Oct 24 2022

Recovering Heat From A Factory Chimney

Recycling heat from industrial processes can have a number of benefits. One of them is the reduction in the amount of energy required for heating. This is because the heat that would normally be lost to the environment will now be used to heat buildings and other areas, where it is needed. It’s a great way of reducing energy costs elsewhere in the industrial set up.

Industrial process heat recycling can also provide a way to generate electricity and produce clean power. This will help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. More and more companies are looking to make use of resources they already have to reduce their carbon footprint.

Valio’s biggest-ever energy-efficiency investment in Lapinlahti: recovering heat from the factory chimney

The biggest energy-efficiency investment in Valio’s history has been completed at Valio’s Lapinlahti factory in the North Savo region of Finland. The new flue-gas condenser captures heat from the factory’s chimney and simultaneously scrubs it to make it cleaner. The factory’s energy consumption will decrease by more than 10 percent and its greenhouse gas emissions by about 10,000 CO₂tons per year, i.e. an amount equivalent to the annual emissions of some 4,900 passenger cars.

The Lapinlahti factory has the biggest total energy consumption of all Valio’s factories. The factory needs heat energy for two production processes in particular: drying milk powders and cooking cheese. The factory’s heat energy consumption can be decreased by as much as 25,000 MWh per year.

“We produce the heat energy needed by our factory primarily using biofuel in a heat plant located on site. Hot flue-gas is generated in conjunction with heat production. Previously, the heat energy contained in the approx. 150°C flue gas went to waste, but now the flue-gas condenser captures the thermal energy. Water sprayed into the flue gas absorbs the thermal energy of the flue gas. This combined with the heat pump technology results in 80°C hot water, which we utilise in production and in facility heating. We store the rest of the hot water in the new heat accumulator system. This gives us access to thermal energy when we need it the most,” says Energy Manager Peter Fabritius from Valio, a leading food and dairy company.

In addition to the energy savings, the system supports heat production especially during periods of peak consumption and reduces the use of light fuel oil-fired auxiliary boilers. It also lowers the factory’s energy bill.

“Valio’s target is to cut milk’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035. We have implemented a lot of energy-efficiency measures over the years. However, as a single measure, this is the most effective and tangible demonstration of the food industry’s sustainability work. The timing is right, as energy savings are needed now more than ever. Energy availability is a security of supply issue. Food factories must have continuous access to electricity in order to secure the Finnish food supply,” Fabritius concludes.

Valio’s investment includes a flue-gas condenser, a heat pump system, a heat accumulator and an extension to the factory’s heat distribution network. Our partner Adven Oy, a provider of energy and water services, is responsible for operation and maintenance of the system.

*Traficom: The average CO2 emissions from passenger cars on the road in 2021 was 147 g/km. Average kilometres driven ca. 14,000 km/a.

Oct 20 2022

Can Private Aviation Sustain its Rapid Growth?

ways data and technology can transform private aviation — Photo by Yaroslav Muzychenko on Unsplash

Private aviation is a form of civil aviation for exclusive use by private individuals. The term “private” refers to the aircraft being restricted to carrying only its owner and those who are invited by the owner. Private aircraft may be used for business purposes, but may also be used for personal and recreational travel, with the latter often being restricted to certain hours of day and time periods of year. Over recent years private aviation has been a growing sector, but here we have a look at the future of that part of the aviation industry. Can that growth continue to be sustained?

Over the last three years, private aviation has soared. In 2021, 3.3 million private flights took off around the world, the most the industry has experienced to date and 7% higher than the industry’s previous boom in 2019. Even at the height of the pandemic, private aviation saw sustained demand while the rest of the travel and tourism sector plummeted.

Yet is the industry set to become a victim of its own success? This surge in interest is creating pressure that the industry is, arguably, not ready for. If steps aren’t taken to alleviate that pressure soon, the continued flood in demand could start to cause cracks that will be difficult to recover from, costing the industry the growth it has worked for.

Pressure point: Manufacturing
A shortage of raw metals, parts and electronic components is causing manufacturing delays across the board, with every technology-related sector experiencing supply chain issues. In private aviation, this disruption is felt two-fold, with reduced supply hitting at a time of increased demand. Economic uncertainty is adding to the problem, with many suppliers unwilling to hold too much stock at once in case of a recession – creating further delays and bottlenecks along the supply chain. With private owners and aircraft lessors alike competing for new aircraft stock, aircraft operators will soon struggle to add new aircraft to their roster to fulfil their influx of flight requests.

