Received 3 April 2023, accepted 18 May 2023, date of publication 22 May 2023, date of current version 1 June 2023.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3278750

An Approach for Energy and Cost Savings

for a Seafood Processing Plant
RAÚL ALEJANDRO MARTÍNEZ-SÁNCHEZ 1 ,
JUVENAL RODRÍGUEZ-RESÉNDIZ 1 , (Senior Member, IEEE),
JOSÉ M. ÁLVAREZ-ALVARADO 1 , AND JOSÉ R. GARCÍA-MARTÍNEZ 2
1 Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro 76010, Mexico
2 Facultad de Ingeniería en Electrónica y Comunicaciones, Universidad Veracruzana, Poza Rica 93390, Mexico

Corresponding author: Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz (juvenal@uaq.edu.mx)

ABSTRACT Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates an average of 140, 300, and 589 kWh
of electrical energy consumed to process fishmeal, fish, and shrimp, respectively, without adding the
costs associated with freezing the finished product. Current research focuses on implementing an Energy
Management System (EnMS) in a seafood processing plant that supports energy savings at low cost. This
article presents, as a contribution from the qualitative point of view, the non-need for external financing
to implement the EnMS under the ISO 50001 standard and the identification of the Energy Performance
Indicators (EnPIs) of the case study plant. The energy awareness of the workers is evident when analyzing
the results of the surveys carried out before and after the implementation of the EnMS. As part of the
research, an Automated Reporting System (ARS) is developed; the performance enables energy information
to be concentrated in a single file under a standard format approved by the energy commission and
sent systematically. From a quantitative point of view, there is a 13.2% reduction in the total electricity
consumption of the plant and a decrease in the cost of electricity needed per ton produced, from 9.40 USD to
7.30 USD. The emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere due to electricity consumption decreases
by 13.78%.

INDEX TERMS ISO 50001, energy management system, energy cost saving, performance evaluation,
monitoring, profitability.

I. INTRODUCTION The consulted bibliography shows few studies on energy

Ecuador is the second most potent tuna fleet in the Eastern consumption in fish and shellfish processing plants. [3] states
Pacific. In 2018, 593,000 tons of tuna caught in the East- that the food processing industry in the USA consumes
ern Pacific Ocean, around 61% arrived at Ecuadorian ports. 75 TWh of electrical energy, equivalent to 8% of the electric-
On the other hand, the Ecuadorian shrimp industry generates ity consumed by all manufacturing sectors. In contrast, [4]
3,100 million USD a year in more than 200,000 hectares of in his study states that the average specific energy consump-
cultivation and represents around 15% of the total exports tion for processing fish and selfish is about 0.11 kWh/kg of
of the country [1]. Ecuadorian seafood processing plants electricity and 520 kg of fuel oil per ton. Due to the limited
produce more than 500,000 tons of tuna, other varieties of amount of information available, the accuracy of the data may
fish, and shellfish per year, of which 80% is sent to the differ.
foreign market, and only 20% is for local consumption. The International Organization for Standardization created
Exports of tuna and shrimp represent more than 7% of the ISO 50001 standard as a reference for implementing the
the GDP [2]. Energy Management System (EnMS) in 2011. In 2018 it was
updated and was in use to date [5]. ISO 50001 has as its
The associate editor coordinating the review of this manuscript and primary function the development of structures, practices,
approving it for publication was Khursheed Aurangzeb. policies, and systems that improve the energy performance
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.
51820 For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ VOLUME 11, 2023
R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
of organizations, including efficiency, use, and energy con-
sumption [6].
Adopting an EnMS due to government policy or company
strategy makes it possible to reduce production costs and total
energy consumption [7]. Around 15% of the total energy con-
sumption is due to refrigeration, ice making, air conditioning,
and aeration systems [8]. The design of a methodological
structure that leads to the saving of energy resources and
reduces adverse environmental effects contributes positively
to the development of the country, the formation of solid
commercial links between companies, and the production of
services and products of optimal quality [9].
Reference [10] analyzed 72 case studies representing
204 facilities and documented energy and economic sav-
ings of 15.53 EWh and 227 million USD, respectively. This
reduces 6.7 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere,
equivalent to 1.4 million passenger vehicles driven for one
year. From the analysis of the results obtained by the previous
study, the following question arises: Is it possible to get simi-
lar results by implementing an EnMS in a seafood processing
plant?
In the current context, [11] states that due to the lim-
ited amount of research on improving energy efficiency
and the use of standards that regulate energy use, such as
ISO 50001:2018 in the context of energy processing plants,
seafood, establishes an unfavorable scenario to enhance the
energy indicators and increase business profitability. For this,
it is essential to develop a study that addresses the implemen-
tation of an EnMS in a fish and shellfish processing plant
because, according to [12], its performance makes it possible
to reduce electricity consumption by at least 10% within
an organization. Emphasize that the implementation cost is
minimal because acquiring new infrastructure and equipment
is optional to execute the implementation.
The seafood processing plant is located on the coast of
Ecuador and has been in operation since 2005, with the
processing technology dating back to that time. Equipment
changes and energy adaptations have been made due to wear
and tear from use. As part of the upgrade of production
lines since 2014, a Control and Data Acquisition System
(SCADA) has been installed to monitor and manage pro-
duction processes. However, it is necessary to highlight that
the seafood processing plant does not have an established
energy policy, nor are the EnPIs defined. On the part of top
management, there is no precise control of the electricity
costs associated with production, highlighting that energy
costs have increased, according to [13], at least 14% in
the five years 2015 - 2019. This scenario raises the need
to take measures or implement tools to reverse the current
energy situation and improve the energy indicators of the
company.
For this challenge, this article aims to define the current
situation of energy management within the seafood pro-
cessing plants in the country and the potential for saving
energy resources from the perspective defined by the ISO
50001:2018 standard. For the development of the EnMS,
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SCADA is used to obtain data on the operation and moni-
toring of electrical variables and is complemented with the
information presented by ARS implemented as part of the
process. Likewise, an implementation schedule is established
where the steps to follow in each stage are described for
12 months. Using a work schedule, control techniques, and
automated reports, added to surveys conducted with 70%
of plant personnel, establish a favorable energy platform
for correctly implementing the EnMS. The execution of the
described steps is necessary due to the need to study the
potential impact of implementing EnMS in seafood process-
ing plants.
The novelty of this research work is the convergence of
several factors: First, the guidelines proposed by the ISO
50001:2018 standard to implement an EnMS, the surveys
carried out on staff to define the level of energy awareness
among the employees of the seafood processing plant. Sec-
ond, the presentation of an implementation schedule divided
by stages and with a duration of 12 months and the use of
SCADA supported by the development of an ARS allows for
visualization and distribution of the energy information of the
plant periodically. The achievement of these goals provide
a favorable scenario for improving the EnPIs of the seafood
processing plant.
This paper is structured as follows: Section I introduces
the topic, its importance, and the contribution it intends to
achieve. Section II presents the current context for developing
the article. Section III defines the keywords and the method
to obtain the analyzed information. Section IV shows the
results obtained with the application of the method. Section V
discusses the results obtained by analyzing tables and figures.
