Rockwell: How Can Manufacturers Operate More Sustainably?
Every year, the world emits around 50 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases.
The manufacturing and production sector accounts for around a fifth of these emissions and more than 50% of the world’s energy usage, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency.
Historically, manufacturers have been passive energy users, with few opportunities to proactively improve energy usage in their operations.
A key reason for this is they’ve had limited energy data that’s come from only a few sources, like plant metres and utility invoices.
However, by better using their existing infrastructure and leveraging new technologies, manufacturers can more actively and strategically manage energy usage in their operations with minimal new investments.
Rockwell Automation is a provider of industrial automation and digital technologies founded in 1903.
The company provides solutions to improve the efficiency of industrial processes, including making the most of scarce resources.
To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, and prevent irreparable damage to the environment, the sector must reduce its emissions and become more efficient.
Rockwell Automation joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in 2023 and has been recognised 12 times by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.
Sinethemba Zulu, Sustainability Technology Architect at Rockwell Automation, aims to drive global development of sustainability solutions and technologies and works closely with customers to achieve their decarbonisation goals.
Alexandra Schwertner, Strategic Business Manager at Rockwell Automation, works to accelerate sustainability across value chains using AI and IoT.
We speak to Sinethemba and Alexandra about how manufacturers can more actively manage their energy use, and how doing so can be a significant stepping stone toward larger sustainability initiatives.
Can you explain what shifting from passive to active energy management looks like for manufacturers today?
They may not know it, but many manufacturers already have the data they need to start proactively managing energy usage – they just need to unlock it. And often, all they need to do is use some freely available code that provides access to energy data from their existing operational technology, like drives, overloads and circuit breakers.
The data uncovered can then be collected, managed and analysed in a tool like energy management software to inform an actionable plan for process improvements. For example, once baseline energy usage is established, patterns can be uncovered and the top energy consumers in production can be identified. Not only can this help manufacturers address sustainability goals, but it can also help them increase efficiencies, cost savings and productivity.
What other opportunities exist for manufacturers to save energy?
Real-time energy data is key to optimising energy usage in industrial operations, but there are also other opportunities to layer in new technologies to realise even greater savings.
Technologies like machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) can guide control system responses and reveal continuous improvement opportunities. This can help manufacturers dynamically adjust processes in real time based on predicted conditions, making it possible to optimise sustainability, productivity and quality all at once.
Can you share some examples of manufacturers who have successfully done this?
The Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) in California saved an estimated 2,330 kWh of electricity per day and US$100,000 per year using an AI-enabled control system.
Setting up optimisation efforts now will enable manufacturers to drive larger initiatives that support more sustainable operations and a more sustainable world in the future.
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