million in 2022. Valmet has 28 research and developments centers around the world and approximately 1,300 protected inventions.

"The aim of Valmet's research and development work is to create new technologies, products and services that address customer needs and help respond to some of the most important global megatrends: enhancing the efficiency of raw materials, water and energy, promoting the use of renewable raw materials and reducing emissions. We’re happy about this loan agreement as it improves Valmet’s readiness to support the green transition in Valmet’s customer industries,” says Janne Pynnönen, Vice President, R&D, Valmet.

About the European Investment Bank

The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union and is owned by the EU Member States. The EIB Group has adopted a Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 and to devote more than half of EIB finance to climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the roadmap, all new EIB Group operations have been aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement since the start of 2021.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our 17,500 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. Valmet’s net sales in 2022 were approximately EUR 5.1 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.    

Follow us on valmet.com

DS Smith Tecnicarton, an expert provider of industrial packaging solutions and part of the leading global sustainable packaging company DS Smith, launches MAX lamination technology. The new solution increases the resistance of corrugated cardboard packaging and optimizes stacking potential - extending possibilities for reuse as a fully recyclable solution.

DS Smith Tecnicarton expert designers superimposed up to ten layers of corrugated cardboard to create MAX technology. This includes standardized special folding creases to achieve a larger box format with increased resistance, and the design has evolved out of a six-wave laminated packaging solution comprised of up to ten channels.

DS Smith heavy-duty packaging, the Magnus-IBC Kraft, has a capacity of 1,000 Litres and a resistance of 10,000 KG and the bulk packages have been designed as a sustainable and 100% recyclable alternative to traditional plastic Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC).

DS Smith production processes and the companies’ unique circular economy design metrics approach has resulted in significant market leading improvements to the technology of large laminate packaging casings.

These include bespoke ergonomic creases that enable packaging to be assembled easily. They are also foldable and have resulted in significant space saving during supply chain cycles as well as successful reuse cycles, and a reduction in CO2 during transportation. For example, in the automotive sector, Tecnipack cardboard has enabled laminated strips to be re-used up to ten times within the supply chain for transportation between Spain and the United States of America (USA).

In addition, the resistance offered by lamination technology has made it possible to replace wooden packaging with lighter, cheaper, and completely recyclable100% cardboard packaging.

DS Smith Tecnicarton has made 100% of its packaging products recyclable or reusable, and DS Smith is committed to fulfilling the objectives of it’s Now & Next Sustainability Strategy ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’.

Ignacio Montfort, Managing Director, DS Smith Iberia:

"We are constantly looking for ways to innovate and find solutions to the environmental challenges of the day. Our company wide 'Now & Next' sustainability strategy and vision is a benchmark for our product innovations and targets. We are confident that these new packaging product innovations will positively impact on the packaging supply chain and environment for future generations, as well as for our present-day clients and their customers as we accelerate the transition to a low-carbon circular economy”.

MAX lamination technology is an innovation created as a result of the opening of a DS Smith facility dedicated to specializing in laminating corrugated cardboard sheets in Arborç (Tarragona) in 2017, and DS Smith Iberia has twenty-six packaging facilities, six recycling facilities, and three paper-making facilities in operation across the Iberian Peninsula.

DS Smith

DS Smith Plc. is a leading global provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging, supported by recycling and papermaking operations. It plays a significant role in the value chain across sectors including e-Commerce, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), and industrials. Through its purpose of ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’ and its Now and Next sustainability strategy, DS Smith is committed to leading the transition to the circular economy, while delivering more circular solutions for its customers and wider society. Key targets include replacing problem plastics, taking carbon out of supply chains, and providing innovative recycling solutions. The company has also established a bespoke box-to-box in 14 days model, and circular metrics design capabilities for innovation are integral to operations.

DS Smith headquarters are in London, United Kingdom and the company is a member of the FTSE 100. It holds operations in thirty-four countries and employs more than 30,000 people. DS Smith is a Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation with a commitment to the circular economy and was originally set up in London in the 1940s as a box-making business by the Smith family.

