The advent of green automation – can it make industries more efficient and sustainable?
By Kobus Vermeulen, Direct Sales Executive, Process Automation at Schneider Electric
Sustainability and daily operations have become
intrinsically linked. Gone are the day where sustainability initiatives were viewed as an additional cost; often the inefficiencies that affect environmental performance
also have a direct financial impact.
Excessive energy consumption, water losses, inconsistent production, unnecessary raw material usage and unplanned equipment downtime all affect the bottom line. And addressing these issues offer a dual benefit,
positively impacting both the environment and commercial business.
Green automation brings these objectives together by making industrial processes more visible, responsive and efficient.
As a practical example; a pumping system, widely used in mining, water treatment, chemicals and manufacturing, often operate at fixed speeds, day in and day out. This is downright inefficient.
Variable speed drives (VSDs), however, can adjust motor speeds to actual requirements, whilst intelligent control systems can optimise pumping schedules and pressure levels.
Similarly, automated monitoring can help identify water losses, while improved process control can reduce over-treatment and unnecessary consumption. In manufacturing, more accurate dosing, blending and quality
monitoring can reduce raw material waste, product giveaway and rework.
Granted, these improvements may appear incremental, but across energy- and resource-intensive operations, they can make a meaningful difference to overall performance.
Existing infrastructure holds untapped potential
For South African industry, one of the most important aspects of green automation is that it does not necessarily require a complete forklift implementation.
Indeed, many facilities have operated for decades, with established production processes, experienced operational teams and mechanical assets that continue to serve their purpose.
However, as time goes by, instrumentation starts aging and somewhat dated isolated control systems and manual operating practices start limiting visibility into how assets are performing.
It is here where the perfect opportunity lies to modernise incrementally. As the first steps, companies can, for example, introduce more reliable energy and water metering, collecting operational data and
monitoring asset performance.
Once they understand where resources are being consumed and where losses occur, they can target improvements such as advanced process control, pump and compressor optimisation, predictive maintenance and more
effective energy management.
This phased approach offers a myriad of benefits such as:
- Mitigation the hidden costs of degradation – equipment wear increases energy use, reduces throughput, and drives up maintenance long before outright failure.
- Early insight – condition monitoring and predictive analytics flag performance changes sooner, giving teams time to act before efficiency erodes.
- Extended asset life= proactive interventions keep equipment running at optimal levels, delaying costly replacements.
In the end, a phased approach allows companies to prioritise improvements according to their operational needs and investment capacity. It also helps manage the risk of disruption in environments where continuity
of production is critical.
Green automation in motion
As we know, industrial facilities generate substantial volumes of operational information, but collecting data does not automatically translate into better performance. The real value is turning that information
in actionable insight.
Again, this is where green automation shines. Real-time monitoring provides visibility into energy consumption, water usage, process efficiency, equipment health and production losses.
Companies can therefore accurately identify why, for example, consumption was higher than expected, what was cause and what corrective action can be taken.
Over time, these capabilities can support increasingly autonomous optimisation, with systems detecting inefficiencies, anticipating problems and adjusting routine operating parameters within defined limits.
Additionally, AI and advanced analytics can take this a step further by identifying patterns across multiple operating variables, highlighting bottlenecks and detecting signs of equipment deterioration that
might otherwise go unnoticed.
However, insight alone is not enough. The next step is intelligent control, which enables systems to respond to changing conditions and adjust operations accordingly.
For example, control systems can regulate pump and compressor speeds, optimise chemical dosing, coordinate energy-intensive processes and balance production requirements against energy consumption.
Additionally, advanced process control can also reduce process variability, helping facilities maintain more consistent output while operating closer to optimal conditions.
Together, real-time data, analytics and intelligent control establish a continuous improvement cycle: measure, analyse, optimise and improve.
The bigger picture
Despite the proven and tangible benefits that green automation delivers, the starting point need not be large-scale transformation. It must remain practical, understanding energy usage, identifying avoidable
water losses or improving the control of a process that generates unnecessary waste.
From there, businesses can build progressively, using better data, intelligent control and advanced analytics to improve efficiency and performance across their operations.
