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Industrial production

Optimising industrial production with a digital twin for energy

What if your production facility could do more than produce goods?

What if it could operate as an energy-intelligent system, where you can model, simulate, and optimise all energy flows – steam, electricity, heat recovery, cooling – through a single digital representation of your site?

Using energyPRO, industrial plants can develop a full digital twin of their energy and production set-up. This allows you to understand how your energy and production streams interact, identify inefficiencies, and plan operations more effectively.

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Why this matters for industrial production

Industrial facilities typically face several shared challenges

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Separate planning

Energy systems and production processes are often planned separately, even though they are tightly interlinked.

 

Low system visibility

Limited visibility of how steam, heat recovery, electricity and cooling systems interact leads to missed optimisation opportunities.

 

Energy ignored in shifts

Shift planning is usually based on production needs alone, without considering energy cost, energy and resource availability, or system constraints.

 

Cost & emission pressure

There is growing pressure to reduce operational costs and emissions, but many facilities lack a modelling tool that provides a complete overview.

 

No visual planning tradition

Unlike district heating utilities, most industrial sites do not have tradition or tools for visual operational planning.

 

Face these challenges with energyPRO

energyPRO creates a unified view of your operation and provides the analytical capabilities needed to optimise it.

Overview of the system modelled

In this use case, energyPRO is used to model a large industrial production facility with several energy-relevant components, such as:

  • Steam generation and process steam consumption
  • Heat recovery systems (e.g., from exhaust gases or condensate)
  • Electricity production and consumption from motors, compressors, process equipment
  • Cooling and refrigeration systems
  • Thermal, gas and fuel storage, where relevant
  • Multiple production lines with shift-based demand patterns

The model enables components to be added or adjusted so that different operational or investment strategies can be tested.

Scenario inputs and assumptions

These inputs are used to simulate operational strategies within energyPRO.

Typical inputs may include:

Parameter
Typical input
Production load
Hourly or shift-based demand profile
Steam requirements
Demand profile for process steam
Electricity costs
Fixed values, timeseries, spot market prices
Equipment efficiency
Based on manufacturer data or plant measurements
Storage capacity
Capacity and behaviour of thermal or steam storage, limitations for gas and fuel storage
Shift constraints
Production timing and operational flexibility

Drive profitability & efficiency - why choose energyPRO?

energyPRO is instrumental in modelling and optimising such a complex, integrated energy system. See how it will add value to your project:

Build a digital twin of all energy-related systems

Get a clear and intuitive overview of energy and production flows.

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Make smarter decisions with complete insight into how your systems interact.

Simulate different operational strategies and tariffs

Reduce costs through load shifting and efficiency gains.

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Save money and manage unpredictable energy prices with confidence.

Test different production schedules and shift patterns

Improve operational planning and reduce downtime.

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Move from reactive to proactive operations for smoother, more efficient production.

Compare CHP, heat pumps, storage, or process changes

Make evidence-based decisions with clearer business cases.

 

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Invest wisely and reduce uncertainty around new projects or upgrades.

Test electrification, heat recovery, and low-carbon options

Lower emissions and improve energy efficiency.

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Meet sustainability goals and future-proof your operations.

 

Further extension possibilities

Once the digital twin is established, additional analyses become straightforward:

On-site renewables & storage

Easily add solar, wind, or batteries to your model and see how they impact your energy flows and costs.

Electrify thermal processes

Test how switching to heat pumps or other electric solutions can improve efficiency and sustainability.

Investment scenario comparison

Quickly compare different upgrade options to find the best investment for your site.

 

Market strategy testing

Simulate how your operations perform under changing electricity prices and market conditions.

 

Expansion planning

Plan for new production lines or site growth with confidence, using your digital twin.

Emissions & sustainability analysis

Evaluate the environmental impact of your choices and track progress toward sustainability goals.

The modules you need

To model and optimise a project of this nature, the following energyPRO modules are recommended:

Recommended package for Industrial Production in energyPRO

DESIGN

Build the detailed model of your energy and production system.

 

COMPARE

Analyse alternative operational or investment scenarios.

FINANCE

Evaluate capital investments, operational savings, and payback times.

OPTIMIZE

Make confident investment decisions with optimised asset sizing built into your energy modelling.
Discover all energyPRO modules

Learn. Apply. Succeed: Your energyPRO Training Hub

This use case is illustrative, not prescriptive. Proper dimensioning requires hydraulic and biological expertise. Still, it shows how engineers can use energyPRO to simulate dynamic, modular production processes – a vital step toward smart, cost-effective infrastructure.

Dive into our comprehensive courses, webinars, and tutorials to master energyPRO’s powerful features.

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Get started with energyPRO today and take your energy projects from concept to completion.

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