Cut 9% of energy per ton produced, operating in a sector like that of aluminum. How? By investing in innovative processes, in research (with the help of universities) and by using renewable energies in a massive way. This is the goal achieved by the Laminazione Sottile group, with a turnover of 600 million and 1,200 employees, based in Naples and in six other countries. «We have saved 10,700 MWh year on year – recalls the president of the group Massimo Moschini -. And these days it’s really important to have achieved those goals. Despite this, the energy bill is rising a lot for us too: from 15 to 70 million euros “.
Solutions against the expensive bill
Without the path of energy saving, the situation could have been even worse for a company active in the processing of semi-finished aluminum products, a particularly energy-intensive sector. Here are the three main projects put in place by the Neapolitan group to cut the bill.
1) first of all, the construction of a heat recovery plant from the foundry exhaust fumes which allowed a reduction in the consumption of natural gas for heating the process fluids, obtaining a saving of approximately 2,300,000 kWh / year, of 600,000 Sm³ / year of natural gas and 2,300 tons / year of CO2
2) The generalized installation of recovery combustion systems for all plate heating furnaces and heat treatment of the foil; these systems in 2021 allowed a reduction in natural gas consumption of about 1,700,000 Sm³ / year and consequently a reduction of CO2 emissions of about 3,500 tons / year
3) The generalized installation of regenerative combustion systems on all melting furnaces, which in 2021 allowed a reduction in natural gas consumption of approximately 7,000,000 Sm³ / year and a reduction of CO2 emissions of approximately 14,500 tons / year.