Finally, section VI presents the conclusions, bibliographical
references, terminologies used, and future perspectives are
shown.
II. BACKGROUND
This section shows the essential information and background
necessary to establish the foundations for this research.
A. ISO 50001
The first version of ISO 50001 was published in July 2011 and
updated in 2018, and it constitutes the standard for imple-
menting an EnMS. Its application is estimated to influence
up to 60% of global energy use [14]. The intention is to
offer a tool to an organization that makes it possible to
improve energy consumption rates. For this, it establishes
guidelines that have broad flexibility for their application.
Its implementation shows an efficient and effective use of
energy [11].
B. BENEFITS
ISO 50001 standard is an excellent alternative for improving
business energy performance. The implementation in Toyota
S.A of ISO 50001 enhanced the indicators of savings/year
and kg CO2 savings/year [14]. In a naphtha reforming plant,
savings of 2.82 GWh were achieved by implementing an
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EnMS [15]. A similar situation occurred in the Bentley trained personnel [23]. An energy audit makes it possible
Group, where at least 1,532,768 kWh were saved in one to save significant amounts of energy, as demonstrated by
year [16]. The same result was obtained at Bridgestone, where a project carried out at Tesla with a total investment of
the energy used to manufacture each car was reduced by 10 million USD, which achieved savings of 1,800 tons of oil
about two-thirds [17]. Paving the way towards international equivalent (TOE) per year, according to the report presented
certification for ISO 50001 EnMS and meeting the proposed by the section Energy of the European Commission [28].
objectives regarding using energy consumption indicators is
possible with the integration-energy-practice model based on
ISO 50001 [18]. The implementation of EnMS, coupled with E. PROCESS FLOW CHART
control techniques and information technologies, provides There are two main ways of using the energy within the
a valuable tool to improve energy indicators in a seafood seafood processing plant: direct use, mainly in lighting sys-
processing plant. tems, heating, washing machines, conveyor belts, pumping,
and field instrumentation, and indirect service, where energy
is converted into other forms of energy such as aeration,
C. DIFFICULTIES
freezing and refrigeration systems [29]. This study focuses
Certain logistical conditions are necessary to implement an
on seafood processing plants on the coast of Ecuador, and the
EnMS under the ISO 50001 standard (Human Resources,
process flow chart is presented in Figure 1.
Technologies, Infrastructure, Financial, Time). The lack of
When analyzing the energy use of a seafood processing
these circumstances creates an unfavorable environment for
plant, many factors must be considered: level of automation,
developing the EnMS [19]. One of the costs with the most
age of the plant and installed equipment, and status of matu-
significant impact is the time required by employees to get
rity of processes for production. Weather conditions and the
an EnMS up and running. The time they spend on their
number of tons of processed products also have an influence;
primary work activities and those related to implementing
this is because work cycles can be lengthened, and the cooling
ISO 50001 is a challenge to overcome [20]. Note that at the
equipment is subjected to maximum operation regimes in hot
business level, it is necessary to have financial resources to
seasons [30].
implement the standard [21].
The equipment with the highest electricity consumption
Even when this presupposes the interaction of several pro-
within the seafood industry is the cooling and heating sys-
cesses with each other, obtaining data constitutes an added
tems [3]. Using ammonia and other harmful compounds
difficulty when analyzing EnPIs [14]. This process is chal-
as refrigerant gases causes cooling and freezing techniques
lenging when energy consumption data for individual oper-
to emit large amounts of gases into the atmosphere [31].
ations is needed [22]. For organizations, it is demanding
However, pumping stations are another system that typically
to establish their consumption variables and their nominal
consumes excessive energy [32].
values [23]. [24] affirms that with the system proposed in his
The analysis of Figure 1 shows that depending on the final
research, it is possible to effectively monitor deviations from
product to be produced, the raw material by different sections
the expected energy performance values.
and the equipment installed generally in the production lines
One area for amelioration is the little guidance companies
are mentioned below. The production process begins when
get to achieve successful implementation processes of an
the raw material has been reviewed by the health department
EnMS based on the existing literature on the subject. Another
and classified. First, the raw material passes through the
area for improvement is the adequate choice of the human
cooker, where the product is heated. This consumes diesel for
resource necessary to form the energy team. The importance
its operation. Then the product goes through the mechanical
of investing in training and technology to improve energy
press where an electric motor drives the machine. From this
performance often goes through the knowledge and mentality
point, the raw material in the liquid state goes to a decanter
of top management about the benefits of implementing an
and the solid part to a dryer.
EnMS based on the ISO 50001 standard [25]. This is based on
At the exit of the decanter, a part of the liquid raw material
the need for compression by employees and management of
is centrifuged and refined; after this, purified fish oil packing
the energy policy approved in the organization. This, in many
is obtained. The other portion is sent to an evaporator system
cases, becomes a problem for the company due to the chal-
where the final product obtained is soluble fish paste packing.
lenges involved in the large-scale dissemination of this type
The solid raw material from the dryer goes through the ham-
of knowledge [22].
mer mill to continue its path to the cooler, then to the siever
area to finally obtain fish meal packing.
D. ENERGY AUDIT At the same time, selection processes are carried out in
Carrying out an energy audit is an effective tool for knowing the installation according to sizes, beheading, filleting, and
the state of the energy performance of the organization [26]. washing of the rest of the products manufactured in the plant
A company with a planned energy audit plan and an EnMS for human consumption. The tasks described are carried out
can improve business energy efficiency [27]. The planning manually, although there are lines for the final washing,
and execution of an energy audit must be carried out with packaging, and, finally, the product freezing.

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R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
FIGURE 1. Process flow diagram in seafood processing plant case study.
III. METHODOLOGY
The methodology used for the implementation of the EnMS
is based on the PDCA model of the ISO 50001:2018 standard.
According to the information included in the regulations and
the wishes of the top management of the plant, it is decided
to carry out the installation of the system.
As support for the EnMS installation process and within
the support activities, an ARS is installed, which is respon-
sible for issuing and sending a file containing the EnPIs of
the plant on a weekly and monthly basis. In addition, the
SCADA system and the electrical variable recording devices
connected to its network are used as support for capturing
the electrical parameters. This allows the information on the
energy consumption of each section to be permanently mon-
itored, and rapid decision-making is possible. The described
procedure is discussed in depth in the following sections.
For the execution of the research, some initial considera-
tions have been made.
Assumptions:
• The initiation of the research establishes new compe-
tencies for top management where previously it only
concerned production and environmental issues.
• The corporate business model applied in seafood pro-
cessing plant does not consider energy consumption
a priority.
• The statistics of energy production and consumption are
not controlled regularly.
• The EnPIs and energy objectives have not been defined.
• In this particular case the procedures and methods for
the energy audit and review are outdated.
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• An energy training program for plant employees is not
implemented.
• There is no energy manager selected.
Drawbacks
• The calibration period of energy meters is obsolete.
