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Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B2: Clean Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2022) | Viewed by 29264

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Special Issue Editors

ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Energy Efficiency Department, Casaccia Research Center, 00123 Rome, Italy
Interests: energy efficiency; energy use in the industrial sector; energy systems; process thermal consumption; energy analysis; exergy analysis; energy policies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
ENEA—Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Energy Efficiency Department, 00196 Rome, Italy
Interests: energy efficiency; economic analysis of energy efficiency interventions; energy use in the industrial sector; energy policies; energy modeling and scenarios; decarbonization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Guest Editors are inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Energies on the subject of “Industry and Tertiary Sectors Towards Clean Energy Transition”. The clean energy transition is the transition from the use of non-renewable energy sources to renewable sources and is part of the wider transition to sustainable economies through the use of renewable energy, the adoption of energy saving measures and sustainable development techniques. Clean energy transition is a long and complex process that will lead to an epochal change and it will allow to safeguard the health of the environment in the long term. For its success it is necessary the contribution of everyone, from the individual citizen to large multinationals, passing through SMEs: national and international policies play a key role in paving the way to this process.

The Special Issue will focus on technical, financial and policy-related aspects linked to the transition of industrial and services sectors towards energy saving and decarbonization. These different aspects are interrelated and as such they would be better analyzed with an interdisciplinary approach, for example by combining economic and technical information. Collecting and analyzing quantitative data would allow researchers to better understand the clean energy transition process, and how the European and national regulatory and policy framework are contributing to it. The suitable research areas where authors should focus their papers are energy efficiency and clean energy key technologies, renewables sources, energy management and monitoring systems, energy policies and regulations as well as economical and financial aspects. Both theoretical and quantitative approaches, and, especially, the combination of these, are welcomed. 

Dr. Claudia Toro
Dr. Chiara Martini
Guest Editors

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

  • energy efficiency in economic sectors
  • clean energy technologies
  • energy policies and regulations
  • financial instruments
  • decarbonization
  • renewable energy sources

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition”
by Chiara Martini and Claudia Toro
Energies 2022, 15(11), 4166; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15114166 - 06 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1166
Abstract
The Special Issue “Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition” is focused on technical, financial and policy-related aspects linked to the transition of industrial and services sectors towards energy saving and decarbonisation. These different aspects are interrelated, and as such, they have [...] Read more.
The Special Issue “Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition” is focused on technical, financial and policy-related aspects linked to the transition of industrial and services sectors towards energy saving and decarbonisation. These different aspects are interrelated, and as such, they have been analysed with an interdisciplinary approach combining economic and technical information. Collecting and analysing quantitative data would allow researchers to better understand the clean energy transition process, and how the international and national regulatory and policy framework are contributing to it. The papers within this Special Issue focus on energy efficiency and clean energy key technologies, renewable sources, energy management and monitoring systems, energy policies and regulations, and economic and financial aspects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 2059 KiB  
Article
Private Hospital Energy Performance Benchmarking Using Energy Audit Data: An Italian Case Study
by Daniele Dadi, Vito Introna, Annalisa Santolamazza, Marcello Salvio, Chiara Martini, Tiberio Pastura and Fabrizio Martini
Energies 2022, 15(3), 806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15030806 - 22 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3379
Abstract
The increased focus on energy efficiency, both at the national and international levels, has fostered the diffusion and development of specific energy consumption benchmarks for most relevant economic sectors. In this context, energy-intensive facilities, such as hospitals and health structures, represent a unique [...] Read more.