About DS Smith Tecnicarton, Iberia

DS Smith Tecnicarton specializes in innovative solutions for the industrial packaging sector with a core business focus on creating solutions for single-use and returnable packaging for the transport and logistics of high volume, high weight products, liquid, fluid and bulk products requiring specialist protection.

DS Smith Now & Next Sustainability ‘Redefining Packaging for a Changing World’ Strategy - https://www.dssmith.com/sustainability/sustainability-strategy

Key targets reached:

• 100% of our packaging is now recyclable or reusable
• 100% of our energy consumption is ISO50001 Certified
• We have already launched one hundred biodiversity projects across Europe & North America
• 100% of our sites in areas of high-water stress now have a water mitigation plan
• All our forests have forest management certification
• 100% of manufacturing sites are FSC certified
• 100% of the papers we use in manufacturing are recycled or chain of custody certified
• We have conducted a group human rights risk assessment and published our Human Rights Policy 

Now & Next targets currently ahead of schedule:

• By 2025, remove 1 billion items of problem plastic 
• By 2025, optimize fibre for individual supply chains in 100% of new packaging solutions
• By 2030, engage five million people in the circular economy and circular lifestyles

Company website: www.dssmith.com

Toscotec has renewed its sponsorship of Pianeta Terra Festival, a far-reaching dive into Sustainability running from 5^th to 8^th October in Lucca, Italy. Following the vastly successful first edition of 2022, the festival organizers, the publisher Laterza and its director, prominent plant neurobiologist and author Stefano Mancuso, have decided to focus this second edition on the theme of “The Network of Life”, i.e. the dense, ingenious network that binds together all living creatures.  

Sustainability is explored from a multidisciplinary perspective that spans across ecosystems, climate, new economic models, energy, agriculture, food, urban development, but also new political, social, philosophical, anthropological, and artistic visions. The festival sets out to disseminate knowledge and prompt conversations around the theme of Sustainability, as well as promote a deeper understanding of our close interdependence with Nature.

“We are happy to renew our support for Pianeta Terra Festival among the great anticipation we are witnessing of its return to Lucca this October” says Alessandro Mennucci, CEO of Toscotec. “We look forward to seeing the festival hit a new record-high in public turnout, with people from our province as well as visitors joining in and reverberating the discourse on this crucial subject.” 

The program of Pianeta Terra Festival is online: www.pianetaterrafestival.it  

Contact
Giulia Fabbri 
Sustainability & Communication Senior Manager 
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Thanks to the waste separation efforts of conscientious citizens, businesses, schools and the greater recycling industry, South Africa recycled just less than 1.3 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging in 2022. If baled and laid out, this would cover 161 rugby fields.

 The same amount would weigh as much as 208,553 mature African elephants, or fill 1,502 Olympic -sized swimming pools. “More importantly, it saved 3.8 million cubic metres of landfill^[i] space, and ensured that the paper industry could re-use the fibre in cardboard boxes, grocery bags, egg boxes, newspapers, and tissue products,” explains Samantha Choles, communications manager of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA).

“We are certainly seeing more paper packaging entering the market as several brands are shifting to paper, especially in primary packaging - the packaging that contains the item,” says Choles.

Packaging sustainability trends are affecting demand for paper with big brands reducing plastic in their packaging, or at least aiming for single material packaging that is locally recyclable.

During 2022, South Africa produced 1.96 million tonnes of pulp, paper, board and tissue, importing just over one million tonnes and exporting 540,000 tonnes. This put the apparent consumption^[ii] of paper and paper packaging at 2.45 million tonnes.

Choles adds that toilet paper and other tissue products are neither collectable nor recyclable, and therefore excluded from what is available for collection. In 2022, two million tonnes were deemed collectable. This excludes 410,000 tonnes of secondary corrugated packaging comprising export fruit, wine and other products. Similarly, PAMSA includes the corrugated packaging, containing imported goods, which therefore become available for the recycling market.