• Non-execution of business campaigns to promote energy
awareness among employees.
• No sanctions have been implemented for the incorrect
operation of production lines.
• Nescience of Significant Energy Users (SEUs).
• Regulations and requirements on the use of electrical
energy are not documented.
• The electricity consumption targets set by the govern-
ment are not taken into account.
A. PDCA MODEL
ISO 50001:2018 standard shows the PDCA model as a fun-
damental pillar for the implementation of EnMS [33], which
is shown in Figure 2. Said model governs the implementation
of an EnMS in a seafood processing plant.
1) PLAN
The planning stage comprises several sub-parts and is one of
the most important within the PDCA model.
• Analyzing electricity bills in search of consumption
trends allows an analysis of the energy resources con-
sumed by the company. Subsequently, it is necessary to
define the EnPIs to be monitored.
• To establish objectives and action plans to improve
energy performance, it is necessary to identify
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 R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
FIGURE 2. PDCA model based on ISO 50001:2018.
improvement opportunities and critical operation and
maintenance parameters.
2) DO
In this stage, the activities defined in Plan are implemented.
Before starting the execution stage, it is required to carry out
an energy audit to obtain a detailed image of how the EnPIs
are within the organization, for which training plans are given
to employees. Procedures are developed to locate Significant
Energy Users (SEUs) and monitor their consumption rates.
In the end, action plans are executed based on the information
obtained from the continuous monitoring of the EnPIs.
3) CHECK
The results of the energy reviews are assessed at this stage.
In case of contingencies, restoration actions are proposed by
the review group. It is verified in the stage that the steps
agreed to be carried out in the previous stages are being ful-
filled; this is executed with a formal review of the previously
defined protocol. Finally, the status of the EnPIs is checked.
4) ACT
The analysis of the improvements to be implemented in the
organization is discussed in the audits carried out; this process
is developed in the action stage. The review committee sets
the execution of the planned activity plan through the guide-
lines outlined in the ISO 50001: 2018 standard. It is critical to
comply with the rules established by the review group since it
is thus easier to adhere to the activity plan. The current stage
comprises the following sub-stages:
• Correcting bad practices and taking action to prevent
them from happening again.
• Identify new areas of opportunity and develop action
plans for them.
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B. CHRONOGRAPHICAL IMPLEMENTATION
The correct management of energy consumption is based on
the guidelines of the ISO 50001:2018 standard, allowing the
reduction of the energy costs of the plant. According to the
conditions of the study carried out in Ecuador, the exist-
ing infrastructure is used, and the plant maintenance budget
assumes the additional costs derived from the execution of the
study. An ARS is implemented to support the defined energy
strategy. The energy consumption by stages, operating hours,
and other energy parameters are shown in the energy report
that the ARS sends automatically and cyclically (weekly and
monthly). The tool allows the energy commission and the
supervisors to show the significant points in the use of energy
and identify areas of opportunity where interventions can be
made to improve the energy efficiency of the installation.
Table 1 shows the chronology of the stages, and the actions
carried out in each to implement the EnMS in the seafood
processing plant. The implementation schedule is adapted
from the model in the research presented by [34]. An agile
and efficient EnMS installation is proposed. The specific
characteristics of the plant are considered to condition the
schedule to the specificities of the company.
The defined tasks are conducted by specialized personnel,
and the dates described in the schedule are met. As is per-
ceived, the actions to be made are defined by month, and as
progress is made, the EnMS evolves towards a satisfactory
implementation.
C. SUMMARY OF THE EnMS
There are two main components to implementing ISO 50001:
2018. Firstly, there is the part where actions are performed in
the Do stage, and administrative activities are carried out in
Plan, Check, and Act stages. The success of the process lies
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R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
in completing both parts and then repeating them. The action-
able step must be conducted by trained personnel; this enables
the implemented savings initiatives to work correctly [35].
The method proposed for this study details the chronolog-
ical implementation of the EnMS. The development of an
ARS supports the process of generating weekly and monthly
reports with information on the energy indicators of the plant.
With the execution of the chronological implementation
presented above and based on the PDCA model described
by the ISO 50001:2018 standard, the stages defined for the
development of the EnMS are shown in Figure 2. According
to the proposed methodology, performance monitoring and
energy reporting in the Verification stage of the PDCA model
are considered essential aspects within the information pro-
vided by the ARS. It should be noted that the energy report
sent includes all the energy indicators of the sections and the
plant.
The duration of each stage for implementing the EnMS
is essential because it depends on whether the deadlines to
execute the project are met satisfactorily. For this, top man-
agement and the energy commission constantly monitor the
development of the implementation process.
PDCA model is in constant operation; this is necessary to
maintain feedback and obtain recent information on the status
of the process. Other benefits of the ARS are related to its
use to prepare the energy budget for the plant, the creation
of awareness of business savings among employees, and the
evaluation of energy consumption between the current and
subsequent periods.
D. PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND REPORTING
ARS allows the centralization of the energy information of
the plant. This is used to foster energy awareness within the
company and improve EnPIs. Because the data offered by the
report is stored, it is possible to conduct comparative evalu-
ations and define whether the established energy objectives
are being met.
PDCA model based on the ISO 50001:2018 standard for
EnMS constitutes the cornerstone for preparing the auto-
matic report, which is sent weekly and monthly. The leading
information is based on identifying opportunities and risks
observed in the industrial process operation in steps 3 and 4,
respectively, of stage Do.
SEUs and the supervision of energy consumption for spe-
cific devices are indicators included in the report generated by
the ARS, intending to identify areas of opportunity for energy
savings.
ARS specifically reports the following parameters for each
section of the seafood processing plant:
• Electricity cost.
• Electricity consumption
• Production.
• Missed opportunities.
• Weekly/monthly power consumption and cost compari-
son graphs.
• Energy versus production intensities.
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Opportunity areas according to the specific monitoring of
parameters in production section:
• Potential savings in rates according to the time of use.
• Motor overload.
• Current consumption that does not correspond to the
sheet metal data.
E. DATA COLLECTION
Using a SCADA establishes a global vision of the EnPIs
of the plant. According to [36], the information related to
energy consumption is sent to a database, where it is stored
and used as a tool to obtain historical demand data, which
makes it possible to establish energy planning and have the
appropriate indices on which to carry out the analysis—
parameterization of the equipment associated with the energy
supervision network.
The energy consumption data in the plant is obtained
in different ways. The power meter network in other plant
sections is responsible for registering the EnPIs and send-
ing the captured data through a communication bus to the
SCADA. The data relating to the total production of the
plant is obtained through a group of programmable logic
controllers (PLC); these send the number of raw materials
consumed and the tons of finished product through a Modbus
bus to the SCADA. All data is centralized and then processed
and graphed automatically. Among the parameters analyzed
are the intensities, voltage, power factors, energy consumed
(active, reactive, apparent), work time by equipment, and
coincidence factor in the loads. Figure 3 shows how the
information is collected at the plant.
Since the data is obtained in real-time, it is possible to send
the information to the energy supervisors through the ARS
almost instantly. The accuracy of the reports makes it possible
to identify areas where it is possible to save energy.