The increased focus on energy efficiency, both at the national and international levels, has fostered the diffusion and development of specific energy consumption benchmarks for most relevant economic sectors. In this context, energy-intensive facilities, such as hospitals and health structures, represent a unique case. Indeed, despite the high energy consumption of these structures, scientific literature lacks the presence of adequate energy performance benchmarks, especially in regard to the European context. Thus, this study aimed at defining energy benchmark indicators for the Italian private healthcare sector using data collected from the Italian mandatory energy audits according to Art.8 EU Directive 27/2012. The benchmark indicators’ definition was made using a methodology proposed by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). This methodology provided the calculation of specific energy performance indicators (EnPIs) by considering the global energy consumption of the different sites and the sector’s relevant variables. The results obtained were compared with those obtained from a consolidated but more complex methodology: the one envisaged by the Environmental Protection Agency. The results obtained allowed us to validate the reliability of the proposed methodology, as well as the validity and future usability of the calculated indicators. Relying on a significant database containing actual data from recent energy audits, this study was thus able to provide an up-to-date and reliable benchmark for the private healthcare sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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20 pages, 4628 KiB  
Article
Energy Performance of Italian Oil Refineries Based on Mandatory Energy Audits
by Carlos Herce, Chiara Martini, Marcello Salvio and Claudia Toro
Energies 2022, 15(2), 532; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15020532 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3077
Abstract
Petroleum products account for the 32.3% of worldwide primary energy. There are more than 100 oil refineries in Europe that directly employ 119,000 people with a turnover of EUR 600 billion and around 1.2% to the total value added in manufacturing. Therefore, the [...] Read more.
Petroleum products account for the 32.3% of worldwide primary energy. There are more than 100 oil refineries in Europe that directly employ 119,000 people with a turnover of EUR 600 billion and around 1.2% to the total value added in manufacturing. Therefore, the petroleum refining sector is very important in the European economy, and its decarbonization is crucial in the energy transition. Refineries present a high degree of complexity and integration, and the continuous increase of their energy efficiency is a key topic for the sector. In this work an analysis of the energy efficiency in ten Italian refineries based on mandatory energy audits and public data is presented. The primary (0.0963 ± 0.0341 toe/t), thermal (3421.71 ± 1316.84 MJ/t), and electrical (68.20 ± 19.34 kWh/t) specific energy consumptions have been evaluated. Some insights about the impact of refined products mix (mainly driven by production of diesel fuel) and Nelson Complexity Index in energy consumption are presented. Lastly, an overview of energy performance improvement actions (EPIAs) information extracted from energy audits is presented. This work presents a first step for the benchmark of Italian refineries that should be subsequently improved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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33 pages, 1487 KiB  
Article
A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
by Lorena Giordano and Miriam Benedetti
Energies 2022, 15(1), 155; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010155 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2253
Abstract
Waste heat recovery is considered as one of the most promising options to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. Even though industrial waste heat is abundantly available and its utilization is not a new concept, the implementation rate of waste-heat recovery [...] Read more.
Waste heat recovery is considered as one of the most promising options to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. Even though industrial waste heat is abundantly available and its utilization is not a new concept, the implementation rate of waste-heat recovery interventions in industrial facilities is still low, due to several real or perceived barriers. Foremost challenges are represented by technical, economic, financial and regulatory factors. An additional prominent barrier lies in the lack or incompleteness of information concerning the material and energy flows within the factories, and the types and characteristics of waste heat sources and possible sinks for their internal or external reuse. With the aim to overcome some of the information barriers and increase the willingness of companies to approach waste heat recovery and reuse, a methodology to map waste heat sources and sinks in industrial processes is proposed in this study. The approach here presented combines information from the most relevant publications on the subject and data gathered from the analysis of energy audits carried out by large and energy-intensive enterprises. In order to demonstrate its feasibility, the methodology was applied to the Italian dairy sector, because of its large energy consumption and its enormous potential for the utilization of low-temperature waste heat sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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29 pages, 2594 KiB  
Article
Energy-Saving Technology Opportunities and Investments of the Italian Foundry Industry
by Leonardo Leoni, Alessandra Cantini, Filippo De Carlo, Marcello Salvio, Chiara Martini, Claudia Toro and Fabrizio Martini
Energies 2021, 14(24), 8470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14248470 - 15 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2705
Abstract
The foundry industry is regarded as one of the most energy-intensive industrial sector due to its energy consumption up to 9 MWh/ton of produced metal. As a result, many companies are trying to increase the energy efficiency of their foundry plants. Since many [...] Read more.