Pressure point: Demand for used aircraft ownership
The used aircraft market is booming – but there just aren’t enough to go around. As is the case in any sector, scarcity creates price increases, and low availability has caused used-aircraft prices to rise 25%-30% in recent months. This fierce competition for aircraft is driven in part by those private charter operators looking to add more aircraft to their fleet (and unable to secure new models thanks to those manufacturing issues) and in part by an uptick in interest in private ownership post-Covid. Interestingly, young affluent people are one of the biggest growth markets for aircraft ownership, with under 45s accounting for 27% of sales according to pre-owned aircraft sales specialist Jetcraft.

Pressure point: Maintenance
The more journeys an aircraft makes, the more routine maintenance it needs – and with more aircraft in the air than ever before, maintenance facilities are under pressure to work through a higher volume of repairs and renovations than anticipated, at a faster pace. Again, both the speed of growth and the threat of recession are preventing maintenance facilities from keeping up with demand. A steep investment in new equipment, locations and personnel are needed to make sure maintenance is readily available in spite of the surge, yet concerns that an economic downturn could see a sudden decline are potentially preventing active investment, in turn stalling growth by keeping more aircraft on the ground.

Pressure point: Admin
Both brokers and operators are feeling the strain of increased interest in private charter bookings. For brokers, it’s more customers to secure bookings for in a highly competitive market. For operators, it’s an overwhelming number of requests to sort through, price, quote for, and secure – not to mention the added layer of managing the time and location of those bookings as efficiently as possible. If brokers and operators can become as efficient as possible when booking clients on to private charters, it could relieve some of the pressures felt elsewhere in the sector.

Zaher Deir, founder of AeroBid, believes that this efficiency is the first step to easing the industry’s pressure points and enabling more sustainable – and less risky – growth. He comments: “As an industry, we need to change how we operate, following the example of other sectors to use data and real-time communications to make our charter bidding processes easier and more effective. Just look at the problem with empty legs for instance: every empty leg is an opportunity to transport paying customers, but they are being wasted. If the industry can improve its efficiency, it will be able to sustain its rapid growth, which was why AeroBid was founded in the first place.”

What exactly the future holds for private aviation is impossible to tell, but what is clear is that consumers have developed a taste for private aviation that, if managed effectively over the next year, could have a transformative effect on aviation.

Sep 13 2022

Car Prices in the UK

The price of second hand cars has gone up since the pandemic. It’s not just covid though that causing the problem. There are supply chain shortages like a reduced supply of computer chips. Inflation has gone up too and everything costs more to transport due to rising fuel costs. The UK has also suffered from problems with the collapse of the pound against the dollar and other currencies, partly due to Brexit. The result is that it will cost us all more to buy cars whether used or brand new. Here we take a look at how things have changed over the last few years.

There are interesting observations that can be made as with some UK automakers the price increase goes as high as 52%.
The average weekly earnings for UK employees increasing by over 13% for the same timeframe. This would mean that the adjusted consumer purchasing power increased when it comes to buying just 2 of the 10 best selling models and decreased for the rest.

Prices of the UK’s best selling cars soared by as much as 52.13% over a 3 year period
Just like most of the world, the United Kingdom is currently experiencing an unprecedented gas and energy crisis combined with high inflation and mostly stagnated wages. The prices of new and used automobiles are also rising, with factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in demand contributing to this change in the market.

Another reason why new cars now cost significantly more (twice as much for certain models) is the insufficient supply of semiconductor chips, according to experts. With automobiles simply unavailable at car dealerships, it becomes more difficult and, most of all, more expensive, to purchase a new vehicle. New car market data analysed by our team at BestBrokers reveals that the prices of some of the most popular cars in the United Kingdom have soared in 2022 compared to 2019 levels. We have looked at the prices of the ten best-selling cars in the United Kingdom and how they changed from 2019.

car prices Vauxhall Corsa SE Edition has seen the steepest surge in price over the past three years. While in 2019, the basic model was available for a little over £9,000, it jumped to £13,704 in 2022, or an increase of 52%. Another model that now sells for much more is Tesla Model 3 (Standard Range), which saw a 26% price increase to the now whopping £48,490.

