Unavoidable Energy: what exactly is it?
Energy is essential to any manufacturing process. But part of this energy produces heat which is evacuated into the atmosphere: this is what we call “unavoidable energy” (in French, “chaleur fatale”).
On June 28th, the French Association ATEE and ADEME held a conference on how to recuperate/use unavoidable energy.
The reservoir of unavoidable heat in France is considerable: about 900 GWh! But how to put it to use?
Unavoidable energy is mainly produced via processes at 2 locations: data centers and domestic waste incineration plants. At data centers, the servers processing and stocking data generate heat; they have to be kept at a constant temperature which means they need air-conditioning. Now, air cooling systems also use large amounts of electric energy and also generate heat – heat that’s evacuated into the atmosphere.
Key Conference Take-Aways:
Unavoidable Energy is characterized by its geographic location, temperature and time of day. Temperature is vital because of the difficulty of using energy at low temperatures. Time is of major importance because many processes are intermittent. By extension, the unavoidable energy these processes create is also intermittent.
To spot potential use of unavoidable energy, you must start by identifying specific manufacturer/user relationships and then apply the parameters listed above (i.e. location, temperature and time). For example, the potential of heating homes located close to an incinerator may exist.
The best results are obtained when it’s possible to use the unavoidable energy right where it’s produced. Like at facilities with their own IT centers. These centers evacuate heat year-round and in a generally constant way.
Another point to pay attention to is the intermittence of the process generating unavoidable energy. Every possible operating scenario for your plant must be taken into consideration, including total shut-down. During total shut-down, a user must be able to count on a replacement source of energy. With data centers, the cooling system’s level of availability is of major importance and therefore a priority. This makes piloting the system used to recuperate unavoidable energy rather complex.
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