Interconnected transitions for industrial sustainability – Digital tools, energy efficiency, and circularity

The path towards sustainable industrial models is based on the synergies between the circular, energy, and digital transitions. In this light, this paper proposes a methodological framework for the joint assessment of energy performance and corporate circularity in the industrial sector, integrating the energy audit set out in the EN 16247 series with the circularity measurement methodology defined by UNI/TS 11820:2022. A data-driven approach is adopted, based on digital monitoring systems for energy carriers, data analysis tools, and dynamic energy simulation models. The framework is applied to a case study of a plant operated by a large agri-food company; the results highlight how energy efficiency measures and self-generation from renewable sources improve both energy performance and circularity indicators.