Step by step—sometimes small, sometimes large—the industry has created power architectures that reduce energy consumption and, in many cases, has discovered technical solutions to supposedly "unsolvable" problems. Who would have believed twenty years ago that we could produce power supplies with such high levels of efficiency that also met very strict environmental regulations? All these achievements are magnificent, but are they enough to meet the growing market demand for even greater environmental impact reduction?
Risks Under Control:
Technology has helped us perform miracles, but at the same time, the world has changed, and environmental challenges have become more complex and global. This demands that all industries rethink their way of working, especially with greater consideration and responsibility toward environmental and social issues.
This is the latest challenge facing the energy industry, and although the technologies introduced to the market have contributed to reducing CO2 emissions, companies' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies, aligned with international standards, will require significant adjustments to their operations. Furthermore, there is the question of how their suppliers will comply with these environmental regulations and how they will manage the associated risks.
One example is the application of the ISO 31000 global risk management methodology. Initially developed for decision-makers and policymakers in governments and large corporations to minimize risk exposure and ensure business integrity for shareholders, it has now been adopted by many companies, including those in the healthcare sector.
The ISO 31000 standard is becoming an important tool that helps companies develop their environmental strategy and better manage both internal and external risks. ISO 31000 is defined as "a process that provides confidence that planned objectives will be achieved within an acceptable degree of residual risk." Looking ahead, ISO 31000 will become an immense and increasingly important part of organizations.
It is clear that many power supply designers are accustomed to assessing risk management (for example, when designing a medical power supply that meets the IEC 60601-1-3 Edition standard, or a power supply for demanding applications in other segments, such as the oil and gas industry), although in the coming years, OEM customer demands on the power supply industry in terms of risk management could become more comprehensive, encompassing environmental impact and social responsibility, even down to a single supplier. This requires our industry to be prepared for new ways of working and even to consider revising some of the business principles we thought were set in stone. Are we ready?
Figure 02 - Cradle-to-Cradle three-phase methodology for continuous improvement strategy (Source: Powerbox)
Medicine Sets Trends:
The power supply sector, which covers a wide range of applications from consumer to defense, must comply with numerous standards and regulations. Some of these, originally developed for a specific segment, are being rapidly adopted by other industries. Regulation in the medical industry is a prime example, where several parameters specified in IEC 60601-1-3 and -4 standards have now been adopted by industrial project managers involved in Industry 4.0 (e.g., enhanced insulation, reduced leakage current, lower EMI, and documented risk assessment and control).
Designing power supplies and complying with safety standards is undoubtedly a vital obligation, but designing a product for the environment (DfE) is equally important. Here too, the medical industry is leading the way. According to a 2014 market study by Johnson & Johnson, over 80% of hospitals worldwide are expected to incorporate sustainability into their purchasing decisions, with many following the ISO 31000 risk assessment process, including their suppliers.
Therefore, the electricity supply industry will have to meet the environmental requirements demanded by the medical industry and other industries that impose similar demands on their suppliers and partners. It is crucial, then, that the energy supply industry adopt a way of working that integrates environmental aspects from the earliest stages of any project.
Design for the environment has often been implemented voluntarily or used as a marketing/sales argument, but this is now changing. For many, a high-efficiency, low-power standby product may seem inherently DfE (Design for the Environment), but this is not necessarily the case. The DfE (Destination for Equity) is much more than that, and despite the existence of ISO 14062, the lack of a common definition or standard relevant to the electronics industry is making it difficult for customers and users to verify what is included in each company's DfE definition and verification.
Aware of the difficulties in evaluating the different variables considered part of their suppliers' DfE, the medical industry and regulatory bodies recognized the need to define a standardized methodology that considers the entire life cycle—that is, all stages, from initial specification to end-of-life management.
After several years of preparation, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) published IEC 60601-1-9, a supplement to IEC 60601, in 2007. The objective of IEC 60601-1-9 is to reduce the environmental impact of the entire range of electromedical equipment (EM equipment), taking into account all phases of the product lifecycle: product specification, design, manufacturing, sales, logistics, installation, commissioning, deployment, and end-of-life management.
