Industrial energy efficiency can offer a major contribution to the reduction of primary energy consumption and improvement of industrial competitiveness. Nevertheless, recent research has noted that the adoption rate of the energy efficiency measures (EEMs) is still quite low. Literature has recently started to devote more attention to the so-called "non-energy benefits" (NEBs), i.e. impacts coming from the adoption of EEMs to overcome extant barriers. But, despite they have been claimed by specific studies and manuals for practitioners, two main research gaps can be found: first, too little attention has been posed to the negative implications (e.g. production disruption) related to the implementation of an EEM, limiting the focus on beneficial effects. Second, a holistic framework to effectively support an industrial decision-maker in undertaking the decision over the adoption is still missing, taking into consideration that many of such impacts - in terms of savings and benefits, as well as technical and management implications - are not quantifiable with objective metrics. Thus, relying on a large literature review of scientific as well as practitioners' studies, the present work aims at developing a novel framework for the identification, characterization and evaluation of the relevant impacts to be taken into account by an industrial decision-maker when undertaking the decision over the adoption of an EEM. The work will result to be particularly interesting for academia, further contributing to the discussion over sustainability of EEMs, as well as industry decision-maker and policy-makers for the adoption and promotion of EEMs.
L'efficienza energetica industriale può offrire un contributo importante alla riduzione del consumo primario di energia ed al miglioramento della competitività industriale. Tuttavia, recenti studi hanno rilevato che il tasso di adozione delle misure di efficienza energetica (EEMs) è ancora piuttosto basso. Recentemente, in letteratura, si è iniziato a dedicare maggiore attenzione ai cosiddetti "benefici non energetici" (NEBs), ovvero gli impatti derivanti dall'adozione delle EEMs, per superare le esistenti barriere. Tuttavia, nonostante siano stati ribaditi da diversi studi e manuali specifici per i professionisti, lo stato dell’arte attuale pecca di due principali lacune: in primo luogo, è stata posta troppa poca attenzione alle implicazioni negative (ad esempio interruzione della produzione) legate all'implementazione di un EEM, limitando la concentrazione solo sugli effetti benefici. In secondo luogo, manca ancora un quadro olistico per supportare efficacemente un decisore industriale nell'intraprendere la decisione in merito all'adozione, tenendo conto del fatto che molti di tali impatti - in termini di risparmi e benefici, nonché implicazioni tecniche e gestionali - non sono quantificabili con metriche oggettive. Pertanto, basandosi su un'ampia analisi letteraria degli studi scientifici e dei manuali per professionisti, il presente lavoro mira a sviluppare un nuovo quadro per l'identificazione, la caratterizzazione e la valutazione degli impatti rilevanti che devono essere presi in considerazione da un decisore industriale quando intraprende la decisione sull'adozione di un EEM. Lo studio risulterà particolarmente interessante per il mondo accademico, contribuendo ulteriormente alla discussione sulla sostenibilità delle EEMs, nonché ai decisori del settore e ai responsabili delle politiche per l'adozione e la promozione delle stesse.
A novel framework to characterize impacts on operations from the adoption of energy efficiency measures
FERRARI, NICOLO';GAMBARO, FEDERICO
2018/2019
Abstract
Industrial energy efficiency can offer a major contribution to the reduction of primary energy consumption and improvement of industrial competitiveness. Nevertheless, recent research has noted that the adoption rate of the energy efficiency measures (EEMs) is still quite low. Literature has recently started to devote more attention to the so-called "non-energy benefits" (NEBs), i.e. impacts coming from the adoption of EEMs to overcome extant barriers. But, despite they have been claimed by specific studies and manuals for practitioners, two main research gaps can be found: first, too little attention has been posed to the negative implications (e.g. production disruption) related to the implementation of an EEM, limiting the focus on beneficial effects. Second, a holistic framework to effectively support an industrial decision-maker in undertaking the decision over the adoption is still missing, taking into consideration that many of such impacts - in terms of savings and benefits, as well as technical and management implications - are not quantifiable with objective metrics. Thus, relying on a large literature review of scientific as well as practitioners' studies, the present work aims at developing a novel framework for the identification, characterization and evaluation of the relevant impacts to be taken into account by an industrial decision-maker when undertaking the decision over the adoption of an EEM. The work will result to be particularly interesting for academia, further contributing to the discussion over sustainability of EEMs, as well as industry decision-maker and policy-makers for the adoption and promotion of EEMs.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/154107