Design and utilization of a decision support tool to advance energy efficiency in industries

The industrial sector contributes significant environmental impact due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is necessary to investigate the energy flow from resources, and the possibilities for lowering energy use through energy management. Energy modeling and visualization have been identified as effective and powerful methods for investigating energy-saving potential and improving energy efficiency. In this study, the Sankey diagram-based decision support tool is designed and developed to illustrate the energy flow and the potential for energy savings from various processes in different industrial sectors. The tool is developed in Python and presented as a web-based dashboard, making it accessible to various users. The web-based Sankey diagram tool allows the user to comprehend the present state of energy consumption, costs, and CO2 emissions, as well as the potential for enhancing system flexibility and efficiency in the industry. The opportunities for heat recovery, renewable energy sources, and energy storage technologies are discussed as an assumed case study in 4 specific scenarios. Finally, the findings validate the significance of energy-efficient solutions in industry utilizing the proposed tool. This underscores the importance of adopting sustainable practices within industries, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of the sector's overall sustainability and resilience.