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6 Experimental Validation of the Methodology
6.1
Presentation of the Practical Area of Application
The validation of the methodology is based on practical data 1 from Bosch, a global company operating in various fields. The pilot area, which supplies the data
for validating the simulation-based optimization methodology, is part of a Bosch
plant in Germany that manufactures engine components for the automotive industry. With more than 4200 employees, approximately 16 million parts are produced
per year for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, as well as off-highway applications. The plant has a yearly energy consumption of 54 GWh and therefore energy
costs of more than 10 million Euro 2 . About 95% of the electricity demand is
covered by a framework contract with an external energy supplier, the remainder
is provided plant-internally. The type of power supply does not play an important
role for this thesis, since it is purely about the total amount of energy savings.
Whether the energy requirement is satisfied by a company-owned energy source
or the energy grid of an external supplier, is not initially important at this point.
To assess the results and optimizations, a uniform cost rate, namely the price of
the energy supply contract, is used for calculations. The electricity tariff, as described in detail in section 3.3, provides a distinction between a high and low tariff
working price 3 and includes a peak-dependent power price for grid usage.
6.1.1 Presentation of the Data Basis
Bosch has a very detailed energy monitoring system in use. The energy data
acquisition in the considered plant is available on machine level factory-wide.
The collected energy consumption data is managed in a purpose-developed software solution named energy platform. Energy efficiency measures regarding the
leak management of pipes, the compressed air supply, the control of the heating,
cooling, ventilation, and illumination of production halls, as well as a shut-down
management of unneeded ventilation to avoid energy peaks are monitored and
evaluated using the energy platform data. So far, the energy monitoring system is
1 The Bosch Company provides current product, production, and energy data in full for this
work. For data protection and privacy reasons, the production data (produced quantities,
production cycle times, delivery schedules, etc.) is anonymized and adapted by the author
in the text, the illustrations, and the simulation model. The energy consumption data of the
machines is not changed.
2 The 10 million Euro include 19% value-added tax.
3 The high tariff is used from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and the low tariff from 10:00 pm to 6:00
am.
6 Experimental Validation of the Methodology
6.1
Presentation of the Practical Area of Application
The validation of the methodology is based on practical data 1 from Bosch, a global company operating in various fields. The pilot area, which supplies the data
for validating the simulation-based optimization methodology, is part of a Bosch
plant in Germany that manufactures engine components for the automotive industry. With more than 4200 employees, approximately 16 million parts are produced
per year for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, as well as off-highway applications. The plant has a yearly energy consumption of 54 GWh and therefore energy
costs of more than 10 million Euro 2 . About 95% of the electricity demand is
covered by a framework contract with an external energy supplier, the remainder
is provided plant-internally. The type of power supply does not play an important
role for this thesis, since it is purely about the total amount of energy savings.
Whether the energy requirement is satisfied by a company-owned energy source
or the energy grid of an external supplier, is not initially important at this point.
To assess the results and optimizations, a uniform cost rate, namely the price of
the energy supply contract, is used for calculations. The electricity tariff, as described in detail in section 3.3, provides a distinction between a high and low tariff
working price 3 and includes a peak-dependent power price for grid usage.
6.1.1 Presentation of the Data Basis
Bosch has a very detailed energy monitoring system in use. The energy data
acquisition in the considered plant is available on machine level factory-wide.
The collected energy consumption data is managed in a purpose-developed software solution named energy platform. Energy efficiency measures regarding the
leak management of pipes, the compressed air supply, the control of the heating,
cooling, ventilation, and illumination of production halls, as well as a shut-down
management of unneeded ventilation to avoid energy peaks are monitored and
evaluated using the energy platform data. So far, the energy monitoring system is
1 The Bosch Company provides current product, production, and energy data in full for this
work. For data protection and privacy reasons, the production data (produced quantities,
production cycle times, delivery schedules, etc.) is anonymized and adapted by the author
in the text, the illustrations, and the simulation model. The energy consumption data of the
machines is not changed.
2 The 10 million Euro include 19% value-added tax.
3 The high tariff is used from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and the low tariff from 10:00 pm to 6:00
am.