Ford remains one of the most popular brands in the UK with two models in the 10 best-sellers for the 2019-2022 period, namely Ford Puma Titanium (15.7% up from 2019) and Ford Kuga Zetec (24% up from 2019). The other manufacturer with two entries on the list is South Korea’s Kia. The price for the basic Kia Sportage 130bhp model also increased in 2022 to £19,608.33 (up 20%). Interestingly, Kia New Niro Hybrid can be purchased for £20,712, an increase of only 4.3% from the previous generation.

“While the prices of the best selling cars surged by up to 22.2% over a period of 3 years in the US, top sellers in the UK are up way more – up to over 52% in 2022. This can be justified by a number of factors including surging inflation due to energy supply concerns, chip shortage and the conflict in Ukraine.”
– comments Alan Goldberg, market analyst at BestBrokers.

The other models that make up the top 10 best-selling cars in 2022 in the UK are Nissan Qashqai Visia (20% up from 2019), Mini Electric (up 3.8%), Volkswagen Golf GTI (up 14%), and Toyota Yaris Hybrid Icon (up 15%). Interestingly, nearly half of all models on the list are EVs or hybrids.

Aug 09 2022

3 Ways Data and Technology Can Transform Private Aviation

Private aviation is never more popular. It is a way for people to travel in style and privacy. It can be used for any occasion, from business travel to family vacations. Private aviation gives you the opportunity to take off at your convenience, without having to worry about delays or the crowds at the airport. It also offers a sense of luxury and exclusivity that public air travel can’t. Private jets are often equipped with amenities such as power outlets, Wi-Fi, and entertainment systems that make them feel like first class flights on a commercial airline.

Over the past few years, the use of data and new technology has transformed commercial aviation. Pre-flight and post-flight operations – including everything from ticket purchase and seat selection to luggage drop-off and boarding – can all be done at a touch of a button. Can the same be said for private aviation? Not quite. Lengthy negotiations, aircraft approvals, hidden costs, and quotation lead times often mean that private charter operators and brokers have a lot of work to do behind the scenes before any private jet booking is secured – and lack of real-time access to data is holding their sector back.

Innovative data platforms have the potential to bring about a big digital leap forward for the private air charter industry. By using data to improve the way that charters are secured, the industry can keep up with ever-increasing demand, increase efficiency, and meet sustainability targets. But a reluctance to embrace new ways of doing things is what’s holding the private aviation industry back.

Private air charter operators and brokers need to work together to embrace data-driven initiatives if the sector is going to experience the transformation it needs to flourish in a digital future. With demand for private jet travel having passed pre-pandemic levels and showing no signs of slowing down, now is the time for the private aviation industry to tune in to technological advancements.

Here, AeroBid looks at three ways data and new technology can transform private aviation – from empty legs to increased affordability.

Real-time data has the potential to bring about the end of empty legs (almost)

With so much data being generated at digital touch points, and increased demand for private jet travel, there should be no shortage of data available to help operators fill their ‘empty leg’ flights. Yet up to 50% of repositioning flights are still flying without passengers – impacting sustainability, flight availability, and operator profits. While several apps and platforms have attempted to address this in recent years, none have really succeeded in fixing the problem – but that could be very different in the near future.

Unlike static bidding platforms, AeroBid believes it has finally found the solution. Using real-time data as its key differentiator, coupled with smart technology and instant alert features, brokers put out live requests for their client’s charter, featuring dates, location, and any aircraft specifications. At the same time, operators view incoming requests in real-time and bid for the charter accordingly.

AeroBid’s sole function is not only to help operators fill empty legs, or brokers access them for their clients. It works as a real-time air charter bidding platform and uses data to fundamentally change the way that brokers and operators work with each other to secure charters.

Yet it’s the notifications feature that has the most potential to tackle the empty leg issue. Operators can receive instant notifications on key air charter data – like region, date, or airport – allowing them to not only be notified of the flights that best fit their area of operation or gaps in their flight schedule but could also specifically flag flights that correspond with repositioning flights. These could be an exact airport match, a request within that region, or even a location that’s conveniently placed along the repositioning flight path.

Will data succeed in completely eradicating empty legs from private air travel? It’s unlikely, but if the air charter industry can keep pace with new platforms in existence, data has the potential to reduce the number of empty repositioning flights, tighten up efficiency and sustainability, and help the industry to maximise its profits.

