The energy sector is all about reliability and efficiency. Whether it's heat networks, CHP systems or other energy systems, proper operation is essential. In this regard, asset management is crucial, but compliance - or meeting legal requirements - plays an equally important role. Compliance and asset management reinforce each other, and by cleverly integrating the two, maintenance can be carried out more efficiently and sustainably.
In this article, Hans, Enabler of Assets within Ecopulz, explains how asset management and compliance go hand in hand and makes the case for extending legal measurement intervals. We show how the User Inspector (IVG'er) successfully applied this to pressure vessels and systems, stretching the inspection interval from one to four years.
Compliance in the energy sector
Compliance in the energy sector means complying with strict safety and environmental laws and regulations. This applies to installations such as pressure vessels, flue gas and wastewater discharges. Regular inspections and measurements are mandatory to ensure that systems are operating safely and not causing unnecessary damage to the environment.
Many companies approach compliance purely as a legal obligation, but there are opportunities to make it part of an effective asset management strategy. By linking legal requirements to maintenance processes, companies can not only comply with the law, but also reduce costs and improve the performance of their systems.
Asset management: optimize performance
Asset management is about managing plants and infrastructure throughout their life cycle. In the energy sector, this means balancing efficiency and safety while minimizing unexpected failures and downtime. Many companies use standard maintenance and inspection intervals to comply with the law, regardless of the actual condition of their systems. This can lead to unnecessary maintenance costs and downtime. A smarter approach is to use predictive maintenance, where maintenance is performed based on the actual condition of the system rather than on fixed time intervals.
Smart maintenance with predictive monitoring
Predictive maintenance uses technologies such as sensors and real-time monitoring to continuously track the condition of systems. By integrating this technology into asset management, companies can detect problems early and fix them before they occur. This saves costs, increases reliability and extends the life of systems. With predictive analytics, companies can manage their systems more accurately, improving compliance with both operational and regulatory obligations. This makes it possible to optimize maintenance strategies while complying with legislation without unnecessary downtime or costs.
The IVG'er example: optimization of pressure systems
A good example of how asset management and compliance reinforce each other is the User Inspector (IVG'er). He is responsible for overseeing pressure vessels and pressure systems, which are subject to strict regulations because of safety risks. Traditionally, these systems had to be inspected annually. But through the use of advanced monitoring and predictive maintenance, the IVG'er has shown that maintenance can be better tailored to the actual condition of the system. Continuous insight into the status of pressure systems makes it possible to identify problems early and perform targeted maintenance, thus avoiding unnecessary inspections. This approach allowed the inspection interval to be extended from one year to four years. This yielded significant cost savings while increasing the efficiency and reliability of the system. This case shows that combining compliance with a smart asset management strategy helps companies reduce maintenance costs and improve the performance of their systems.
Emissions and water management: monitoring as key to efficiency
In addition to pressure systems, strict regulations apply to emissions and water management. Energy systems emit flue gases and discharge wastewater, which must be measured and reported regularly to comply with environmental regulations. By deploying advanced monitoring tools, companies can accurately track emissions from their systems. This allows for faster intervention when emissions or discharges approach legal limits. Continuous data monitoring provides greater control and prevents companies from relying on manual inspections and measurements, saving time and costs.
The road to extending measurement intervals
Many current laws prescribe fixed measurement and inspection intervals, such as annual inspections of pressure vessels or periodic measurements of emissions and discharges. This is often a standard approach regardless of the actual state of the system. As a result, companies perform maintenance and inspections that are sometimes not necessary, leading to inefficiencies. With smart technology and real-time monitoring, companies can better understand the condition of their systems. As a result, maintenance and inspection intervals can be extended without compromising safety or compliance. This leads to lower costs, less downtime and a more flexible approach to compliance.
Conclusion: toward a more flexible compliance system
Integrating compliance into asset management offers companies the opportunity to manage their systems more efficiently and safely. Predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring play a key role in this. By continuously monitoring the condition of systems, companies can optimize maintenance and demonstrate that less frequent inspections are sufficient. The IVG'er example shows that inspection intervals can be extended when maintenance needs are properly mapped. This can also be applied to other mandatory measurements, such as emissions and water management. Companies that deploy smart technology can demonstrate that their systems are in good condition and in compliance with regulations, allowing for an extension of regulatory measurement intervals.
By embracing this flexible approach to compliance, companies can reduce costs, minimize risk and contribute to a safer and more sustainable energy system at the same time. Smart asset management with a focus on predictive analytics and real-time monitoring provides the path to the future of efficient energy management.
