Combating climate change is everyone’s business. It is, therefore, only logical to seek out eco-friendly technologies. We look at six eco-friendly solutions for industry, bearing in mind that maintaining equipment instead of replacing it is an excellent way to be kinder to the planet. Future eco-friendly technology is likely to be at the forefront of advancements in industry and technology. And the benefits of eco-friendly technology are multifold.
1. Prioritising Renewable Energy Sources
Many manufacturers are making eco-friendly choices by choosing renewable energy sources over fossil fuels. Wind energy and solar power are readily available nowadays. While the manufacturers’ increasing energy needs may not all be met through renewable sources, prioritizing them is a must. Already, some manufacturers are switching up some of their supplies by sourcing them, at least in part, from renewable sources.
2. Harnessing Waste Heat
Eco-aware manufacturers are looking at ways of recycling waste heat emerging from energy-intensive production processes. The excess heat can potentially become a new source of energy and lead to considerable cost savings. They hope that in the future, 100 percent of fuel energy will convert with excess heat energy featuring as a renewable energy source. Harnessing waste heat is likely to become a core element of future eco-friendly technology.
3. Incorporating Regenerative Braking Systems
One way of sourcing energy from existing industry processes is to incorporate regenerative braking units. These units capture the kinetic energy of electric motors and store them in batteries, which can then feature as a power source. Manufacturers using this eco-friendly technology mount regenerative braking units on the electric motors they use in their production lines.
4. Reusing Waste – Industrial Symbiosis
The waste product emerging from one industrial process can become the raw material for another. Manufacturers can recycle and reuse the waste within their plant or sell it to a different company. The benefits are two-fold. For one, the byproduct doesn’t end up in an incinerator or at a landfill site, and secondly, companies either save money internally or receive a new income stream from their waste product.
5. Maintaining Eco Obsolete Technology and Equipment
While many obsolete pieces of equipment consume large amounts of energy, some of them comply with energy efficiency ratings. Using eco-obsolete technology is a great way to ensure eco-friendly processes while also delivering cost savings. Maintaining and servicing eco-obsolete technology equipment is becoming easier too. Companies like SupportPoints.com enable manufacturers to hold onto eco-obsolete equipment and parts by sharing their expertise and assisting in the search for replacement components. Services such as these make using obsolete technology the smart choice regarding costs, the environment, and reliable production processes.
6. Industrial capacity sharing
In our view, this list needs to be updated with a sixth technology: industrial capacity sharing. The transition from ‘possession’ to ‘use’ and ‘reuse’, and the responsibility for waste, challenges companies to look for innovation in their current earning models, in which combinations of products and services are made. Industrial capacity sharing is the sharing of unused capacity of high-tech and high-value assets. This expansion of the use of production assets has several advantages. It is sustainable: expensive equipment gets a higher utilization rate, joint use reduces waste caused by partly used equipment. Companies like iRevitilize.eu enable manufacturers to combine sustainability and economic benefits.
Final Thoughts
The need for eco-friendly technology will continue to grow. By incorporating some or indeed, all of the above six eco-friendly technologies, your company will experience the advantages of using eco-friendly technology and processes. The use of new ideas and applications like knowledge share (SupportPoints) and production share (iRevitilize) contribute to a sustainable society that is economically feasible.
A win-win solution: apart from partaking in the fight against climate change, businesses can save costs and open new income streams while running and maintaining highly efficient manufacturing processes.