Production data is obtained from the network of power
meters installed in the different production sections of the
plant. The power meters send the data, which is processed
on a server. Subsequently, the ARS generates the energy
report, which is sent by e-mail to a predefined distribution
list of top management and the energy commission. Each
member analyzes the energy report independently and then
discusses monthly in an operational meeting where the energy
strategies and measures to be implemented are defined.
F. PLANT BENCHMARKING AND BUDGETING
Under the PDCA model described by the ISO 50001:2018
standard, the plant benchmarking is carried out in step 2 of the
stage Plan. This makes it possible to identify areas of opportu-
nity for savings and establish the energy performance objec-
tives to be achieved by the production equipment, such as
pumps, electrical motors, conveyor belts, mechanical press,
and refrigeration systems. The strategy is to compare the
sheet metal data of the equipment against the measurements
made and to take action to achieve the nominal performance
values of each piece of equipment.
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TABLE 1. Chronological implementation of the EnMS in the seafood processing plant.

According to [37], induction motors are widely used
as industrial drives in the modern industrial sector. They
established an online monitoring and diagnostic system that
enables the movements associated with a motor to have high
reliability. This demonstrates that the stop times due to fail-
ures or corrective maintenance are less; in this way, the losses
associated with the interruption of the production process are
reduced.
For the evaluation of equipment performance, there are
several methods. To conduct the study, it was decided to use
the initial information recorded by each device. It consists
of analyzing the historical consumption data of the last three
months and comparing it with the plate data provided by the
manufacturer. According to the objectives set, it is indicated
in the ARS if they were achieved. Note that an audit has been
carried out in each plant section to determine the installed
equipment and its operating characteristics.
Compliance with the proposed energy objectives goes hand
in hand with the budget available to make the investments.
That is why having an effective budgeting system becomes

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R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant

FIGURE 3. Data acquisition and energy report distribution procedure.

necessary and is therefore implemented in step 7 of the Ecost−section = Total cost of energy consumed per fish oil
Act phase. The objectives set must be done from a realistic section (USD)
approach, where it is perceived that the proposed goals are Equation 3 refers to the total energy consumed per fish
achievable. It is necessary to emphasize that the strategy is meal packing section.
always to attain optimal performance. Having defined the Emeal−section
energy and production parameters of the plant for a specified Etfm = ( ) (3)
Tmeal−produced
period that can vary between 3 and 6 months is a reference
indicator for the study. This allows for defining the objectives where:
to obtain more efficient performance. Etfm = Total energy consumed per fish meal packing pro-
Monitoring the EnPIs is necessary to know the perfor- duced ( kWh
t )
mance of the plant. According to the literature review and the Emeal−section = Energy consumed per fish meal packing
information provided by the energy commission, the indica- section (kWh)
tors to be monitored are defined by equations 1 to 8. Tmeal−produced = Tons of fish meal produced (t)
Equation 1 refers to the total energy consumed per fish oil Equation 4 alludes to the cost per ton produced per fish
section. meal packing section.
Eoil−section Ecost−section
Etfo = ( ) (1) Ecfm = ( ) (4)
Toil−produced Tmeal−produced
where:
where:
Ecfm = Energy cost per fish meal packing produced ( USD t )
Etfo = Total energy consumed per fish oil produced ( kWh
t ) Ecost−section = Total cost of energy consumed per fish meal
Eoil−section = Energy consumed per fish oil section (kWh)
packing section (USD)
Toil−produced = Tons of oil produced (t)
The total energy consumed per shrimp meal packing sec-
Equation 2 makes reference to the cost per ton produced
tion is described by Equation 5.
per fish oil section.
Eshrimp−section
Ecost−section Etsm = ( ) (5)
Ecfo =( ) (2) Tshrimp−produced
Toil−produced
where:
where: Etsm = Total energy consumed per shrimp meal packing
Ecfo = Energy cost per fish oil produced ( USD
t ) produced ( kWh
t ).

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 R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
Eshrimp−section = Energy consumed per shrimp meal pack-
ing section (kWh)
Tshrimp−produced = Tons of shrimp meal produced (t)
Equation 6 presents the cost per ton produced per shrimp
meal packing section.
Ecost−section
Ecsm = ( ) (6)
Tshrimp−produced
where:
Ecsm = Energy cost per shrimp meal packing
produced ( USDt ).
Ecost−section = Total cost of energy consumed per shrimp
meal packing section (USD)
Equations 7 and 8 exhibit the global indicators of the plant.
Their improvement indicates that the actions taken positively
affect overall performance.
P
Etotal
Etp = ( ) (7)
Tfinished−product
where:
Etp = Total energy consumed by the plant per ton of
finished product ( kWht ).
Etotal = Sum of energy consumed by each section (kWh)
Tfinished−product = Tons of finished product (t)
Etotal−cost
Ecp = ( ) (8)
Tfinished−product
where:
Ecp = Total energy cost by the plant per ton of finished
product ( USD
t ).
Etotal−cost = Total cost of energy consumed by the plant
(USD)
G. MEASURES TO SAVE ENERGY COSTS
After identifying the equipment with the highest energy
consumption and comparing its current energy performance
with the nameplate data, it is possible to take steps toward
energy cost savings. The measures are based on research and
considering that the possible actions translate into energy
savings. Activities can consist of replacing equipment for
more efficient ones or executing operational improvements to
the process. The main aim of these changes was to improve
energy efficiency and reduce energy costs linked to industrial
production. Measures applied to reduce energy consumption
are broken down in Table 3 and Table 7.
H. BUSINESS AWARENESS
The effectiveness of an EnMS is primarily based on creat-
ing awareness among workers of the organization about the
importance and benefits of efficient energy use. Step 1 in
the stage Plan based on the PDCA model defined in the
ISO 50001:2018 standard is called awareness creation. Plant
management plays a fundamental role in achieving the energy
savings goal; the employees must notice the commitment of
the top management to the established goals. The ARS makes
it possible to collect all the energy information of the plant
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and send it automatically to the different departments of the
company; in this way, employees can know the energy results
of the company. In such a manner, it is possible to transmit
the status of the EnPIs to the collaborators and give feedback
based on knowing if the established objectives are being met
(managerial, technical, and plant).
The type of information provided by the ARS can be
constantly improved based on the opinions of the staff and the
performance of the system. This makes it possible to enhance
the operation of the EnMS continually.
I. VALIDATION
The need to reduce energy consumption in the seafood pro-
cessing plant under study located on the coast of Ecuador
is clear; this is done by improving the EnMS and without
capital investment in infrastructure. The validity of the survey
is certified with the analysis of the defined EnPIs. With the
reduction of the indicators, it is satisfied that the methodology
used efficiently reduces the energy consumption of a seafood
processing plant.
