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Save energy and costs simultaneously in the warehouse
Headlines about climate change, rising sea levels, and global warming are a daily occurrence in the media. No wonder, since sustainability and environmental protection are on many people's minds. This topic is also present in intralogistics, and reducing CO2 emissions and increasing energy efficiency are becoming increasingly CO2 balance directly lead
In addition to the transport sector, intralogistics specialists can make a significant contribution to the design of sustainable logistics systems and thus green logistics. The focus of these efforts in environmentally friendly warehouse design is on energy-efficient lighting, heating and ventilation technology, the use of renewable energies, and effective thermal insulation. Furthermore, these approaches aim for more efficient conveyor technology, high-performance software systems, modern warehouse equipment, and the avoidance of idle time.
Energy efficiency in the warehouse
Sustainable warehouse management aims to operate areas such as storage, order picking, packaging, and shipping in the most CO2-efficient and energy-saving way possible. According to a 2009 study by the World Economic Forum, warehouse buildings are responsible for an estimated 13 percent of the freight sector's CO2 emissions . Furthermore, a study by the logistics provider Vanderlande found that 24 percent of a supply chain's energy costs are attributable to intralogistics, making it a significant cost factor for logistics service providers.
For logistics companies, efficient energy use in warehouses therefore contributes not only to cost reductions but also to an improved CO2 balance . This is particularly important given the German government's ambitious targets for reducing CO2 emissions . Within intralogistics, conveying, storage, and order picking technology accounts for the largest share of energy costs at 48 percent. This is followed by heating and ventilation technology at 35 percent. Lighting technology accounts for a further 15 percent.
Increased efficiency through innovative lighting technology
By using modern lighting technology, energy consumption can be reduced by up to 90 percent. The choice of suitable light sources is primarily responsible for achieving the desired energy savings. Currently, LED lamps are the best choice due to their comparatively low energy consumption, longer lifespan, and significantly higher efficiency compared to conventional incandescent bulbs.
However, even the most effective energy-saving devices are of little use if they run continuously, unnecessarily increasing consumption. Many warehouses have therefore switched to motion detectors that enable selective lighting as needed. Storage areas for B and C items typically require a large area and are accessed less frequently. Instead of constantly illuminating the entire area, intelligent lighting control can save a significant amount of energy. An effective system illuminates the storage aisles only when a picker is entering them. Furthermore, light sources are no longer randomly distributed throughout the warehouse, but are used only where they are needed: in the aisles between the shelves, at picking stations, and along access routes for goods. Such measures alone can save up to 40 percent of the previous energy required for lighting.
Energy-saving storage systems
Modern storage systems offer significant savings potential, reducing energy consumption by up to 40 percent compared to conventional rack storage solutions. This is primarily achieved through:
Lightweight construction of the devices:
Less weight in the moving parts means lower consumption.
Compact design:
Due to their construction, the units allow for highly compact storage, resulting in significant space savings for the same storage volume. Consequently, smaller storage facilities can be built.
Energy-efficient drive technologies with powerful motors:
Thanks to an efficient interplay of electric motors, high-efficiency gearboxes and optimally matched control software, the bearing systems run more resource-efficiently and faster.
Intelligent unload monitoring:
Excessive unloading leads to motor overload and consequently high energy consumption. The lower the unload, the less stress is placed on the motor and mechanics, and the less energy is required. Modern unload monitoring helps to distribute the weight being moved more evenly. This protects the motor and mechanics and reduces energy consumption.
Setting up standby mode:
When not in use – even briefly – the devices automatically switch to standby mode. In this mode, all electrical components are put into a kind of sleep state, thus saving energy.
Route optimization:
The transport equipment always chooses the shortest route for storage and retrieval. This saves unnecessary distances, time, and ultimately energy.
Software-driven warehousing and order picking strategies:
Modern warehouse management software combines multiple orders into a single batch. This means that an item needed for several orders is only accessed once. Furthermore, the system enables faster and more precise picks, thus minimizing additional actions caused by errors.
Automatic lighting:
The lighting is only switched on when a tray with the goods to be picked is ready in the operating opening.
Energy-saving heating and cooling systems in the warehouse
Depending on their geographical location, logistics facilities often require heating or cooling. This is necessary both to prevent the stored goods from spoiling or being damaged, and to ensure reasonable working conditions for employees. In addition to comprehensive thermal insulation of the building, the operator can reduce energy consumption and thus save costs by using a modern heating or cooling system.
Things get a bit more complicated for operators of cold storage facilities, as maintaining the appropriate temperature of the goods, which can range from -10°C for frozen meat to 20°C for consumer goods, significantly contributes to a warehouse's energy consumption. Installing a modern cooling or heating system offers a good way to improve energy efficiency in storage. Of course, good insulation is also essential here.
Another approach is to increase automation in this area. This can reduce energy consumption from lighting and opening and closing doors. It also prevents employees from working in this climatically sensitive area. On the other hand, automating cold storage facilities results in additional energy consumption due to the installed drives.
Some warehouse operators rely on the spatial separation of climate zones in the form of air walls, so-called " air gates ." These allow for barrier-free separation of different climate zones within the warehouse and can, in turn, contribute to higher energy efficiency.
Elimination of lighting and heating in automation
Another development in intralogistics may soon make the described requirements regarding optimal lighting and air conditioning for warehouse employees obsolete: progressive automation.
In a growing number of facilities, goods are retrieved and provided by software-controlled systems; individual items are collected by autonomous transport robots zipping through the aisles and taken to fully automated order picking, from where they are sent via conveyor belt directly to assembly lines or to trucks waiting outside the warehouses. In this unmanned intralogistics environment, lamps are no longer needed, as the robots navigate to their destinations using GPS or induction loops and pick the items with the help of infrared sensors or integrated RFID chips. The devices also require no heating or air conditioning, since they cannot sweat or catch a cold. And within the generally quite wide range of their recommended operating temperature, far more generous temperatures can be achieved in the warehouse. Whether a warehouse operating without any human labor can be described as sustainably and ecologically sound, however, is a completely different question.
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