SensorMac Project Energy
The main objectives of this project are to reduce operating costs, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to meet our decarbonisation targets and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability.
The use of this technology allows us to measure the performance and condition of a variety of industrial equipment, bringing significant economic and sustainability benefits. Greater efficiency, reduced costs and improved quality in production processes are some of the many advantages that have an impact on the company's competitiveness and effective response to the growing demands of customers and markets.
Real-time data to monitor and improve industrial performance
As part of its strategy of digitalisation and continuous improvement of production processes, Vicaima Indústria began implementing the SensorMac Project in 2023. This project includes the sensorisation of various types of equipment and activities, starting with the “Energy” component, which involves monitoring energy consumption at different stages of the production process.
Through sensors installed in industrial equipment, it is possible to obtain real-time data on energy expenditure, which will be used to monitor and optimise performance, predict failures, schedule preventive maintenance and identify opportunities for reduction and optimisation, increasing the efficiency and reliability of production processes.
The SensorMac Project - Energy began to be implemented in 2023, with the sensorisation of 10 collection points having been completed and the implementation of an energy consumption management and analysis tool having begun:
- provide detailed reports on energy consumption
- identify consumption patterns and energy-saving opportunities
- assess the effectiveness of the energy consumption reduction measures implemented
- identify measures to reduce energy consumption.
The project will continue throughout 2024, with plans to install 7 additional monitoring points, complete the implementation of the energy consumption management and analysis tool and develop new data analysis algorithms.
The use of the company’s own resources, such as sawdust and shavings, resulting from the production process brings several benefits, including helping to reduce waste and conserve resources, promoting the circular economy which, at the end of the materials’ life cycle, can generate energy, helping to reduce the company’s carbon footprint and contributing to the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
In 2022 we began the technical and feasibility study for the implementation of an ORC - Organic Rankine Cycle system, one of the most promising technologies for converting thermal energy into renewable electrical energy. This system will make it possible, on the one hand, to use waste heat from the boiler’s thermal fluid and, on the other, to obtain renewable electricity by utilising and recovering a waste product that is endogenous to the company (wood waste) to generate clean energy, making a significant contribution to reducing GHG emissions.
This incorporation will lead to direct gains in the consumption of the Vale de Cambra industrial unit, since it will not be necessary to purchase a significant part of the electricity from third parties, with Vicaima Indústria’s plant being supplied by energy from renewable sources.
The ORC system was awarded at the end of 2022. In the last quarter of 2023 we began work on implementing the infrastructure needed for the ORC system, with the start-up of the equipment in production scheduled for mid-2024. This system will enable a reduction of around 272 tCO2e/year, with the energy generated being used for self-consumption.
