Energy value mapping: A novel lean method to integrate energy efficiency into production management

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 217; p. 119353
• Main Authors: Wen, Xuanhao, Cao, Huajun, Hon, Bernard, Chen, Erheng, Li, Hongcheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Decision making; Die casting; Energy conservation; Energy demand; Energy dissipation; Energy efficiency; Energy loss; Energy losses; Energy management; Energy utilization; Energy value; Energy value mapping; Integration; Lean manufacturing; Mapping; Operations management; Production management; Productivity; Production management; Energy losses; Energy efficiency; Lean manufacturing; Energy value mapping
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.119353

Integrating energy efficiency as a key criterion in production management is critical to increasing energy efficiency while maintaining productivity in manufacturing systems. However, this integration still poses a huge challenge for decision-makers due to a lack of knowledge about the linkage between energy efficiency and productivity. Consequently, related energy-saving potential remains unexploited. In this context, this paper presents an innovative Energy Value Mapping (EVM) method to promote the systematic integration of energy efficiency into production management. The method includes three consecutive phases: (i) energy loss modeling to reveal the coupling relation between energy losses and productivity variables; (ii) lean energy analysis using production-oriented energy performance indicators to highlight energy inefficiencies and indicate improvement directions; (iii) improvement strategies determination to improve energy efficiency simultaneously considering traditional production management decisions. Furthermore, an industrial case study of a die-casting plant has demonstrated the effeteness and practicality of the method, showing its great potential in identifying, visualizing, quantifying, analyzing, and decreasing the energy losses related to production and operations management. The results showed that the overall energy demand of the process chain could be reduced by 6.17% with the energy utilization and time utilization being increased by 5.0%, 4.8%, respectively. •A method for integrating energy efficiency into production management is proposed.•The coupling relation between energy losses and productivity variables is studied.•A set of energy performance indicators is developed to expose energy losses.•The method permits to increase energy efficiency while maintaining productivity.•Overall energy demand was reduced by 6.17% by implementing the proposed method.