The foundry industry is regarded as one of the most energy-intensive industrial sector due to its energy consumption up to 9 MWh/ton of produced metal. As a result, many companies are trying to increase the energy efficiency of their foundry plants. Since many energy-saving technologies are proposed by manufacturers and the literature, choosing the most appropriate one is a difficult task. Moreover, being updated with the available energy-saving solutions is complicated because of the quick technology advances. Consequently, this paper aims at investigating the recent and future opportunities and investments for reducing the energy consumptions of the technologies of Italian foundry companies. Additionally, it aims at presenting a list of available technological solutions validated by Italian experts. To this end, the Energy Audits developed by 231 plants were analyzed to extract the implemented and planned interventions. Furthermore, the economic data available within the Energy Audits were studied to determine the advantages of a given technological solutions compared to the others. It emerged that the companies are strongly investing in increasing the efficiency of the auxiliary systems such as compressors and motors. The outcomes of this study can assist both researchers and energy managers in choosing the most appropriate energy-saving solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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28 pages, 7983 KiB  
Article
From Energy Audit to Energy Performance Indicators (EnPI): A Methodology to Characterize Productive Sectors. The Italian Cement Industry Case Study
by Giacomo Bruni, Alessandra De Santis, Carlos Herce, Luigi Leto, Chiara Martini, Fabrizio Martini, Marcello Salvio, Federico Alberto Tocchetti and Claudia Toro
Energies 2021, 14(24), 8436; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14248436 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3981
Abstract
In this work, a novel methodology to assess energy performance indicators of productive and economic sectors trough the analysis of the Italian mandatory energy audits database is presented. The updating of sectoral reference energy performance indicators is fundamental for both companies and policy [...] Read more.
In this work, a novel methodology to assess energy performance indicators of productive and economic sectors trough the analysis of the Italian mandatory energy audits database is presented. The updating of sectoral reference energy performance indicators is fundamental for both companies and policy makers—for the formers to evaluate and compare their energy performance with competitors in order to achieve improvements and for the latter to effectively monitor the impact of energy policies. This methodology could be potentially applied to all production sectors, providing key information needed to characterize various production processes from an energy point of view. Awareness of energy efficiency and sectorial benchmarking represent the first necessary steps for companies moving towards energy transition. This paper provides details of the statistical method developed and its application to the NACE 23 division “Manufacturing of other non-metallic mineral products”, with a focus on the cement industry. For this sector, results are presented in terms of specific indicators based on energy source. General results, methodological insights, and validation of the proposed case study are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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16 pages, 1689 KiB  
Article
Mission-Oriented Policies and Technological Sovereignty: The Case of Climate Mitigation Technologies
by Serenella Caravella, Valeria Costantini and Francesco Crespi
Energies 2021, 14(20), 6854; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14206854 - 19 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2303
Abstract
The rapid decarbonization of the global economy represents the main challenge for the next decades to combat climate change. The European Union (EU) is leading the negotiation process under the Paris Agreement and recently approved an ambitious unilateral mitigation strategy known as the [...] Read more.
The rapid decarbonization of the global economy represents the main challenge for the next decades to combat climate change. The European Union (EU) is leading the negotiation process under the Paris Agreement and recently approved an ambitious unilateral mitigation strategy known as the European Green Deal (EGD). In this paper, we present a novel approach based on the analysis of patent data related to climate change and mitigation technologies (CCMTs) with the aim of describing the evolutionary pattern of the EU in green technology. Based on our analysis, two of our main results deserve attention. First, at the global level, the pace of generation of new green technologies as measured by patent data is slowing down in recent years. This trend, if not inverted, casts some doubts on the economic sustainability of the ambitious environmental targets set by the EC. Second, the current EU technological positioning with respect to green areas appears to be problematic in terms of technological sovereignty, with serious risks of potential technological dependences from other countries. Given the radical technological shift required for the implementation of a full decarbonization pattern, the EU must realize a mission-oriented technology policy with additional and directed investments to ensure technological independence, together with a low-carbon and energy secure economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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37 pages, 1558 KiB  
Article
The IRC-PD Tool: A Code to Design Steam and Organic Waste Heat Recovery Units
by Youcef Redjeb, Khatima Kaabeche-Djerafi, Anna Stoppato and Alberto Benato
Energies 2021, 14(18), 5611; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14185611 - 07 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1920
Abstract
The Algerian economy and electricity generation sector are strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Over 93% of Algerian exports are hydrocarbons, and approximately 90% of the generated electricity comes from natural gas power plants. However, Algeria is also a country with huge potential in [...] Read more.
