Efficiency focus placed in selection of energy-intensive enterprises

Over the past decade since the Law on Energy Efficiency came into force, energy-intensive groups are obliged to carry out regular audits and reports

For this reason, attempts have already been made in the past to anticipate the development of the energy sector through master plans. The Institute of Energy is currently examining the eighth master plan for the period of 2020 to 2030. In addition to generation capacities, energy demand and thus also energy efficiency will play a major role.

In particular, the development of energy consumption by industrial companies, which currently account for about 50 per cent of total consumption, is being closely monitored.

Industrial companies have already been the focus of legal regulations in recent years. They have been encouraged to produce “more energy, more efficiently” by extensive legal measures in the field of energy efficiency.

In 2010, for example, the Energy Efficiency Act came into force, which obliges energy-intensive companies with an annual consumption of more than 1,000 tonnes of oil equivalent to carry out regular energy audits, an annual energy report and five-year plans. However, the introduction of energy management systems is not required by laws.

In the past, it has been found that in only a few cases is the quality of the energy audits and reports sufficient to enable necessary investment decisions to be made.

Moreover, the obligation to carry out energy audits is partly circumvented by penalties. There is also a lack of knowledge and offers on new technologies and modern energy management systems.

However, energy management systems are the basis for making qualified statements on energy consumption and thus energy optimisation.

With all that in mind, a project from German energy management firm Berg GmbH aims to introduce a modern energy management system in two energy-intensive companies in Vietnam in order to demonstrate that significant energy and cost savings can be achieved.

Both selected energy-intensive companies must be among the approximately 2,500 companies for which energy audits are mandatory under the Law on Energy Efficiency. Appropriate energy managers must be appointed in writing by the entrepreneur. The appropriate companies will be selected at the beginning of the project.

The project objective is gaining knowledge to improve energy efficiency at selected energy service providers and energy-intensive companies in Vietnam.

The approach involves training local energy service providers. This would include a seminar for energy service providers on measurement technology, communication technology, and software solutions using the example of the software of the company Berg GmbH at the headquarters in Munich, Germany.

Other seminars would be initiated for concept development (measurement concept, concept for system design, and expansion concept), commissioning (functional test, acceptance, hotline, updates, training in the system), and success confirmation (certification support, evaluation of measurement results) at the same headquarters.

Permanent online support in the implementation of the energy management system would also be carried out.

Technical services of local energy service providers in connection with the introduction of the energy management system in selected energy-intensive companies would involve the performance of an energy audit based on the Vietnamese Law on Energy Efficiency at two energy-intensive companies; detailed evaluation of energy consumption data and presentation of recommendations for action to optimise energy consumption; development of sector-specific energy parameters, and measures in preparation for the introduction of DIN ISO 50001.

Meanwhile, the provision of acquisition and communication technology and energy management software for selected energy-intensive companies include the provision of the acquisition and communication technology for the installation of the energy management system; and provision of the software as a cloud solution including the corresponding user authorisations for the energy-intensive companies, the local energy service provider and GIZ.

In addition, after appropriate systematic preparation (for example preparation of a measurement concept and energy audit), the measurement, recording, and communication technology is installed, tested, and commissioned on site. The findings and experiences from the project will be shared with relevant stakeholders with the participation of the Vietnam Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Association (VECEA).

As part of this sharing, there will be training for energy managers of local energy-intensive companies. Experience in the introduction of a digital energy management system and its benefits are shared with as many energy managers of energy-intensive companies as possible.

Here, manufacturer-independent functionalities of such software, intelligent measurement technology, and data transmission possibilities are demonstrated.

In addition, examples from the project will be used to give advice and recommendations for action to systematically analyse energy data in order to increase energy efficiency and at the same time set up an appropriate energy cost control system.

Recommendations and options for load shifts will also be shown, which can avoid peak loads on the consumer side and thus indirectly relieve the local power grids.

Workshops and webinars with representatives of the public and private sector will be utilised to present project results and to share findings and experience, along with know-how transfer via VECEA or another online platform, the Vietnam Energy Efficiency Community.

Finally, a delegation trip to Germany is planned to be held with government representatives, representatives of energy-intensive companies, and energy service providers in order to gain important experience from reference projects and to gain knowledge about the support programme in Germany.