Energy management for cost-effective and energy-efficient brewing

Source：Juliane Br?nzel, TüV SüD Industr Release Date：2013-11-12 328

Food & Beverage

Mashing, boiling, cooling, storing – in view of rising energy costs, energy consumption is playing an increasingly important role for the competitiveness of malting companies and breweries. Energy management systems help to identify and realise potential for savings.

A survey of energy consumption in the brewing industry by the energy agency of the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia showed that thermal energy accounts for around three-quarters of the energy used in beer production.The major share of this energy, i.e. 43%, is used in the brewhouse, which accommodates the process steps from mashing to boiling. In addition to thermal energy, breweries also need electricity, particularly for cooling.

Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Juliane Br?nzel, Energy Systems, TüV SüD Industrie Service GmbH

Making production processes energy-efficient

The challenge lies in making production processes and brewery operation as energy-efficient, and consequently also as cost-effective, as possible. But which areas offer potential for savings? What measures are really effective? And how can the success of all measures taken be assessed?

An energy management system (EnMS) in accordance with EN ISO 50001 provides answers to these questions. Ensuring the structured analysis of all relevant processes and their regular monitoring by means of measurements and performance indicators, the international standard enables systematic and long-term optimisation of energy efficiency. In addition, the standard promotes early involvement of personnel to identify and exploit energy savings that can be achieved by behavioural changes.

Three steps to an energy management system

Three steps are necessary to implement an energy management system (EnMS): determination of actual energy performance, initiation of measures to improve energy efficiency, and establishment of a continual improvement cycle.

Determination of actual energy performance: Step one is an energy-efficiency assessment which determines the energy use of all energy-consuming systems and installations andNIKE SB