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Industrial Energy Efficiency and Thermal-Energy Recovery Dynamics: Technologies and Investment-Grade Assessment
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Improving energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing competitiveness. This study presents an investment-grade evaluation of a compressor waste-heat recovery (WHR) retrofit in a Portuguese-processing facility. The assessment followed ISO 50001 principles and the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) Option B, employing high-resolution metering and regression-based baseline modelling with uncertainty quantified according to ASME PTC 19.1 and ISO 5168. The retrofit involved installing a plate heat exchanger on oil-injected screw compressors to recover waste heat for process use. Continuous 1-minute data were collected over six-month baseline and post-retrofit periods, supported by calibrated instrumentation and comprehensive uncertainty analysis. The WHR system achieved a verified mean recovered thermal power of 165 kW (design: 170 kW) and annual fuel savings of 1,260 MWh—representing a 7.8% reduction in the plant’s thermal energy demand. These savings correspond to 307 t CO2e avoided emissions and annual fuel-cost savings of €54,600, yielding a simple payback of 1.7 years on a €95,000 investment. Combined expanded uncertainty was ±3.6% (k = 2), confirming measurement robustness. Detailed results include the baseline regression model, diagnostics, measurement-uncertainty budget, and sensitivity analyses on fouling and flow imbalance. The findings demonstrate that standardized measurement and verification (M&V) methods can deliver bankable, transparent evidence for WHR performance, strengthening investor and management confidence. Compressor WHR emerges as a practical, underutilized pathway for decarbonization in food processing and other thermal-intensive sectors. The study illustrates how ISO 50001-aligned audits, when integrated with rigorous data analytics and continuous monitoring, can evolve from compliance exercises into strategic tools for sustainability, ESG reporting, and alignment with EU Green Deal objectives.