Assessment of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Opportunities in an Industrial Plant: The Case of ZADI S.p.A.

This thesis presents a comprehensive energy audit of the ZADI S.p.A. industrial site in Carpi (MO), carried out in accordance with ENEA guidelines and the requirements of Legislative Decree 102/2014. The study analyses three years of energy data (2022–2024), integrating information from utility bills, installed meters, and a larger scale monitoring system comprising 18 power meters. The aim is to quantify energy consumption, assess the performance of the site's electrical and thermal systems and identify opportunities for efficiency improvement. Dedicated energy models were developed for electrical loads, natural gas use and thermal production, enabling the calculation of both plant level and area specific Energy Performance Indicators (EnPIs), highlighting correlations between energy performance and production volumes. Based on the results of these models, several improvement measures were evaluated. These include the replacement of the existing boiler with a higher efficiency condensing model combined with heat recovery from the rooftop chiller, the extraordinary maintenance of the absorption chiller to restore its original performance and the optimisation of the compressed air distribution system. Each measure was assessed in terms of energy savings, economic feasibility and potential impact on overall site performance. Given the relevance of compressed air within the industrial facility and its considerable share of total electricity consumption, the thesis also provides further insights into this vector through a dedicated scientific review. This section examines the role of compressed air in industry, summarises the state of the art efficiency practices and technologies and discusses key findings from international scientific literature. The review describes compressed air as a critical utility in industrial contexts and offers a structured perspective on supply, distribution and demand side measures, supporting the development of targeted EnPIs and informing improvement strategies applicable not only to the ZADI case study but to industrial facilities more broadly.