Towards the assessment of the efficiency and sustainability of energy-based Investment projects

Abstract

Reducing carbon emissions is one of the main strategies for the development of a more sustainable production system worldwide. To align with that strategy, industries must try to reduce energy consumption or be as efficient as possible in its use. In this work, an energy efficiency project is approached and its aims is to improve the use made of energy within the industrial plant under study. In this plant, the incorporation of an electricity generation turbine is planned which will be powered by the plant´s steam system. Thus, the selection of which turbine to purchase for the energy efficiency project is a complex decision problem. For this, a financial analysis is proposed through the Net Present Value (NPV), using information on the standard behavior of the steam system. The results allow us to clearly identify which is the best option, showing the benefits of NPV for a markedly technical analysis.