Decarbonisation technologies and services

In today’s industrial landscape, the demand for energy-efficient solutions is becoming increasingly urgent, particularly in energy-intensive sectors like ceramics. Companies are driven by the dual goals of enhancing environmental sustainability and reducing operational costs, prompting them to innovate and adopt advanced technologies. Pioneering companies are leading the way by offering innovative technologies capable of revolutionising how the ceramic industry manages energy consumption. One such company is XIBER Energy Solutions, based in Vimodrone (Milan). XIBER is part of TESYA, an international group of 25 companies with deep local roots in 15 countries, which specialises in providing sophisticated services and highly customised B2B integrated solutions for construction, site management, warehousing and logistics, electrical and mechanical power generation, and energy transition. XIBER serves as an Energy Service Company (ESCo), guiding industrial customers through the transition to energy efficiency by offering integrated solutions that lower operational costs and reduce CO2 emissions. Their approach consolidates multiple turnkey technologies, ensuring customers have a single point of contact at all stages of the project. In July 2023, XIBER expanded its expertise by acquiring Zanotti Energy Group, bringing on board a talented team of professionals, including Andrea Zanotti, XIBER's current Chief Technical Officer. With over 15 years of experience in asset management, engineering and advanced services for energy production plants, Zanotti now oversees the management of 933 photovoltaic plants, totalling 180 MW. 
“For the ceramic sector,” says Andrea Zanotti, “we offer a wide range of energy solutions, including photovoltaic plants, co/trigeneration plants, energy storage and management systems, efficient lighting, and heat pump systems. These solutions are fully integrated into the production process, aimed at reducing operational costs and CO2 emissions.” The focus is on the ESCo model, which minimises the financial impact of these investments. “There are many technologies available that can make the ceramic sector more efficient, often yielding attractive financial returns on investment,” continues Zanotti. “The key to a successful project lies mainly in the technical quality of the project itself, combined with effective process integration. Currently, not every ceramic company has a photovoltaic system on their roof or on adjacent land connected by direct cable (thanks to Solar Belt legislation). Additionally, every ceramic company should consider implementing a cogeneration engine for electricity production alongside heat recovery.” The proper integration of these two technologies can optimise load balancing, leading to significant reductions in energy costs when managed effectively. “Companies that own or adopt these technologies must subsequently (within the next 24 months) analyse their energy flows to explore the implementation of stationary storage systems,” Zanotti concludes. “The energy sector is undergoing rapid technological evolution, and the industry needs support from specialised companies in the sector. These companies can work alongside in-house Energy Managers to develop an efficient energy strategy and mitigate risks associated with fluctuating energy prices.” Thanks to the ESCo contract model, companies can focus their financial investments on their core business rather than energy solutions. XIBER, certified under UNI 11352 as an ESCo, offers this type of contract. It makes the upfront CAPEX investment, while the customer pays a predetermined fee in a full-service mode, enabling them to transition to more sustainable energy practices effectively.