The Algerian economy and electricity generation sector are strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Over 93% of Algerian exports are hydrocarbons, and approximately 90% of the generated electricity comes from natural gas power plants. However, Algeria is also a country with huge potential in terms of both renewable energy sources and industrial processes waste heat recovery. For these reasons, the government launched an ambitious program to foster renewable energy sources and industrial energy efficiency. In this context, steam and organic Rankine cycles could play a crucial role; however, there is a need for reliable and time-efficient optimization tools that take into account technical, economic, environmental, and safety aspects. For this purpose, the authors built a mathematical tool able to optimize both steam and organic Rankine units. The tool, called Improved Rankine Cycle Plant Designer, was developed in MATLAB environment, uses the Genetic Algorithm toolbox, acquires the fluids thermophysical properties from CoolProp and REFPROP databases, while the safety information is derived from the ASHRAE database. The tool, designed to support the development of both RES and industrial processes waste heat recovery, could perform single or multi-objective optimizations of the steam Rankine cycle layout and of a multiple set of organic Rankine cycle configurations, including the ones which adopt a water or an oil thermal loop. In the case of the ORC unit, the working fluid is selected among more than 120 pure fluids and their mixtures. The turbines’ design parameters and the adoption of a water- or an air-cooled condenser are also optimization results. To facilitate the plant layout and working fluid selection, the economic analysis is performed to better evaluate the plant economic feasibility after the thermodynamic optimization of the cycle. Considering the willingness of moving from a fossil to a RES-based economy, there is a need for adopting plants using low environmental impact working fluids. However, because ORC fluids are subjected to environmental and safety issues, as well as phase out, the code also computes the Total Equivalent Warming Impact, provides safety information using the ASHRAE database, and displays an alert if the organic substance is phased out or is going to be banned. To show the tool’s potentialities and improve the knowledge on waste heat recovery in bio-gas plants, the authors selected an in-operation facility in which the waste heat is released by a 1 MWel internal combustion engine as the test case. The optimization outcomes reveal that the technical, economic, environmental, and safety performance can be achieved adopting the organic Rankine cycle recuperative configuration. The unit, which adopts Benzene as working fluid, needs to be decoupled from the heat source by means of an oil thermal loop. This optimized solution guarantees to boost the electricity production of the bio-gas facility up to 15%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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11 pages, 2114 KiB  
Article
Estimation Method of Greenhouse Gas Reduction for Electrical Energy Storage Based on Load-Leveling Application
by Dong-Hyun Tae, Hu-Dong Lee, Jian Shen, Byeong-Gill Han and Dae-Seok Rho
Energies 2021, 14(17), 5492; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14175492 - 02 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1408
Abstract
In recent years, there have been several types of energy storage technologies adopted in many different areas, such as peak shaving, frequency regulation, and renewable stabilization applications. Moreover, technologies of high energy and power density are useful for load leveling, power smoothing for [...] Read more.
