An ESCo energy efficiency project in the industrial sector: thermal energy recovery from a compressed air production plant

This master thesis originates from a curricular internship held at Sinergia S.C. (hereinafter referred to as Sinergia), an Energy Service Company (ESCo) based in Vicenza. The primary aim of the thesis is to illustrate the operating methods of an ESCo through the development and implementation of an energy efficiency project in the industrial sector. This project consists in the recovery of thermal energy from two industrial compressors of a bookbindery located in Vicenza, with the goal of reducing the facility HVAC plant’s reliance on traditional energy sources, which in this case are natural gas and biomass. By recovering and reusing the heat generated by the compressors, the project aims to improve the overall energy efficiency of the plant, leading to both energy and economic savings and to a reduction of the system’s environmental impact. The thesis begins with a brief introduction to frame the European and Italian energy policy, outlining the importance of energy efficiency measures – like the one described in this document – in achieving national and EU sustainability goals and recognising the role of the ESCo. Following the introduction, the thesis will present a detailed description of the activities carried out during the internship at Sinergia, focusing on the analysis and planning steps that were undertaken to achieve the ex-post energy efficiency scenario. The bookbindery’s plant configuration in the ex-ante situation will be presented, including a technical overview of the energy flows and thermal energy consumption prior to the intervention. Then, a feasibility study – including data collection, energy assessment, preliminary design and an algorithm for the calculation of the savings – will be carried out. Subsequently, the final design of the thermal recovery system will be presented in detail. This section will include the executive project and the technical specifications necessary to implement the system at the bookbindery. Following the feasibility study and the final design, a Technical-Economic Proposal will be developed based on the Energy Performance Contract (EPC) model. This contract structure is commonly used in ESCo projects and aligns the interests of both the service provider and the client, ensuring that energy savings are realized and performance guarantees are met. A key aspect of the project is the access to financial incentives provided through the mechanism of the Energy Efficiency Certificates (Titoli di Efficienza Energetica – TEE in Italian), which came into force in 2005 and is one of the main instruments for promoting energy efficiency in Italy. Finally, a sensitivity analysis will be carried out: several simulations will be performed to understand how the energy and economic parameters change by varying the input conditions.