Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Industry 4.0 for Sustainable Production, Smart Design and Manufacturing, Demand-Side Management, and Efficient Scheduling with Renewable Energy Sources

Dear Colleagues,

In the current era of a global transition towards sustainability, the exploration of energy-saving and emission reduction strategies within industries and manufacturing processes has emerged as a significant international research focal point. This heightened focus stems from the recognition of the pivotal role played by industries in contributing to environmental challenges, and the urgent need to mitigate these impacts. In the green transition, energy-saving and emission reduction strategies in industries and manufacturing processes present an international research hotspot. Researchers are currently focused on the establishment of energy saving interventions via the development of measurement models, key performance indicators (KPI), smart technologies, sustainable design and manufacturing approaches, energy-efficient scheduling models, management procedures, or the search for renewable energy sources. In addition, emission reduction presents a relevant field of research in countries across the world because vigorously reducing the carbon emissions produced by industry will result in enormous, revolutionary changes. In essence, the dynamic interplay between energy-saving and emission reduction strategies within the manufacturing industry represents a multifaceted and globally relevant research pursuit. The outcomes of these endeavors hold the promise of not only mitigating the environmental impact of industrial processes, but also steering the industrial landscape toward a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. 

In detail, this upcoming Special Issue aims to serve as a guiding resource and help industrial entities to achieve heightened energy efficiency, diminish their carbon emissions, and advance overall sustainability through the incorporation of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. The scope of this Special Issue, but is not restricted to, the following topics:

• Analysis of the current situation of sustainable industrial processes and the use of Industry 4.0 technologies in the assessment, measurement, and management of energy-saving and emission reduction strategies.
• New proposed technologies for smart sustainable design and production.
• Assessment of the impacts of emerging technologies on sustainability. 
• Integration of renewable energies and energy storage for enhanced energy self-sufficiency. 
• Integration of energy-efficient scheduling models in intelligent production systems.
• In-depth exploration of demand-side management and demand–response integration in the manufacturing industry. 

Dr. Raoudha Gaha
Dr. Berk Celik
Guest Editors

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• sustainable production
• Industry 4.0
• renewable energy sources
• demand-side management
• energy-efficient scheduling

Title: Life cycle assessment of piezoelectric devices implemented inwind turbine condition monitoring systems
Authors: Rabie ALOUI; Raoudha GAHA; Barbara LAFARGE; Berk CELIK; Caroline VERDARI
Affiliation: Laboratoire Roberval, Université de Technologie de Compiègne
Abstract: Asset condition monitoring has become a major issue over the last decade, which concerns the development of sensing systems that transmit accurate and reliable data for predictive mainte- nance. Several techniques have emerged in the literature with the common purpose of monitoring the condition of operational equipment in service. Assessing the vibration signature produced by a rotating component of the wind turbine, and more particularly on electrical generators, enables the identification of operational conditions and the detection of potential faults at an early stage. The goal is to increase the lifetime and availability of wind turbine operational systems to make them more sustainable. This vibration analysis is based on the processing of the signal provided by sensors which often incorporates electromechanical transducers, such as piezoelectric, magnetostructive, or others. This paper aims to evaluate the consequences of employing piezoelectric sensors used for vibration measurement on electrical machines integrated into wind turbines by conducting a life cycle assessment. The high sensitivity of piezoelectric materials to vibrations is the reason for their widespread use. The choice of piezoelectric materials comes from a regulatory perspective which aims to restrict its use. This research focuses on the environmental impact of a piezoelectric accelerometers used commonly in condition monitoring systems. Several transducer devices are first presented with an emphasis on ecodesign and alternatives. The environmental assessment of these devices is then investigated from a macro perspective with 16 impact categories. Results are presented and discussed in terms of environmental indicators, as well as environmental recommendations on their designs.