In recent years, there have been several types of energy storage technologies adopted in many different areas, such as peak shaving, frequency regulation, and renewable stabilization applications. Moreover, technologies of high energy and power density are useful for load leveling, power smoothing for renewable energy systems (RESs), and peak shaving for demand management. Under these circumstances, an estimation technique for assessing environmental issues applied to electrical energy storage (EES) systems is essential in order to promote commercialization of EES systems. Therefore, this paper proposes an estimation method for CO2 emission in cases where EES systems are introduced and not introduced. It is essential to evaluate environmental issues in EES systems at operation stages of their life cycle and make an effective contribution to environmental improvement and reduce potential adverse environmental impacts. Thus, this paper deals with an evaluation method for CO2 emission based on an optimal algorithm including a successive approximation method for the best-mix solution of power sources, etc. From the simulation result based on the proposed evaluation algorithm, it is found that the output power of a coal power plant (high CO2 emission) is replaced by the output powers of the EES systems and the nuclear generator (low CO2 emission). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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21 pages, 3126 KiB  
Article
Impact of Energy Monitoring and Management Systems on the Implementation and Planning of Energy Performance Improved Actions: An Empirical Analysis Based on Energy Audits in Italy
by Carlos Herce, Enrico Biele, Chiara Martini, Marcello Salvio and Claudia Toro
Energies 2021, 14(16), 4723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14164723 - 04 Aug 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2947
Abstract
The implementation of monitoring tools and energy management systems (EnMSs) supports companies in their long-term energy efficiency strategies, and they are essential to analyse the effectiveness of energy performance improvement actions (EPIAs). The first fundamental step towards increasing energy efficiency is the development [...] Read more.
The implementation of monitoring tools and energy management systems (EnMSs) supports companies in their long-term energy efficiency strategies, and they are essential to analyse the effectiveness of energy performance improvement actions (EPIAs). The first fundamental step towards increasing energy efficiency is the development of energy audits (EAs). EAs provide comprehensive information about the energy usage in a specific facility, identifying and quantifying cost-effective EPIAs. The crucial role of these tools in clean energy transition is remarked by the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which promotes the implementation of EAs and EnMS programmes. The purpose of this work is to better understand the link between EnMSs (specifically ISO 50001) and EAs in the EED Article 8 implementation in two industrial and two tertiary sectors in Italy. Moreover, the impact of company size, energy monitoring systems, and EnMSs on planned and/or implemented EPIAs is analysed. Our findings show that, albeit the complexity of the variables involved in energy efficiency gap, the “energy savings/company” and “EPIA/site” ratios are higher in enterprises with an EnMS and monitoring system. Thus, a correct energy audit must always be accompanied by a specific monitoring plan if it is to be effective and useful to the company decision maker. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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16 pages, 1353 KiB  
Article
Anomaly Detection in Photovoltaic Production Factories via Monte Carlo Pre-Processed Principal Component Analysis
by Eleonora Arena, Alessandro Corsini, Roberto Ferulano, Dario Alfio Iuvara, Eric Stefan Miele, Lorenzo Ricciardi Celsi, Nour Alhuda Sulieman and Massimo Villari
Energies 2021, 14(13), 3951; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14133951 - 01 Jul 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
This paper investigates a use case of robust anomaly detection applied to the scenario of a photovoltaic production factory—namely, Enel Green Power’s 3SUN solar cell production plant in Catania, Italy—by considering a Monte Carlo based pre-processing technique as a valid alternative to other [...] Read more.
This paper investigates a use case of robust anomaly detection applied to the scenario of a photovoltaic production factory—namely, Enel Green Power’s 3SUN solar cell production plant in Catania, Italy—by considering a Monte Carlo based pre-processing technique as a valid alternative to other typically used methods. In particular, the proposed method exhibits the following advantages: (i) Outlier replacement, by contrast with traditional methods which are limited to outlier detection only, and (ii) the preservation of temporal locality with respect to the training dataset. After pre-processing, the authors trained an anomaly detection model based on principal component analysis and defined a suitable key performance indicator for each sensor in the production line based on the model errors. In this way, by running the algorithm on unseen data streams, it is possible to isolate anomalous conditions by monitoring the above-mentioned indicators and virtually trigger an alarm when exceeding a reference threshold. The proposed approach was tested on both standard operating conditions and an anomalous scenario. With respect to the considered use case, it successfully anticipated a fault in the equipment with an advance of almost two weeks, but also demonstrated its robustness to false alarms during normal conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry and Tertiary Sectors towards Clean Energy Transition)
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