The validation of the results obtained is part of the appli-
cation of the PDCA model. With the application of the
ISO 50001 standard and the model described therein, strate-
gies are developed that satisfy the requirements established
according to Equations 1-8. For this, the EnMS is imple-
mented, it is verified that the requirements for start-up are
met, and finally, the results before and after the implemen-
tation are compared. Quantitatively, the values of the EnPIs
are established before the performance of the EnMS, and
the objective values are to be achieved with the start-up of
the project. The proposed goals are based on estimating the
results obtained from identifying the sectors of opportunity,
and the values to be compared are those stored from previous
periods. For the research, the improvement of Etp and Ecp are
the indicators defined by top management as the milestones
to be improved.
The validation phase focuses on the ability to characterize
the suggested model to the EnMS. If the results obtained are
not defined at the beginning of the process, the objectives will
remain the same. The process is repeated, adding new settings
to the EnMS. This enables the validity of the results [38].
IV. RESULTS
The EnMS was implemented in a seafood processing plant on
the coast of Ecuador. The study period was from January to
December 2021. During these 12 months, the ARS made the
performance reports of the EnPIs and sent them weekly and
monthly. Focusing the work on achieving the proposed goals
indicates how the EnMS developed under the ISO 50001:
2018 standard contributed to the reduction in the consumption
of energy carriers by the organization.
The EnPIs of the plant are obtained and processed as
indicated in Figure 3. The data related to energy consumption
is sent through a communication bus to the SCADA, where
the data is processed, graphed, and a report is made—using
the ARS.
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The report is sent automatically to the personnel related to
the energy processes of the plant. The results are discussed
monthly to see the progress in achieving the objectives.
A. EFFECT OF THE EnMS
This section analyzes the results of energy management.
1) COST SAVINGS ACTIONS
The ARS has made it possible to identify the SEUs installed
in the plant through the reports generated. This is done by
comparing the consumption of the different sections of the
plant and the general consumption of a month within the same
period of the previous year. For the initial comparison, data
collected from January 2020 was used against January 2021.
The areas with the highest energy consumption are identified
from the comparisons made, as shown in Figure 4.
The oil separator section, cooler, and dryer are the largest
SEUs in the plant, 65% of the total energy consumption of the
plant is carried out in the previous sections. The remaining
areas still have a significant percentage in terms of energy
consumption. Due to this, the actions to identify savings
opportunities are concentrated in all facility sections, with a
primary emphasis on the SEUs.
FIGURE 4. Results of the measurements on the consumption of electrical
energy in the seafood processing plant.
As evidenced, the SEUs of the plant has a great weight
in the energy consumption of the plant. The measurement
data were analyzed through the report sent by the ARS. This
allows the energy commission to accomplish focused work
on these sections, and corrective measures can be taken to
improve energy consumption.
Focusing energy-saving actions on the SEUs guarantees
that whether electricity consumption decreases, the positive
impact on the indicators of the organization is guaranteed.
The task is executed using the ARS as information. The
energy commission establishes the identification of faults and
corrective maintenance in the SEUs. This makes it possible
to know precisely the state of the auxiliary equipment that
makes up each section and their state and the operating regime
to which they are subjected.
The actions result in identifying faults in the insulation sys-
tems, motor overload, operation of auxiliary systems under
underload, and work cycles when the electricity rate is higher.
The identified failures establish that it is necessary to carry
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out actions of this nature throughout the plant to know the
state of the production lines in depth. According to the infor-
mation provided in the analysis of the SEUs, the objectives,
and goals are established in terms of electrical energy con-
sumption for all sections of the plant, as shown in Table 2.
These values are not taken at random but are based on the
analysis of the equipment and systems that make up each
section, the information provided by the operators of each
line, the technical information of every piece of equipment,
the analysis of the operational changes that could be made
and, in the opinion of the members of the energy commission
and the top management.
TABLE 2. EnPIs status before/after project implementation.
With all this information, the values are established to the
extent that the actions accomplish, and the identification of
savings opportunities coupled with the execution of preven-
tive and corrective maintenance gives results. It is possible to
achieve the proposed goals.
Achieving the goals set is only possible with careful mon-
itoring of the EnPIs, with plant personnel becoming aware
of the importance of having a defined energy policy. The
fulfillment of the objectives establishes that implementing
an EnMS based on the ISO 5001: 2018 standard favors
improving the efficiency indicators supervised by the energy
commission and the top management.
With the analysis of the data obtained in Figure 5, the goals
proposed in Table 2, and the indications from the energy
commission and top management, actions were made at the
operation level. The executed activities are shown in Table 3.
As can be seen, there are different types of actions
executed. On the one hand, measures are taken to improve
functioning. From another area, preventive and corrective
maintenance is prioritized, and, finally, the analysis of the
operation of specific equipment and the assessment of the
possibility of replacing them with more efficient ones. These
measures give rise to a comprehensive work plan that
addresses all the sections involved in the consumption of
electrical energy within the plant.
B. IMPACT ON SEUs
The impact of implementing the EnMS in the seafood
processing plant can be determined by analyzing the
energy cost of production of different products (USD/ton).
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TABLE 3. Actions executed based on the status of the indicators reported in the ARS.
FIGURE 5. Total energy consumed in the cooler section.
The previously defined EnPIs were monitored, and the per-
formance of the information from the previous year. Note
that the graphs were made comparing the same production
sections.
Figure 5 compares the energy consumption in the more
excellent section between the 2020 and 2021 periods. The
data analyzed for both periods were collected differently. For
the 2020 period, the data is obtained from the energy log from
the audit carried out before implementing the EnMS. The
2021 data was obtained through the ARS, enabling instant
analysis and faster decision-making.
As observed, the consumption between both periods shows
differences; the implementation of the EnMS under the ISO
50001: 2018 standard began in January 2021, and when the
period is analyzed in detail, it is noted that there is a decreas-
ing trend in terms of energy consumption. This process takes
time because the discharge process has time for assimilation
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by the plant personnel, regardless of whether the indications
of the energy commission created have been precise.
The individualization of the drive systems for the different
cold rooms of the cooler section is an action that derives from
the EnMS implementation process. In addition, the insulation
of refrigerated rooms and ducts is improved. The temperature
setpoints are restored, and an organization chart is established
for the use by product type and refrigeration capacity for each
container. A maintenance plan is approved to limit the hours
of filter use and periodically check the state of the ducts and
electrical system.
During the 2020 period, it is noted that during the hottest
months, consumption increases due to the impact of high
ambient temperatures. With the development of the EnMS,
measures were taken in the cooler section due to the identified
savings opportunities, which caused a decrease in energy
consumption in this area of the plant.
As of January 2021, it can be seen how the values in terms
of energy consumption in the section remain like those of
the previous period. However, as the implementation of the
EnMS based on the ISO 50001: 2018 standard begins, it is
perceived that consumption rates tend to decrease. This is
attributed to the positive impact of the actions suggested by
the energy commission and the awareness of the workers
regarding the benefits of implementing the EnMS.
Figure 6 shows the comparison results between the
2020 and 2021 periods. It can be seen how, during the year
2020, the energy consumption of the section continued to
oscillate on similar values.
