Maximizing Efficiency: How An Optimized Facility Can Reduce Energy Use and Cut Costs

In facility management, energy efficiency and savings play a crucial role in driving sustainability and cost efficiency. By implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices, facilities can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and operational costs. Renewable energy sources, like solar panels, further enhance sustainability while providing long-term financial benefits. Efficient energy management not only cuts utility bills but also supports corporate social responsibility and compliance with environmental regulations, making it a smart investment for both the planet and the bottom line.

The Ultimate Tool for Energy Efficiency in AWCS

So, what exactly is the new EAP4? The Envac Automation Platform (EAP) is the intelligent control system driving smarter, more efficient, and resource-saving waste collection operations. Together with the maintenance team, Envac and the facility owners, the updated, version 4 of the tool can be used to optimise and revolutionise your existing facility. EAP is an outstanding tool for optimising the performance of waste collection facilities. Its configurability and advanced analytics make it possible to significantly reduce energy consumption, enhance fraction purity, minimise downtime, and boost capacity—ultimately delivering superior economic outcomes.

The new EAP4 tool (Envac Automated Platform version 4) enhances the sustainability of Automated Waste Collection Systems (AWCS) by optimizing energy consumption, addressing one of the key concerns associated with these systems. Traditionally, AWCS have been criticized for their energy use; however, with EAP4, energy efficiency is significantly improved, making the systems more environmentally friendly. This optimization leads to significant energy savings and lower operational costs. Additionally, the reduced energy usage decreases the system’s carbon footprint, aligning with sustainability goals.

This improvement, combined with AWCS benefits like reduced waste transport needs, lower emissions, and less traffic congestion, strengthens the case for their adoption. By minimizing energy usage, EAP4 highlights the overall environmental and logistical advantages of AWCS, such as decreased fuel consumption and noise pollution from fewer garbage trucks on the road.

By enhancing both cost-efficiency and environmental impact, the EAP4 tool represents a major advancement in sustainable waste management technology.

Peak Shaving

Remarkable achievements are made possible by EAP’s innovative peak-shaving feature, which allows the system to pause automatically if it exceeds a certain kilowatt threshold. At Envac, fine-tuning our facilities has always been a priority, but with the new EAP, we can optimise operations to levels previously unattainable. The energy cost depends on both the amount of energy used and how that usage is distributed over time:

• Energy Consumption [kWh]: Total energy used.
• Peaks in Power Consumption [kW]: High spikes in power draw.

Peaks are evaluated as the “average power consumption during each calendar hour.” But how can you ensure that the average power consumption doesn’t exceed a set limit? With the Peak-Shaving feature in EAP4, this is now possible by:

1. Measure energy usage every calendar hour.
2. Pause automatic and manual operations when the limit is reached and resume them at the start of the next hour.

Revolutionary Savings Unveiled

We are delighted to announce two recent projects in Sweden that have garnered significant attention for their substantial savings, thanks to the fine-tuning of their automated waste collection systems using the enhanced EAP4. As a note, in Sweden today, the facility owner pays 137 SEK/kW (€12,11) in wintertime.

• In Eriksberg, Gothenburg, the EAP Peak Shaving feature helped reduce the power consumption in kilowatt (kW) from 214 kW to 55 kW. This is an impressive reduction of 74%.

• Eriksbergs energy consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh) was reduced from 26 523 kWh in January 2024 to 15 757 kWh in July 2024, a 40% reduction. Envac estimates this will save the facility owner approximately 180 000 – 220 000 SEK (€15912-€19448) per year in energy costs.

• In Skarpnäck, Stockholm, the power consumption in kilowatt (kW) went from 259 kW to 80 kW, a 69% reduction.

• Skarpnäcks energy consumption in kilowatt-hours kWh was reduced from 23 290 kWh in January 2024 to 12 712 kWh in August 2024, a 45% reduction. Envac estimates this will save the facility owner approximately 150 000 SEK (€13202) per year in energy costs.
  
  
  

How EAP Facilitates More Energy Efficient Operations

• Dynamic Emptying Times: Adjusts based on load and flow, ensuring run times are kept to a minimum.
• Demand-Related Emptying: Offers greater flexibility and maximises the utilisation of inlets.
• Intelligent Pneumatic Regulation: Allows the system to operate at lower average power, conserving energy and extending service life.
• Enhanced Error Handling: Includes self-healing capabilities in some instances.
• Comprehensive Operating Data: Easily accessible, making it simple to monitor and identify where adjustments are needed.

Through the Google Maps view on the web portal, you can gain an excellent overview of your facilities’ current status. The main view provides a live display of your terminals, where the terminal colour indicates the status of any alarms. Additionally, individual valves are easy to locate on the map, with live status updates readily available.

Looking to the Future

EAP has been developed with AI integration, which will enhance emptying efficiency by, for instance, predicting when inlets are likely to be full, thereby reducing energy consumption and extending system lifespan. It also enables the possibility of operating the plant during periods when electricity prices are lower.

Moreover, EAP prepares the facility for integration with the ReFlow app, which offers additional benefits such as household-level feedback, follow-up, and statistics (for more details on ReFlow, please refer to the separate product sheet). Should the facility be upgraded with solar panels and battery operation, EAP can seamlessly integrate these, reducing energy peaks and ensuring more consistent consumption.

Is your property connected to an Envac Automated Waste Collection System?
Contact us today for more information on how to upgrade to EAP4.

Not connected yet?
We would be happy to discuss different solutions for smarter waste management for you and your property.

Contact us today for more information on how to upgrade to EAP4