Submit to Energies Review for Energies Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 15559

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Wieslaw Urban

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: manufacturing systems; lean manufacturing; Industry 4.0; energetic efficiency

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As you know industrial processes are a giant energy consumer, at the same time we live in the era of raising awareness of resource scarcity and progressive climate erosion. Energetic efficiency is undoubtedly a civilization challenge. This challenge cannot be successful without disruptive changes in energy use in production processes.

Many production industries have substantially changed their energy consumption in recent decades. However, we still need new systems at the level of power supply and energy conversion, new approaches and solutions for steering the energy usage across manufacturing plants, new more energetically efficient and greener technologies in industries. New technologies of Industry 4.0 are particularly promising in the field of saving energy. Also, awareness of importance of this civilization problem among entrepreneurs is very important. You are welcomed to share your research on energetic issues in production processes, on new technologies and systems, prospects and challenges, alike thought provoking concepts.

Prof. Dr. Wieslaw Urban
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Indusrtial processes
Green technologies
Energy management
Green Lean
Energy saving
Design for energetic efficnency
Industy 4.0 for energy savings
Sustainable energy systems
Energy conversion systems
Energy Research and Development

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers

Editorial

Jump to: Research

4 pages, 181 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Energy Savings in Production Processes as a Key Component of the Global Energy Problem—The Introduction to the Special Issue of Energies

by Wieslaw Urban

Energies 2022, 15(14), 5158; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15145158 - 16 Jul 2022

Viewed by 911

Abstract

It is critical to address energy issues as we move through the first half of the twenty-first century, as societies become firmly aware of the consequences of resource scarcity and the disastrous consequences of climate change from human activity (especially heavy industry) [...] [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 4014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Machine Learning Short-Term Energy Consumption Forecasting for Microgrids in a Manufacturing Plant

by Maciej Slowik and Wieslaw Urban

Energies 2022, 15(9), 3382; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15093382 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2139

Abstract

Energy production and supply are important challenges for civilisation. Renewable energy sources present an increased share of the energy supply. Under these circumstances, small-scale grids operating in small areas as fully functioning energy systems are becoming an interesting solution. One crucial element to the success of micro-grid structures is the accurate forecasting of energy consumption by large customers, such as factories. This study aimed to develop a universal forecasting tool for energy consumption by end-use consumers. The tool estimates energy use based on real energy-consumption data obtained from a factory or a production machine. This model allows the end-users to be equipped with an energy demand prediction, enabling them to participate more effectively in the smart grid energy market. A single, long short-term memory (LSTM)-layer-based artificial neural network model for short-term energy demand prediction was developed. The model was based on a manufacturing plant’s energy consumption data. The model is characterised by high prediction capability, and it predicted energy consumption, with a mean absolute error value of 0.0464. The developed model was compared with two other methodologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2150 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aspects of Energy Saving of Oil-Producing Enterprises

by Katarzyna Midor, Tatyana N. Ivanova, Michał Molenda, Witold Biały and Oleg V. Zakharov

Energies 2022, 15(1), 259; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010259 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2196

Abstract

Increasing energy efficiency is included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by the year 2030. Enhancing energy efficiency is also one of the priority areas for improving the operational efficiency of any oil production enterprise. The energy management system of enterprises has been founded and implemented on the basis of the international standard ISO 50001:2018 and it works successfully. The energy efficiency strategy is formulated in the energy policy and integrated into the business model of the companies. Companies receive significant energy savings in the exploration and production segments through technical, technological, and organizational measures. This article shows the main directions for improving the energy efficiency of the artificial lift well stock and the results of their implementation. The main constraints on the implementation of the energy efficiency policy of oil-producing enterprises have been identified and directions for improvement of energy-saving structure have been proposed. The article proposes strategic-level classification of energy-saving measures, which is based on assessment and comparison of implementation costs, payback period, and takes into account investments into artificial lift technology, therefore allowing investment priorities in the energy management sphere to be distinguished. Advanced directions for investment in oil-production technology have been identified, and an algorithm of development and implementation of key indicators of energy consumption efficiency has been proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Pro-Ecological Investments on an Example of the Heating Industry—Case Study

by Marcin Olkiewicz, Anna Olkiewicz, Radosław Wolniak and Adam Wyszomirski

Energies 2021, 14(18), 5959; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14185959 - 20 Sep 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3404

Abstract

This paper presents problems connected with the effects of pro-ecological investment on the example of the heating industry. The aim of the publication, resulting from the identified gap, is to analyze pro-ecological investments on the example of a Polish heating company—Miejska Energetyka Cieplna Ltd. in Koszalin. In particular, the pro-environmental activities in which the examined company engaged over the period 2017–2020 were analyzed. On the basis of existing models in the literature, the authors’ cause–effect model for analyzing pro-ecological investments was proposed and investments were realized by the analyzed organization using this model. Combining the presented causes and effects of ecological investments, it is possible to propose a cause–effect model of pro-ecological investments undertaken in organizations consisting of three causes and five effects. All causes that cause organizations to realize pro-ecological investments can be divided into three groups: low requirements, economical requirements, and image requirements, all of which lead to the implementation of environmental corporate social responsibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 6668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technology Entrepreneurship and the Performance of Enterprises in the Conditions of Covid-19 Pandemic: The Fuzzy Set Analysis of Waste to Energy Enterprises in Poland

by Piotr Kordel and Radosław Wolniak

Energies 2021, 14(13), 3891; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14133891 - 28 Jun 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2881

Abstract

This article’s aim is to explain the impact of technology entrepreneurship phenomenon on waste management enterprise performance in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of technology entrepreneurship according to the configuration approach and the category of high-performance organization are the theoretical bases of empirical investigation. For the implementation of empirical research, Fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FsQCA) was adopted. The research sample included a group of producers of Refused Derived Fuel (RDF) as a central part of the waste to energy industry located in Poland. The research results showed that the waste to energy sector is highly immune to pandemic threats. While during COVID-19, the basic economic parameters (i.e., sales, profitability and employment) of the entire industry in Poland clearly decreased, the same parameters in the case of the waste to energy industry remained at the same level. The research results allow the formulation of two high-performance models of technology entrepreneurship in the waste to energy industry under COVID-19 conditions. The first model is based on traditional technologies and hierarchical organizational structures, and the second is using innovative technologies and flexible structures. Both technology entrepreneurship models are determined by their emergence as complementary to implementation strategies and the opportunity-oriented allocation of resources within business model portfolios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Activities in Heating Industry—Case Study

by Radosław Wolniak, Adam Wyszomirski, Marcin Olkiewicz and Anna Olkiewicz

Energies 2021, 14(7), 1930; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14071930 - 31 Mar 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2735

Abstract

The paper focuses on problems connected with Environmental Corporate Social responsibility in the energy industry. The objective behind this article is to analyse pro-environment activities within Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR) that heating operators carry out, using the example of a Poland-based company called Miejska Energetyka Cieplna Spółka z o.o. with headquarters in Koszalin. In particular, this study focuses on pro-environment activities that the company has been involved in from 2017–2020. The data and information found in this study demonstrate that the company systematically devoted its financial resources to pro-environment efforts in terms of both ISO 14001 maintenance as well as educational/promotional activities. According to the findings, the company has been highly committed to Environmental Corporate social Responsibility issues. The implementation of its strategy in this field can lead to ecological innovation and help establish an effective business model that will be founded on ecological assumptions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Research Trends in Energy Saving in Production Processes)

► Show Figures