Energy efficiency improvement of a wood-manufacturing plant in Morocco through energy audit

Abstract

The wood sector is vital for the global economy, supplying materials for construction and furniture, but its production processes are highly energy-intensive. In Morocco, the energy sector is central for regional economic growth but faces significant efficiency challenges. Hence, energy audits are essential for identifying inefficiencies and recommending improvements, especially for industrial establishments and companies, whose energy consumption exceeds 1500 toe, required to carry out an energy audit every five years. This paper details the steps and results of an energy audit at a Moroccan wood manufacturing facility, covering site visits, data collection, measurements, analysis and suggesting an action plan and recommendations. It also assesses the environmental and economic impacts of implementing this plan. The outcomes from this audit reveal that 80 % of electricity is consumed by motorization, and 13 % is allocated to lighting. In terms of recommendations, the findings indicate that installing capacitors, as solution to optimize the power factor, can reduce the examined motor's energy consumption by 37.5 %. In addition, replacing existing lamps with LED ones and incorporating occupancy sensors decrease the energy use by 32.18 % and 3.52 %, respectively, compared to their initial energy consumption. These three solutions result in a reduction of 17.6 % in the total energy bill and avoid 252.73 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. This article could serve as a guide for stakeholders and specialists, emphasizing the potential benefits of energy audits in enhancing energy efficiency, reducing energy costs, and mitigating environmental impacts in the wood industry.