Nov. 25, 2024
Blu-Red software accelerates climate-friendly energy tech
As local authorities and businesses seek to reduce carbon emissions in meaningful ways, district heat pump plants, which can also provide cooling, are on the rise. Similarly, refrigeration technology based on climate-neutral ammonia is becoming key in the fight against carbon emissions. As more and more communities and businesses rely on these critical services, ensuring they provide a continuous supply is of vital importance. In line with GEA’s purpose of “Engineering for a Better World,” GEA’s InsightPartner Blu-Red Care management software is helping operators make unplanned downtime a thing of the past.
Heat pumps, powered by renewable or low‐emissions electricity, are central to the global transition to eco-friendly heating and cooling. In some countries, heat pumps are already the largest source of heating. In Norway, for example, 60% of buildings are equipped with heat pumps, with Sweden and Finland at over 40%, according to an International Energy Agency report from 2022. A similar movement is taking place within the refrigeration sector, with significant trends towards more climate-friendly technology that is reducing energy use and emissions.
Prevention rather than cure
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. This is certainly the case with heating and refrigeration technology. Unforeseen faults or technical issues can present risks to safety, continuation of supply and ultimately the bottom line. On top of this, managing increasingly specialised systems across multiple sites requires a level of expertise that is not always readily available due to the growing but specialist nature of the eco-friendly heating and cooling sector.
With all of this in mind, GEA has developed InsightPartner Blu-Red Care, an intuitive software system that provides proactive digital maintenance for heating and cooling technology, including heat pumps, energy recovery systems, compressors and condensers.
Ensuring that operators and service providers have access to data about the performance of equipment, GEA Blu-Red Care offers the heating and refrigeration industries insights on the condition of machinery, highlighting any emerging deviations. Upcoming issues can be identified and addressed in good time, and any necessary replacement parts can be sourced before problems escalate and lead to unnecessary downtime.
Managing district heating
The Stadtwerke Lemgo district heating plant in northwestern Germany supplies heating to around 65% of the town’s population. Working with heat sourced from wastewater and the nearby River Bega, the site uses GEA heat pump technology to capture and boost the heat for supply to the public.
Heat and Electricity Manager at Lemgo Stadtwerke Uwe Weber is responsible for managing the site as well as the planning and execution of new upcoming facilities. Commenting on the Blu-Red Care, Weber noted that the software is enabling staff at the site to “make best possible use of the precious resource that is renewable heat” and has achieved 7,000 operating hours without any malfunctions in the past year, a new record.
Consistent reliability for an emerging industry
By taking the stress out of maintenance, managers can rest assured that heating and cooling equipment is operating at optimal efficiency, without unnecessary wear and tear affecting the functioning of this vital technology.
When upcoming technical issues are identified by the GEA InsightPartner Blu-Red Care, the system makes use of sophisticated algorithms to provide troubleshooting support on how problems need to be resolved. It’s a much-needed feature in this rapidly growing sector. Service provider companies especially often lack skilled workforce capacity, and a smart system can increase their workload by keeping and even increasing the quality of their services.
Having access to real-time monitoring in this way means that decision-making can be guided by immediate, data-based insights, making lengthy fault-finding processes a thing of the past. Data storage is cloud-based, so it can be accessed remotely, and Blu-Red Care can also be used to manage multiple sites.
GEA OptiPartner Blu-Red Energy
In a similar move to optimize efficiency in the energy sector, the development of GEA’s OptiPartner Blu-Red Energy software is a significant stride toward fulfilling GEA’s mission.
Currently in its pilot phase, Blu-Red Energy provides an innovative solution for companies seeking to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability. By utilizing advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze machine and weather data, GEA OptiPartner Blu-Red Energy enables seamless, data-driven energy optimization across compressors, heat pumps, chillers and entire plants.
Connecting to multiple pieces of equipment across the cloud, Blu-Red Energy uses AI to make real-time adjustments to the machine or plant controllers, without the need for intensive expert monitoring.
Caring for the planet, caring for businesses
This translates into substantial energy savings – typically between 5 to 10% – and, crucially, lower CO2 emissions. Through this technology, GEA empowers businesses to make meaningful progress in sustainability while also reducing operational costs, aligning with GEA’s commitment to developing solutions that benefit both the planet and the bottom line.
GEA is actively inviting participants to join the Blu-Red Energy pilot phase, allowing companies to explore the software's full potential firsthand. Designed to integrate smoothly with existing systems, the tool offers a straightforward setup and quick implementation, especially for GEA Omni users, for whom it can be operational in less than a day.
The tool also provides a digital twin feature, showcasing expected machine performance and clear, intuitive dashboards that highlight real-time energy savings in both kilowatt-hours and local currency. Through its blend of technology and user-friendly insights, Blu-Red Energy not only promises a quick payback period but also exemplifies GEA’s dedication to tangible, impactful solutions in the realm of energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