The identification of savings opportunities in the section
decreases global energy consumption, lowering the costs per
produced ton. A fundamental action was to establish a work
schedule to reduce the operating time of the area during
the hours in which the electricity rate is higher. Another
improvement was made when maintenance was attained on
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R. A. Martínez-Sánchez et al.: Approach for Energy and Cost Savings for a Seafood Processing Plant
the heating system, where thermal insulation was improved,
and impurities adhering to the surface were removed. Lighter
ones replaced the electric fan blades with a better aerody-
namic design.
FIGURE 6. Total energy consumed in the dryer section.
Figure 7 presents data from the oil separator section of the
seafood processing plant. In this area, there is a management
plan for remodeling the infrastructure and equipment due to
the obsolescence of the production line.
However, the data shown by the study showed that the
section was one of the SEUs of the plant. As shown in the
previous figure, it is denoted that when the trend in consump-
tion between 2020 and 2021 is compared, the difference in
energy consumption is noted.
The measures taken to improve the energy consumption
of the section make it possible to achieve the objective set by
the energy commission. It is important to emphasize that the
line operators collaborated effectively in searching for and
identifying improvements.
The steam distribution system received maintenance and
calibration to ensure the steam temperature was correct. This
occurred because the energy audit result showed that the
necessary steam in the process was being overheated, which
led to excessive electrical energy consumption.
C. EFFECT ON SEAFOOD PROCESSING PLANT
Within a seafood processing plant, several EnPIs can be
defined. To carry out this study and based on the results
expected by top management and the energy commission,
those described by equations 7 and 8 were defined.
For top management, comparing the productive results of
both periods (2020 and 2021) in terms of the number of tons
produced and the total energy consumption are the leading
indicators to measure the performance and energy efficiency
of the plant.
Figures 8 compares the total energy plants consume per
ton produced. The EnPIs shown in this section is based
solely on electrical power terms and reflect how consump-
tion decreases steadily after implementing the EnMS. Upon
concluding the study and comparing the energy consumption
per ton produced, it is noted that there is a reduction of 13.2%.
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FIGURE 7. Total energy consumed in the oil separator section.
FIGURE 8. Total energy consumed in seafood processing plant per ton
produced.
The reduction of energy cost necessary to produce a ton
is considered an indicator of success by top management
because, in general, the objective pursued with the implemen-
tation of the EnMS based on the ISO 50001: 2018 standard
was to improve the profitability of the seafood processing
plant through the efficient management of electrical energy.
Implementing the ARS and the EnMS allows the EnPIs
to be substantially improved. The saving of energy carriers
enables the amount to be paid on the electricity bill to be
reduced. When checking the results of the previous figure
and comparing the results of January 2020, where there is
an electricity consumption per ton produced of 85.2 kWh,
with December 2021, where 66.1 kWh is consumed, there
is a reduction between both months of 22.42%. On average,
electricity consumption was reduced when comparing the
year 2020 with the year 2021 by 13.2%. The numbers are
satisfactory and highlight the effectiveness of the EnMS.
To calculate the GHG emitted by the consumption of elec-
trical energy, the Ecuadorian standard NTE INEN ISO/IEC
14064-1 [39] is applied, under which the limits, the identi-
fication of the emissions, and finally, the calculation is set.
In the specific case of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere,
the emission factor is established at 0.5062 kg CO2 /kWh. The
data in Table 9 shows that during 2020, the average electrical
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energy consumption was 86.01 kWh/ton. The emission of
CO2 into the atmosphere during the period in question was
43.54 kg CO2 /kWh per ton produced. In 2021, when the
average consumption was above 74.17 kWh/ton, the CO2
emission was reduced to 37.54 kg CO2 /kWh per ton pro-
duced. This establishes a global reduction in CO2 emissions
from the seafood processing plant of 6 kg CO2 /kWh per ton
made and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 13.78%.
The analysis of the global results of the plant poses a
favorable situation. Before implementing the EnMS under the
guidance of the ISO 50001 standard, electricity consumption
per ton cost 9.40 USD; this value dates to January 2020. With
the start of the work carried out by the top management, the
energy commission, and plant workers, the cost of electricity
consumption was reduced for December 2021 to 7.30 USD.
The results are the result of implementing the EnMS
under the PDCA model of the ISO 50001 standard. The
start-up of the system through the schedule, the analysis of
the reports made by the ARS, the identification of areas
of opportunity, and the measures taken by the energy com-
mission and top management, supported by workers of the
company, allowed the results obtained at the end of the year
of implementation of the EnMS to be those described above.
D. QUALITATIVE ESTIMATION OF THE EFFECT OF EnMS
As part of the EnMS implementation process, the energy
commission conducted a series of questionnaires to plant
personnel before and after the EnMS implementation. The
results obtained were beneficial because the information pro-
vided by the employees is based on their experience with the
energy strategy.
The population that makes up the seafood processing plant
is 66 people; its distribution is specified in Table 4. The
study was conducted with 70% of the population to achieve a
significant sample. The workers in the surveys were randomly
selected from the whole plant staff. Simple random sampling
allows each unit that makes up the population to have the
same chance of being selected. To calculate the sample, the
Equation 9 proposed by [40] was used:
1 plant seeks to measure the conditions in which the
P=   (9)
N energy policy is found to show non-conformities and
n! n
where:
P = Probability of obtaining a sample with a specific order.
N = Total number of elements in the population.
n = Number of dependent extractions to perform.
Six surveys were applied to the selected personnel where
the following aspects were evaluated:
• Top management responsibility: Top management must
demonstrate its commitment to support the energy pol-
icy and continuously improve its effectiveness: by defin-
ing, establishing, implementing, and maintaining an
energy policy; appointing a management representative
and approving the creation of an energy management
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TABLE 4. Distribution of personnel by areas in the seafood processing
plant.
team; providing the necessary resources to develop,
implement, maintain and improve energy performance.
• Energy policy: The energy policy within the com-
pany drives the implementation and improvement of the
energy performance of the organization within its scope
and limits. It is a short statement that members of the
organization can easily understand and apply to their
work activities. The dissemination of the energy policy
can be used as a driver to drive the behavior of the
organization.
• Energy planning: The company contemplates the iden-
tification and surveillance of different legal and other
requirements (internal, customer, contractual, among
others). The organization shall carry out and document
an energy planning process. It must be consistent with
the energy policy and lead to activities continuously
improving energy performance. Energy planning should
include a review of activities within the organization that
may affect energy performance.
• Implementation and operation: In the company, the per-
sonnel is trained in each of the areas that correspond
to them performing within it, but not in the area of
implementation that they want to develop. Therefore,
there needs to be aware regarding energy savings that
should exist in the organization.
• Check: With the verification, the seafood processing
implement actions that allow continuous improvement.
In this way, it is guaranteed that the evaluation of legal
requirements, internal audits, action plans against non-
conformities, corrective actions, and preventive actions,
and the control of records are well established in the
organization.
