Eco-efficient production for industrial small and medium-sized enterprises through energy optimisation: framework and evaluation
Anupama Prashar
Abstract
Upsurge in the industrial growth has not only contributed to the global economic development but also burdened the ecological resources. In view of the industrial small and medium-sized enterprise’ (SMEs) collective environmental and economic bearing, an eco-efficient production roadmap is needed. Towards this aim, this paper adopts energy optimisation approach for enabling eco-efficient production in SMEs operating in energy-intensive industries. A framework is conceptualised by integrating the management actions for energy optimisation with the eco-efficiency evaluation indicators to assess the economic and environmental benefits of those actions. The framework is refined through an iterative action research (AR) study carried out in two small-sized industrial enterprise engaged in foundry and textile production and facing the challenge of energy losses and carbon emissions. The results of AR study show that the eco-efficiency programme guided by the proposed framework improved the eco-efficiency of textile mill by 1.2% and foundry by 4%. The paper exemplifies the definition and use of eco-efficiency indicators as an evaluation tool for assessing the economic and environmental impacts of energy optimisation initiatives in SMEs.