Maybe one of the keys to the solution of the climate changes lies in an invention, which is more than 60 years old? While the discussions leading up to COP15 have tended to focus on developing renewable energy, well-known technologies can already reduce the burden on the climate considerably.

“At Danfoss we build on the principles in EcoEfficiency, i.e. that one invests in efficiency improvement before one develops and creates new products, in order to utilise the existing technologies as effectively as possible. There are huge potentials even at sector- and society level in just using the energy more efficiently. It does not necessarily demand a new technology, but more a decision at these levels about pursuing these enormous potentials,” said Ole Daugbjerg, Chief Reputation Officer at Danfoss.

Danfoss itself has a range of technologies, which have already reduced the emission of CO2 with great success through many years. These experiences with energy savings have been gathered and Danfoss now calls itself one of the world’s leading centres of competence within energy efficiency. Fortunately, there are many savings to be made for the climate and great potentials in well-proven technology.

The thermostat can save 50 million ton CO2 in the EU

Danfoss is mostly known for its radiator thermostat. It has been calculated that there are about 350 million Danfoss thermostats around the world, and each of them save about 100 kg CO2 emission every year. But in Europe alone there are still some 500 million manual radiator valves. This means that 50 million ton of CO2 emission could be saved every year – or what would correspond to around half of the EU Kyoto obligation in the past - merely by putting up a thermostat, which basically works in the same way as it did when it was introduced in the middle of the last century. Furthermore, the effect would probably be even greater in the countries outside Europe. In some areas of Russia and China for instance, manual valves are not even used, here district heating is turned on once a year, and then the single user can adjust by opening or closing the windows.

Save 15-20% on the industry

The industrial production takes up 27% of the entire energy consumption in the EU. This is the reason why there is a huge potential in making the factories more efficient. Danfoss has introduced a new concept, Ensave®, where consultants help industrial companies reducing their energy consumption.

“By experience we can go into any larger industrial production and within one, two or three years help them save 15-20% of their annual energy consumption by making some very simple arrangements in their factories. We go through their factories and suggest effective changes”, Ole Daugbjerg tells.

Supermarkets can reduce 30%

If you look at an ordinary supermarket most of the energy consumption is used to the cooling of food. In this field you can gain an efficiency improvement of 10, 20 and even 30% merely by using the right vents and the best control. At the same time there is an extra gain as better cooling prevents waste of food. Today a very large part of the food produced in the world is wasted due to wrong storage.

District heating can utilise the energy better

District heating is a last example of a huge unused potential. It has two main advantages. Firstly, there is economy of scale by connecting an entire city to the same source of energy instead of having a lot of decentralised sources in every single building. Secondly it is quite simply a matter of having better opportunities for using the waste energy, which comes from especially the production of electricity. When it comes to electric power plants this is actually a central unit, which supplies the whole city – we don’t have our own separate electric generator.

The waste heat from the great turbines is not used, if there is no district heating network. Though it could supply the electricity consumers with heating as well – or cooling in the areas where this is necessary - a power plant only uses 60% at the most of the energy invested in it, the rest is wasted if the heating is not used. With co-generation, the power plants can accumulate the heat in some big water tanks and distribute the hot water to the entire city. This would give an utilisation of close to 100% of the energy.

The political focus is crucial

Regarding energy efficiency, the political focus has a great effect. “The world has not yet reached the point where customers are not interested in the financial side. It is actually the point of departure for most of the dialogues we have with our customers and partners. But given that the political focus is increased, the focus on costs by emitting CO2 increases too.” A good example of this is the district heating, which is now written into EU directives within the area – lately in one regarding renewable energy.

Source: Danfoss

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