• Management review: The review and evaluation process
is critical to improving energy policy and performance,
which are the fundamental basis for improving energy
efficiency indices. Therefore, the company must have a
method to periodically review and evaluate the energy
performance and management system to identify oppor-
tunities for improvement quickly. The review and eval-
uation are the responsibility of top management and are
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TABLE 5. Results obtained from the surveys applied to the employees of the seafood processing plant before/after the implementation of the EnMS.
based on the data. Decision-making ensures the ade-
quacy and effectiveness of the ongoing system.
The results obtained with the application of the surveys are
summarized in Table 5. An increase in the commitment of top
management is established at the end of the implementation
of the EnMS. They set the creation of the energy team,
approve the energy policy, specify the energy objectives, and
guarantee the logistics for the development of the EnMS.
The establishment of the energy policy is evidenced in the
survey results. Before the development of the EnMS, the
staff did not master concepts such as energy efficiency, there
was little awareness about the continuous improvement of
EnPIs, and there was no plan for acquiring products and
services that enhance energy efficiency. With the implemen-
tation of the EnMS, the results obtained establish the domain
of information, business energy standards, and the active par-
ticipation of workers in the effective development of energy
policy.
The questionnaire on energy planning reveals in its first
application the non-establishment of the EnPIs, the non-
identification of opportunities for energy improvements, the
almost null documentation of business energy performance,
and the non-existence of an action plan where the resources
and periods are established of time and responsibility to
achieve the objectives. With the implementation of the EnMS
and subsequent application of the survey, the knowledge of
the workers surveyed about the SEUs and the business energy
baseline is established. Information is handled on the status
of the EnPIs and expected projections; there is widespread
knowledge regarding the set energy goals.
With the implementation and operation of the EnMS, the
survey shows how the staff of the company masters the
processes and requirements for the operation of the EnMS.
The training provided allows the EnPIs and SEUs to know
the strategies to improve energy efficiency. The workers
see the efficiency criteria for the operation and maintenance
of the SEUs, and the establishment of the information refer-
ring to the predictive and corrective maintenance is added.
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The results obtained at the end of the implementation of the
EnMS differ from those obtained at the beginning.
As in the implementation and operation questionnaires, the
results of the surveys where check and management review
are carried out in the initial stage could be more manageable
and practically null. This is because the seafood processing
plant needed a structured energy policy, and an EnMS had yet
to be implemented. At the end of the start-up of the system,
it is confirmed how the aspects raised in the survey begin to
be fulfilled, which makes it possible to improve the EnPIs of
the plant.
As aspects surveyed in Check and Management review
questionnaires are:
• Compliance with energy goals and performance assess-
ment of production processes, systems, and equipment
associated with SEUs.
• The evaluation of the actual energy consumption with
the estimate. Compliance with energy audits within the
established deadlines.
• Identification of nonconformities and their causes.
• The top management of the state of the EnMS regularly
reviews.
• The taking into account all the decisions and measures
to improve the energy performance of the last review.
The analysis of the surveys revealed an increase in energy
awareness among the staff as the results were published
and improvements in energy performance became evident.
However, it is perceived that it is necessary to emphasize the
operational performance of the sections and promote actions
to increase the productivity of the teams. The preceding
is taken as points to be considered to continue identifying
energy improvement opportunities. Finally, it is established
that the feedback obtained from the plant operators becomes
convenient because they are in charge of maintaining and
executing the operation efficiently. In addition, the more
knowledge of the EnMS exists among the workers, the more
significant opportunities for improving energy performance
and identifying inefficient equipment.
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TABLE 6. Energy savings obtained in other studies.
V. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The study establishes the need to develop EnMS in a seafood
processing plants. In countries where the fishing industry
is one of its main economic activities, as is the case in
Ecuador, the implementation of energy strategies leads to
saving energy carriers, as this research shows.
The development of the project is carried out using the pre-
approved maintenance budget during the year 2020; for this
reason, no expenses were made outside the assigned financ-
ing. This is an advantage since it establishes that improving
energy indices can be possible by establishing appropriate
strategies, providing workers with awareness towards saving,
and training staff on energy efficiency issues.
Table 6 summarizes the results of some studies based on
implementing an EnMS based on the ISO 50001 standard.
The execution of the research is based on the ISO 50001:
2018 standard, which is why it presents similarities with
studies conducted in other places and types of companies.
The research reported in this article has the particularity
that, according to the search carried out, it is the first article
that reports the implementation of an EnMS in a seafood
processing plant in Ecuador. Another aspect to consider is that
a full implementation schedule is drawn up for 12 months.
One detail to consider is that the energy data is acquired
through SCADA. Still, with the energy improvement process,
an ARS is also installed to facilitate the preparation and
sending of energy reports to the different departments of the
plant. Finally, a series of questionnaires made according to
the specificities of the seafood processing plant based on the
ISO 50001 standard is applied to 70% of the workers before
and after the implementation of the EnMS, which allows the
establishment of the evolution of the energy policy, business,
staff awareness, management of concepts such as energy
efficiency, EnPIs, SEUs and the possibility of identifying
opportunities for energy improvement. The different tools
used to carry out the study pose a scenario not observed in
other research consulted.
The results from the previous table are obtained from
studies in different industrial areas. However, as can be seen,
the results presented a certain similarity, which establishes
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that the ISO 50001 standard is a versatile tool due to its power
of adaptability to provide satisfactory results regardless of the
implementation area.
The reduction of 13.2% in energy consumption obtained in
this study for implementing an EnMS according to the stan-
dards of ISO 50001: 2018 follows what was reported by [49]
in his research. At the end of the first year of the adoption of
the EnMS, the results obtained are satisfactory, although they
are outside the expected range reported (20% - 34%) by the
authors in a similar study [47]. This establishes the possibility
that improving the EnPIs of the seafood processing plant is
possible. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that it is
possible to improve the EnPIs of a firm with a minimum of
financing and only by following what is suggested by the ISO
50001 standard.
Due to the location and the study area where this research
is attained, the results obtained are presented as a novel due
to the small amount of existing information on the subject
in Ecuador. However, there is current research on the subject,
as evidenced by studies [50], [51], and [52], which address the
need to adopt EnMS to improve EnPIs within the companies
where the research is carried out. The shortcoming is that
most of the study is related to the oil sector, which contributes
approximately 7% PIB of the country [53]. For this reason,
achieving positive results with the execution of the study
establishes a valuable base to implement the ISO 50001:
2018 standard and the EnMS within the fishing industry of
Ecuador.
It is necessary to highlight the improvement of the EnPIs
when implementing the EnMS; the results of 2020 estab-
lished the total electrical energy demanded to produce a
ton at around 85.2 kWh and the cost of electricity used at
9.40 USD. After the beginning of the project and imple-
menting the EnMS based on the ISO 50001:2018 standard,
the EnPIs had gradually improved, placing the total elec-
trical energy demanded to produce 1 ton at 66.1 kWh and
the cost of electricity used by the ton at 7.30 USD. The
values represent a significant reduction when comparing the
status of the EnPIs in January 2020 and their position in
December 2021.
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TABLE 7. Similar measures implemented in case studies to promote the reduction of energy consumption.
