Technology showcase · Optimising energy to decarbonise industry
NORIA
Independent engineering firm optimising industrial energy systems and decarbonising process heat. NORIA intervenes upstream of investment decisions: site opportunity study, comparison of the candidate technical configurations, then support of the implementation partners through to commissioning.
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Understand the technology
01 — Understand
NORIA technology, in three points
NORIA is an independent engineering firm that helps industrial companies choose their energy system and secure that decision before investing. We study the site, compare the possible configurations (electrification, waste-heat recovery, thermal storage, low-carbon steam, multi-energy systems) and identify the one that minimises the cost of heat while reducing emissions. The method relies on an hour-by-hour model of the site and on price and consumption scenarios, for a decision that is robust to uncertainty. The deliverable: an energy master plan and a documented investment decision (system to be selected, CAPEX, OPEX, carbon pathway). Independent of any supplier, NORIA handles the upstream phase of the project, from the opportunity study to the technology choice, then supports the implementation partners through to commissioning.
01 The solution
Independent engineering firm optimising industrial energy systems and decarbonising process heat. NORIA intervenes upstream of investment decisions: site opportunity study, comparison of the candidate technical configurations, then support of the implementation partners through to commissioning.
02 Technology principle
A method based on an hour-by-hour model of the site and on price and consumption scenarios, in order to compare the possible configurations (electrification, waste-heat recovery, thermal storage, low-carbon steam, multi-energy systems) and select the one that minimises the cost of heat while reducing emissions. Three stages: Study, Choose, Optimise.
03 Applications
- Paper-board
- Ceramics
- Food processing
- Chemicals
- Minerals
In short:
NORIA is an independent engineering firm specialising in optimising industrial energy systems and decarbonising process heat. Founded by Ibrahim AL ASMI, PhD in multi-energy system optimisation, NORIA intervenes upstream of industrial sites’ energy investment decisions.
Between volatile energy prices, carbon constraints and the growing number of available technologies, choosing the right energy system has become a complex decision, with high CAPEX and binding for twenty years. NORIA provides the method and the tools to make this decision on solid foundations: modelling of the site, comparison of the possible configurations and an assessment of their robustness under real operating conditions.
Our clients are industrial sites that consume heat (paper-board, ceramics, food processing, chemicals, minerals) as well as the engineering offices, EPCs and energy companies that support them.
Securing the decision before investing
Decarbonising an industrial site is not just about replacing a boiler. The right system depends on the consumption profile, temperature levels, electricity and gas prices, grid connection capacity, mobilisable support schemes and the technologies in place. A poorly sized configuration is paid for over the entire lifetime of the installation. NORIA secures this choice in three stages.
Study
The opportunity study qualifies the site’s potential in a few weeks: waste-heat recovery resources, electrification and storage options, CAPEX, OPEX and avoided CO2 orders of magnitude, investment priorities. It makes it possible to decide where to invest, where to wait and where not to go.
Choose
The feasibility study compares the candidate configurations on an hour-by-hour model of the site, using NORIA’s in-house modelling and optimisation tools. Each configuration is tested under several scenarios: energy prices, production rate, equipment cost, grid constraints. The deliverable is an energy master plan and a documented investment decision, ready to be presented to a management team or a funder, followed by a specification for consulting suppliers and implementation partners.
Optimise
After commissioning, NORIA helps operate the system at the lowest cost: control strategies based on market prices, process conditions and equipment availability, and performance monitoring against the investment decision.
What this changes for the industrial company: an investment sized on the site’s real data rather than on catalogue assumptions; a robust decision that holds up against unfavourable scenarios; a shorter decision time thanks to a directly usable document; and a partner independent of any supplier and any EPC, who then supports the implementation partners through to commissioning.
Why NORIA joined FCI
By joining France Cleantech Industries, NORIA wishes to develop collaborations with the companies that design industrial decarbonisation technologies. The goal is to better identify their relevant applications, assess their integration into sites’ energy systems and bring out joint projects. This complementarity between equipment expertise and global optimisation can help move from innovation to viable industrial projects.