It’s helping the industry to take a step closer to sustainability

An increasing number of private aircraft operators are pledging to become carbon neutral. While carbon offsetting is still a big part of this process for air travel, the key to real sustainability is efficiency – whether that’s by reducing unnecessary flights (like the empty legs mentioned above) or creating more efficient ways to power aircraft. An increasing number of commercial airlines are investing in data-driven solutions designed to provide insight into their fleet’s efficiency, including Malaysia Airlines and Emirates, who have both adopted GE Digital’s Fuel Insight and FlightPulse Pre-flight data solutions. These data platforms provide insight into a multitude of factors that are impacting aircraft efficiency, including fuel consumption. With information like this available to them, airlines have the potential to reduce fuel consumption – which can also hasten their full adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

So, what does this mean for private aircraft operators? While some larger operators are investing in their own data-powered analytics platforms, not every operator will adopt these data-intensive platforms – but the more data generated in both private and commercial aviation alike, the more opportunities both will see for technological advancements that promote sustainability.

It’s creating more affordable private travel

In theory, greater efficiency equals greater affordability. Yet there is another aspect to data-driven affordability in the private aviation sector. With consumer demand for private air travel soaring, private charter operators have an opportunity to closely examine customer behaviour, adapt their operations to suit changing passenger habits, and offer more accessible, affordable options. For instance, while flight sharing hasn’t been a popular option in the past – with passengers overwhelmingly opting to travel privately for the enhanced privacy it brings – a new breed of private aviation customer is driving demand for the service. With the right data-driven insight into customer behaviour and preferences, private charter operators could explore alternatives to their traditional operating models.

With the wider industry going through a data and analytics transformation, a shift in mindset is what the private aviation industry requires. If this happens, we are bound to expect plenty more data and technological advancements to come.

Jun 29 2022

Catalytic Converter Failure: Now What?

Catalytic converters are devices that help reduce pollutants in the emissions of cars. They contain the metallic element: platinum or sometimes palladium. This is used to break down harmful gases in the emissions and make them safer for the environment.

A catalytic converter is an automobile emission control device that reduces air pollution by changing harmful exhaust emissions into less-harmful gases. The device accomplishes this by first passing exhaust gas through a honeycomb-like ceramic substrate coated with a catalyst, that usually platinum or palladium. The catalyst breaks down the hydrocarbons in the exhaust into harmless molecules of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour.

An important device that is standard equipment on vehicles built since 1975 is the catalytic converter. This part, when properly working, will significantly reduce pollutants from your engine before they leave your exhaust. A catalytic converter is essential toward promoting overall environmental cleanliness; most state auto inspection stations will check to see if yours is working as part of their regular inspection of your vehicle. If your vehicle fails inspection your catalytic converter may need to be replaced. Let’s take a look at what a catalytic converter does and how you can save money in replacing one should it fail.
As your engine burns fuel, it produces environmentally harmful gases. These gases, if not handled properly, will leave your car’s exhaust and work harm on the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency, established in 1970, began to require that cars come equipped with devices to reduce harmful emissions. Thus, the catalytic converter was born.

The catalytic converter in your vehicle is installed in the exhaust line between the exhaust manifold and the muffler. Pellets inside the converter work to change the harmful gases into harmless gases before they leave the tailpipe and out into the open air. Thus, a properly functioning catalytic converter is essential toward maintaining good air quality. It can help your car pass annual emission tests like the UK’s MOT test.

Signs of a deteriorating catalytic converter include the following symptoms:
Rusted or broken converter body or end tubes.
Bits of substrate in other sections of the exhaust system.
No rattle detected in a pellitized converter (If the converter doesn’t rattle, the pellets may have melted together or fallen out). A rattle detected in a monolithic converter (A rattle in this kind of converter indicates the substrate has separated.)

In each case the diagnosis is for you to replace your catalytic converter immediately. Whether you are purchasing a Ford catalytic converter or a BMW catalytic converter or other car manufacturer it does help to shop around. While some people turn to manufacturers to find replacement parts, ordering through online shops can result in significant savings for you. Some after market parts are of very high quality, but it does pay to do your research. Obviously going for the more expensive manufacturer’s own part might give added peace of mind. In addition, the information provided online will go far toward helping you decide which product is right for your car.