Depending on the magnitude of the EnMS implementation,
the necessary funding may vary. Adopting a corporate energy
policy by investing in equipment and infrastructure is possi-
ble. It can be done using minimal financing with practically
only the person-hours cost as proposed by [54] and as is the
case in this study.
Table 6 shows case studies with favorable results in
energy savings when implementing an EnMS under the ISO
50001 standard. Table 7 summarizes the activities carried out
to promote energy savings in the articles presented in Table 6
and which were applied in the current research development.
The research focuses on using the existing infrastructure
and equipment in the plant and, with its use improving energy
management. The study raises the importance of bettering the
operation of the production process based on energy aware-
ness by the operators. It is recommended to use the method-
ology described in this research in other seafood processing
plants or another type of industry, which is possible because
the implementation schedule and the ISO 50001:2018 stan-
dard allow it. For these applications, it is necessary to evaluate
the specific conditions of each installation and adapt the
methodology to its reality.
This research contributes to the chronological implementa-
tion of an EnMS based on the ISO 50001:2018 standard that
allows a 13.2% reduction in electrical energy consumption in
a seafood processing plant. A methodology is established that
enables the development of an EnMS. A drop from 9.40 USD
to 7.30 USD is achieved in the cost of electricity per ton
produced, which is a positive indicator for the company.
A. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE WORK
For future work, it is necessary to analyze the positive impact
of an energy strategy and improve operational planning on
electrical equipment. For this, it is necessary to compare
the shutdown times of sections of the plant due to faults in
the electrical and auxiliary systems. Including other energy
consumption indicators within the EnMS, such as diesel or
other fuels used to operate the manufacturing process, is also
essential.
Making the changes will require investment, which is why
the financial health of the company or external investment
must be able to assume the costs of the project. However,
with the reduction of the EnPIs reported in this research,
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a base is created where the feasibility is seen that through
a maintainable and sustainable energy policy, it is possible
to save on electricity billing and improve the cost of the
ton produced. This allows for a more significant margin to
amortize future investments in energy efficiency in less time.
Another challenge is the possibility of replicating a study
of these characteristics in other similar plants and com-
paring the results obtained. This would allow standardiz-
ing an EnMS implementation methodology based on the
ISO 50001:2018 standard in a seafood processing plant
in Ecuador and would bring the benefits described in
this study to the industry and the country. Based on the
increase in electricity consumption in the industrial sector
in Ecuador, achieving its reduction, for example, by around
13%, as described in this research, would mean an annual
saving of 1371.48 GWh [55].
According to [1], among the entire range of products manu-
factured in Ecuador in the fishing sector during the year 2021,
a total of more than 1 million metric tons were produced with
an approximate price in the international market of 6 billion
USD. If the cost of electricity associated with the production
were reduced by 13.2%, around 790 million USD per year
would be saved.
Another recommendation is to analyze the cost associated
with training personnel in specific topics related to energy
efficiency, detection of opportunities for improvement, and
suitable industrial operation practices.
VI. CONCLUSION
An EnMS was implemented under the guidelines of the ISO
50001:2018 standard. The development of an ARS makes
it possible to concisely and periodically send the energy
information of the plant to those in charge. A 13.2% reduction
in the electricity consumption of the plant is obtained when
comparing the use of electricity in 2020 and 2021.
The cost of electrical energy needed per ton produced
decreases from 9.40 USD to 7.30 USD. The reduction in
billing allows for an increase in business profitability. The
research proposes a step-by-step methodology for imple-
menting an EnMS in seafood processing plants or similar
industries. This is because mandatory steps still need to be
established, but general guidelines guide the start-up pro-
cess. The successful adaptation of an EnMS based on the
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ISO 50001:2018 standard validates the effectiveness of the
described methodology.
Another notable result is the non-use of financing to start
the EnMS; material resources in the company have been used.
However, as part of the continuous improvement process,
top management has considered allocating a budget for the
necessary energy improvements for the coming periods. From
the analysis of the results of the surveys before/after the
implementation of the EnMS, it is concluded that the increase
in Energy awareness by top management and plant workers
allows productivity to be improved and business efficiency to
increase.
Finally, the reduction in the emission of CO2 into the
atmosphere is worth noting. From 2020 to 2021, a 13.78%
decrease in environmental emissions is estimated due to the
consumption of electricity in the seafood processing plant.
With the results obtained, an opportunity is opened for
seafood processing plants to improve their EnPIs using the
methodology described in this article. This would enhance
the profitability of each case study.
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VOLUME 11, 2023
RAÚL ALEJANDRO MARTÍNEZ-SÁNCHEZ
received the degree in automatic engineering from
Martha Abreu de las Villas Central University,
Cuba, in 2011, and the master’s degree in energy
efficiency from the University of Holguín, in 2019.
He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in
engineering with the Autonomous University of
Querétaro. His research interests include energy
efficiency, control systems, and thermodynamic
cycles.
JUVENAL RODRÍGUEZ-RESÉNDIZ (Senior
Member, IEEE) was with West Virginia Univer-
sity as a Visiting Professor, in 2012. Currently,
he is a Coordinator of the Master in Automation
with Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro (UAQ),
Mexico, where he is also the Director of the
Office for Partnership with Industry and Academy.
He teaches digital signal processing and research
methodology courses. He belongs to the Mexican
Academy of Sciences, the Mexican Association of
Robotics and Mechatronics, and the National Research Academy in Mexico.
He has developed over 40 industrial projects by linking UAQ and the
government. Because of his trajectory, he is a candidate for a Fellow Member,
where he was a Querétaro President, in 2015. His team has published
more than 80 technical and education papers. He patented more than ten
innovations. He has won several national and international prizes because of
his academic and innovative developments. He has been an advisor of more
than 200 theses of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral grades. He has been
invited to give 30 conferences around the world.
JOSÉ M. ÁLVAREZ-ALVARADO received the
B.S. degree in mechatronics from Instituto Tec-
nológico de la Laguna, Coahuila, Mexico, in 2013,
the M.Sc. degree in automatic control and the
Ph.D. degree from the School of Engineering, Uni-
versidad Autónoma de Querétaro (UAQ), Mexico,
in 2017 and 2021, respectively. He is currently a
Professor with the School of Engineering, UAQ.
His research interests include machine learning
techniques, renewable energy prediction, energy
sustainability, and energy generation systems. He is a member of the National
Researcher System of CONACYT.
JOSÉ R. GARCÍA-MARTÍNEZ received the M.Sc.
degree in instrumentation and automatic control
and the Ph.D. degree from the School of Engi-
neering, Autonomous University of Queretaro,
Mexico, in 2018 and 2022, respectively. He is
currently a Full Professor with the Faculty of Elec-
tronic and Communications Engineering, Univer-
sidad Veracruzana, Region Poza Rica—Tuxpan,
Mexico. His current research interests include
embedded systems, intelligent control, signal pro-
cessing, and robotics. He is a member of the National Research System,
level 1, of CONACYT, and the Municipal Council of Science and Technol-
ogy (COMUCYT) of Poza Rica, Veracruz.
51837