Energy management in modular production

The upcoming challenges in the process industry demand a high flexibility, shorter product development cycles as well as energy and resource efficient production. Especially, energy efficiency of process plants is of substantial importance with regard to the high energy consumption in the process industry. With the introduction of modules and modular plants, the industry tries to overcome these challenges. However, an energy efficient production requires the identification, analysis and utilization of energy potentials. In order to be able to identify energy efficiency potentials in production, the introduction of an energy management system according to ISO 50001 plays a significant role. This paper investigates the extent to which energy management is practiced in the context of modular production and whether there is a need for research. Additionally, a concept is presented how energy management could be implemented in the engineering and operation phases of modular plants.