Orange Start solution for subject not required by Legislative Decree 102/2014

The client required the best size and configuration for a cogeneration plant to ensures the energy independence of the plant.

Situation prior to intervention
The only data available derived from electrical absorption every fifteen minutes. There was no relevant data on the consumption of steam and chillers present. The factory works on different shifts depending on the season.
The customer intended to install a 1 MWe cogeneration plant with steam and hot water production.

Proposed solution and post-intervention situation
Whitenergy carried out a measurement survey using portable instruments on steam generators, refrigeration machines and compressors. Cross-referencing the data collected with the absorption curves,gives the basic electrical load and reveals the machines from which it is generated. The plant’s actual steam consumption was then checked, as well as the hours of the day in which it is concentrated has been identified.
The audit showed a strong inefficiency in the compressed air network, which once repaired considerably reduced the plant’s baseload. Considering the simultaneous use of electrical and thermal energy consumption, the most suitable solution for the production cycle was found to be a half-sized trigeneration plant.
Through the Energy Audit, the customer avoided installing an oversized system, which resulted in a 30% reduction in the value of the investment initially planned.