Recycling susceptible to market volatilities

The paper recycling rate for 2022 was 61%. While this is lower than previous years, it’s still comparable with more developed nations such as the United States (68%) and Europe (70%). “Recycling statistics should not be viewed in isolation year on year,” cautions Choles, adding that a lower recycling percentage does not mean that South Africa is recycling less paper. In volume terms, 2022 was higher than previous years.

Recycling is a flow-process, affected by market trends and volatilities, with paper grades taking six to nine months to move through various steps in the supply chain, such as manufacturing and conversion, packing, transit, consumption, and eventually collection and recycling. The latter entails collection by various entities, sorting, then repulping and finally manufacturing and conversion into new paper products. Thus the recycling rates will be affected by how quickly the volumes of paper pass through the market. 

Consumers and businesses can do more

The global ‘Trend Tracker Survey 2023’, spearheaded by Two Sides, questioned more than 10,000 consumers from 16 countries on their preferences and opinions regarding various packaging types, their attributes and their impact. Some 62% of respondents said they recycle paper and paper packaging at home, and 78% understand the types of products that need to go into the recycling bin. “This is great news and we hope this will improve as awareness around waste separation and recycling increases,” adds Choles.

Clean and dry paper is essential. Informal recycling collectors and waste traders will earn a better rate if the paper is of good quality. “Consumers must keep wet waste away from dry recyclables. If paper and cardboard get wet, it starts to degrade making the items less recyclable. Good fibre in, better products out,” explains Choles.

Separate bins in the home, and putting a box or bag of clean recyclables on the pavement for recycling collectors are two ways to make a difference, and keep products out of landfill.

“Even with a five-year average paper recycling rate of 67%, we hope that the extended producer responsibility regulations and the various industry programmes will help close the gaps between South Africa’s technical capacity to recycle, infrastructure to recover and collect, and consumer awareness, education and behaviour change,” says Choles.

Recycling closes the circle, cultivated trees keep it going

The ‘Trend Tracker Survey 2023’ also revealed that just less than 70% of South African consumers surveyed believe that only recycled paper should be used - from printing to packaging to tissue products.

“Many people don’t realise that paper fibres are not infinitely recyclable as they shorten after each “recycle” and do not bond well to make new paper. Fresh virgin fibre from sustainably farmed wood will be added to strengthen the pulp recipes.” 

Recycling is just one branch of paper’s circularity. From the farming of 850 million trees on 676,000 hectares for pulp and papermaking to the beneficiation of process “waste” into lignosulphonates and other biochemicals, the paper industry is very much a circular economy.

[i] Based on one tonne of baled paper/paper packaging equivalent to three cubic metres.

[ii] Apparent consumption = Local production plus imports less exports 

Graphic Packaging International (GPI), a leading global provider of sustainable consumer packaging, has recently commissioned Voith to supply multiple stock preparation lines, integrated reject handling and the wastewater pre-treatment system for its newest, most advanced coated recycled board (CRB) mill being built in Waco, Texas. With Voith’s tailored process solutions, GPI is expected to improve the efficiency and sustainability of its facility and will ultimately save energy, water and fibers. The installation of the new system and components is targeted for completion in 2025.

“Voith’s proven and innovative pulping technology and wastewater pre-treatment solutions are key to reaching our high product quality targets and improving efficiency and sustainability. Our close partnership is based on trust and the very reliable cooperation we have enjoyed in the past,” says Rusty Miller, Senior Vice President Engineering and Technology at Graphic Packaging.

“We are happy to be partnering with GPI again and are eager to support them with our leading technology in stock preparation for efficient recycling of fibers and separation of contaminants. Our state-of-the-art wastewater pre-treatment system enables GPI to minimize freshwater consumption which is one main focus of the project,” adds Michael Hmielewski, Director of Project Sales at Voith.

To learn more about Voith’s innovative solutions for an effective use of water, please visit: https://voith.com/corp-en/industry-solutions/papermaking/papermaking-for-life/water.html

About Graphic Packaging International
Graphic Packaging International, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The company, a leading fiber-based consumer packaging provider, serves the world’s most widely recognized food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies and brands. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and fiber-based foodservice products in the United States and Europe, and holds leading market positions in coated recycled paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard and solid bleached sulfate paperboard. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available at https://www.graphicpkg.com.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Stora Enso Oyj has upgraded the trading of its American Depository Receipts (ADRs) and Ordinary Shares to the OTCQX® Best Market from the Pink® market. Stora Enso begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbols “SEOAY, SEOFF, SEOJF”. 

Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their US investors. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. 

Citibank acted as Stora Enso’s OTCQX sponsor.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Its data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of its three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.

Part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has approximately 21,000 employees and our sales in 2022 were EUR 11.7 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm AB (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs and ordinary shares (SEOAY, SEOFF, SEOJF). storaenso.com/investors

Lower energy consumption, cheaper energy, decarbonization, higher product quality, better asset utilization, improved safety,. . . The pulp & paper industry’s wish list is long. Yet it is also realistic. ABB provides digital solutions so that criteria like these can be managed efficiently, in real time. And they can be implemented step by step, as ambition and insight grow.

Let’s assume that you have just left the boardroom and are wondering how you will deliver the annual reduction in energy use and spend that you have just promised, let alone systematically track and report actual consumption and costs. And do it all without diverting your scarce human resources from their main job of getting the product out on time and exactly according to the specification. If you are like most companies, you probably lack good systems for accessing energy data quickly or in a form that will steer the path to achieving your goals. The deployed databases, systems, and applications tend to be multiple and scattered around the mill, with users focusing on only part of the picture.

For managers, sustainability, and energy efficiency experts at UPM, ABB makes the situation visible at a glance, in real time, across 14 mills in Europe. They can search for improvement potential; visualize how they are progressing towards their energy performance goals and compare their plant with world-class performers. Not just for electricity, but also water, steam, environmental KPIs. The true savings come from how the management drives accountability - by assigning targets and actual results according to people roles and responsibilities. Energy and sustainability data is automatically and consistently aggregated in the appropriate line of command. Alarms and events are assigned to alert personnel should energy consumption be off target and draw the user’s attention to ‘hot spots’. ABB’s industrial-grade energy management system is certified according to ISO 50’001 Energy Management Standard - establishing necessary structures to sustain results over time.

The truth about your energy bill

While the value of energy reductions should not be trivialized it is only part of the strategy.  One key component is the management of energy contracts. The contracts with most providers are several hundred pages in length and contain numerous schedules that outline pricing based on consumption rates and time of day. Effectively reconciling the usage invoiced from the supplier with the contract terms, even at a macro level, is a time consuming and manually intensive exercise that is often maintained by a single individual within the organization. If estimation of the energy usage after the fact is based on average values, money is left on the table.

Energy procurement planning and forecasting

Article by - Anis Korchi - Global Portfolio Manager for Sustainability in the Digital Business Line, Process Industries, ABB.ABB’s software helps UPM, SAPPI and other mills accurately model the energy consumption inside the mill, to understand how it relates to changes in the production plan, what additional energy sources are available, and what subsystems can have power shed if needed. With the forecasts based on actual production plan it can ensure that the contractual obligations for energy purchases are satisfied in the most cost-effective way, avoiding excess usage or peak time tariffs and penalties. All our clients using load planning and forecasting solution report that they easily save 2-4% of the overall purchase energy price, with a return on investment of just months.

Demand side management to optimize energy costs

Possibly one of the most critical uses of energy information is to optimally shift the energy usage at times of lower energy prices, when production constraints allow. ABB has successfully implemented a project at MKK mechanical pulp mill in Austria when operations schedules get automatically adjusted according to electricity spot price driving up to 15% of energy cost reduction. The software leverages existing process flexibilities to improve profitability, making sure energy is balanced without jeopardizing production.

The energy management can be further connected to the various operations management systems such as the manufacturing execution system (MES), asset performance management (APM), advanced process control (APC) and AI/ML analytics – including the steam/power and water treatment optimizations. Considering digital solutions in additional areas as well as systems integration and industrial cyber security aspects, can have a major impact on your financial improvements, sustainable development, and reputation.

learn more: https://new.abb.com/industrial-software/sustainability/energy-management-system-enms