CPL Concordia is an Italian cooperative company based in Concordia sulla Secchia in the province of Modena that specialises in designing, building and managing energy systems. The company is now focused on emerging energy transition trends, particularly in the areas of biomethane, photovoltaics and hydrogen.
The hydrogen market in the industrial sector is experiencing strong growth, fuelled mainly by European PNRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) funds. This plan provides various forms of financial support for research projects and the development of the necessary infrastructure for using green hydrogen (produced from renewable sources), contributing to the country’s decarbonisation efforts.
“Commercial and technical cooperation agreements with both domestic and foreign partners,” emphasises Barbara Lodi, Head of Engineering & Construction of CPL Concordia's Energy and Hydrogen Plants, “enable us not only to operate in this segment but also to expand our product portfolio for PNRR-related opportunities and energy efficiency solutions for public and private customers. We position ourselves as a technological enabler and implementer of installations.” Looking towards a future increasingly focused on efficiency and decarbonisation, green hydrogen can serve as a vital component in the energy transition process, protecting the environment and benefiting the community. “In a context of sustainable evolution,” adds Lodi, “CPL Concordia aims to be a technical enabler and technological partner for the construction and maintenance of hydrogen production and supply plants. We contribute to implementing the European strategy aimed at progressively increasing the use of renewable sources to achieve a 100% reduction in emissions by 2050.” Due to its numerous benefits, green hydrogen is regarded as a clean energy vector that can significantly contribute to decarbonisation by reducing CO2 emissions and helping protect the planet. “Our company”, says Lodi, “is equipped to manage all technical and administrative aspects of the plants constituting the entire hydrogen supply chain and the subsequent implementation and management, starting from the production of electricity from renewable sources to the electrolysis plants, measurement and feed-in stations, and the supply of fuel cells.” CPL Concordia accompanies customers throughout the entire project, offering initial assessments, efficiency proposals and access to calls for PNRR funding, along with options for analysis and calibration services, inspections and control systems. “For ceramic industries,” Lodi concludes, “hydrogen represents the ideal vector for a decarbonisation process. It is a valid alternative to district heating due to its compatibility with existing gas networks and district heating and/or combined heat and power plants.” Natural gas cogeneration involves the simultaneous production of electricity and thermal energy using an engine fuelled by methane or LNG, which is connected to an electric generator. With trigeneration, it is possible to produce cooling energy by using some or all of the thermal energy generated by the engine.

Installation of a cogeneration plant at Farmaceutica Angelini and CPL Concordia headquarters (Modena, Italy)

At the same time, Nyox, a company based in Borgo Chiese (Trento), specialises in turnkey solutions (Engineering Procurement and Construction) for photovoltaic plants aimed at decarbonising the industrial sector. Through its partnership with Edison Next, Nyox offers innovative on-site and off-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) options. Edison Next (a company belonging to the Edison Group that supports customers and regions in their decarbonisation and ecological transition efforts) and Polytec (a leading Italian company in industrial automation and the construction of renewable energy production plants) have, in fact, decided to join forces in a strategic partnership called Nyox. “Our company,” explains Pierluigi De Cesero, Chief Sales Officer of Nyox, “focuses on industrial photovoltaic systems. With a portfolio of over 220MWp of contracted systems, we understand that customers seek assurance in having access to the most advanced and high-performance products on the market. As a ‘System Integrator’, we achieve this by forming partnerships with major manufacturers of photovoltaic technologies to design increasingly efficient, integrated, and high-performing systems. For instance, we now use the latest high-yield panels that generate previously unimaginable power levels, along with inverters and software systems that allow us to monitor anomalies in real time, ensuring optimal system performance. In the energy sector, innovation is not just about technology; it also involves developing innovative tools to approach customers as true partners rather than mere suppliers. “In this context,” continues De Cesero, “we are referring to financial tools like the new Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Thanks to our partnership with Edison Next, Nyox offers innovative formulas that cater to the specific needs of customers, ensuring the production of green energy without requiring any upfront investment from them.” Other innovative tools include the Jada platform for optimising plant management, the use of green supply chains, and the increasingly significant Battery Energy Storage Systems. “We have made substantial investments in purchasing strategies,” confirms De Cesero, “achieving excellent results both economically and in terms of technological innovation. Anticipating advancements in photovoltaic system components rather than focusing on the continuous training of our design and engineering team has a cost for the company, but it ultimately allows us to deliver better, sometimes unique, products to our end customers. For instance, our investment in the Jada platform yields significant benefits. Jada Analytics Data Assets enable unthinkable results to be achieved in plant efficiency through strategic management and advanced AI tools. They also provide predictive insights into plant operations, which are essential for preventing costly downtime. This solution enables end customers to view photovoltaic investments not only through a sustainability perspective but also as actual financial investments that require continuous monitoring and protection. Operating a photovoltaic investment through on-site PPA models on their own land, or off-site when land is unavailable, enables companies to avoid direct investments while ensuring their plants are managed optimally by industry professionals. 

Ground- and roof-mounted photovoltaics (Nyox)

(Articolo di Andrea Ghiaroni, pubblicato in CER il giornale della ceramica n. 405)
Main photo: roof-mounted photovoltaics (Xiber)