Optimizing industrial processes helps mitigate climate change

Climate change and its mitigation call for innovation and ever more actions from the industry. Resilient and climate-friendly infrastructure, increased resource efficiency, and optimized industrial processes are ways to reduce carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change. Investments in these areas are crucial for sustainable development, as outlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. In many industries, process optimization leads to better energy efficiency and decreased emissions and waste. Vaisala provides reliable data from the industrial processes and conditions as the basis for sustainable decisions.

Vaisala’s Industrial Measurements business area provides industrial customers with better visibility into their processes. Adjusting processes or conditions helps not only in terms of productivity but also to conserve energy and natural resources, which has a major impact in fighting climate change. With accurate and reliable measurement data, various industries are able to control their activities effectively. 

Good decisions are based on good data. Vaisala’s instruments – designed for multiple and specific needs depending on the customer and application – provide high quality data for our industrial customers. Based on the accurate measurement data, they can see how to improve and fine-tune the process so that it becomes more efficient. This means that they can optimize energy consumption and thus save energy or adjust other parameters so that the process generates less waste. Moreover, once the process is optimized, it increases product quality, reducing material loss even further when faulty end-products do not have to be discarded. The resulting energy efficiency and quality help our customers save natural resources as well as decrease emissions and the footprint of their products.

Resource efficiency is enhanced also through the durability and long life cycles of our products. The instruments have been designed to withstand even the harshest of conditions even in Antartica and in space. This endurance ensures that the instruments last, which on its part saves resources, as they do not need to be changed as often.

A flagship product for industrial needs is Vaisala’s Indigo product family. Indigo is a smart solution for a wide range of industrial measurement needs, such as semiconductor, heavy industry, pharmaceutical or food technology and agriculture – including greenhouses, food storage, and baking – wherever the process optimization and loss reduction have significant impacts.

Smart decisions are based on smart measurements 

Vaisala’s modular Indigo family includes interchangeable smart probes, robust transmitters, and Vaisala Insight PC Software. Together they create a strong chain of data to improve industrial processes in terms of ensuring energy-efficiency, safety, and end-product quality.

The product family is optimal for measuring multiple parameters, offering flexible connectivity and real-time visibility into the data. The modular design allows users to choose and mix the needed elements to operate in various demanding industrial environments. The needs can vary indeed heavily depending on the application. For example, greenhouses need to measure carbon dioxide, relative humidity, and temperature to ensure optimal conditions for plant growth. As another example from the food industry, applications such as bread baking and cereal manufacturing must have a carefully controlled humidity level in the dryers and ovens in order to ensure quality.

Food manufacturing represents only a fraction of the industries where Vaisala’s measurement equipment serve, however: Vaisala’s instruments help to improve resource efficiency across industries. One example of this are data centers, that consume a lot of energy for cooling. With the data from Vaisala’s measurement instruments, the air conditioning in data centers can be optimized energy efficiently. 

Accurate and reliable measurement data prevents wasted resources, products or even costly shutdowns in a variety of industries. High quality measurements ensure a solid ground for smart decisions for improved processes. Even minor adjustments in the processes can have an immense impact on the resource efficiency and thus the environment and climate.
 

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This is the fifth post in our article series about Vaisala’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Vaisala’s multifaceted business is brimming with stories, and in this article series, we illustrate with concrete examples, how our business is truly linked to the SDGs. Stay tuned for more information on how our solutions, practices, and mission Observations for a better world reflect the goals