The fundamental principle of IEC 60601-1-9 is to protect the environment and human health from hazardous substances, conserve raw materials and energy, minimize waste generation, and minimize the adverse environmental impact associated with waste.
Without going into microscopic details, the basic requirements of IEC 60601-1-9 can be summarized as "identification," "instruction," and "end-of-life management." During this process, manufacturers will have to act in accordance with existing processes (for example, risk management carried out in accordance with ISO 1497, the life cycle concept in line with ISO 14001, with particular emphasis on ISO 14062) and produce documentation demonstrating that all steps have been carried out with the utmost consideration for the environment.
Since the IEC 60601-1-9 standard was revised in 2013 and 2020, it has been used to guide and assist companies in minimizing the environmental impact of their products and operations, and its application has been voluntary. However, as early as 2014, Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) took the initiative, requiring that all electrical medical equipment sold in the country comply with the standard by December 1, 2016, with particular attention to three clauses: (4.1) Identification of Environmental Aspects, (4.5.2) Instructions for Minimizing Environmental Impact during Normal Use, and (4.5.3) Information for End-of-Life Management.
Thus, Brazil is the first country to formally stipulate that electromedical equipment must comply with the standard, but other countries are also studying its implementation or national directives aimed at encouraging medical equipment manufacturers to incorporate parts of the standard in order to minimize impacts and contribute to the development of a sustainable economy that preserves the environment.
Figure 03 sub-table (In case of space for additional table available, 5 goals description provided).
Could the energy industry adopt the "cradle-to-cradle" business model?
As engineers, we enjoy challenges, problem-solving, and, to some extent, pushing seemingly unbreakable boundaries. The history of power supplies is replete with examples of what was once thought impossible becoming a major innovation. In terms of environmental contribution, by continuously improving technical performance and reducing energy consumption, we have demonstrated our ability to contribute to reducing environmental impact, but we can do more. Integrating all phases of the life cycle and complying with standards such as ISO 60601-1-9 (or equivalent) is good, but looking ahead, can we rethink how the power supply sector operates? Can we contribute even more to building a sustainable environment for future generations?
As part of an internal project, a group of engineers from various disciplines and companies were invited to design the complete life cycle of the Powerbox OFM225 power supply (Figure 1). The power supply was originally designed to be highly efficient and easy to manufacture, and the group was asked to study how, outside the established business model, such a product/process could not only have the smallest possible environmental impact but also be able to optimize positive impacts (e.g., supporting the local economy).
Taking into account all aspects, from initial design to end-of-life (and a potential second life), the project followed a cradle-to-cradle (C2C) approach and identified areas for improvement to minimize negative impacts and optimize positive ones (Figure 2).
It may seem strange to many that an energy supply company would consider renewing a conventional way of working to adopt a model of this type, but given that C2C takes into account the entire life cycle of an item, including procurement and disposal at the end of its useful life, it becomes something synchronized with current and future regulations, with the expectations of customers, end users and stakeholders, and a way for the energy supply sector to contribute to creating a better world.
Integrating the five C2C objectives (Figure 3) at the outset of a project will contribute to the development of power supplies with the lowest environmental impact, while also increasing positive impacts (for example, by selecting a component supplier committed to sustainable development, working with CEM partners to reduce water consumption and use renewable energy, and designing products with end-of-life or second life in mind). This will help the power supply industry not only offer best-in-class products but also contribute to local economies and the development of a new way of working, paving the way for future generations.
Recent climate and ecological events remind us daily how fragile our environment is, and we all have a role to play in protecting it. The "cradle-to-cradle" business model in the energy industry may not be utopian, but it will eventually become part of our everyday way of working. So, to the question: "Will the electricity supply industry adopt the 'cradle-to-cradle' business model?" The answer is a resounding "Yes!".
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References:
Powerbox
https://www.prbx.com/
ISO 31000 - 11 principles
https://www.iso.org/iso-31000-risk-management.html
ISO 14062
https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:tr:14062:ed-1:v1:en
IEC 60601-1-9 latest edition
https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/67382
Cradle to Cradle Certification
http://www.c2ccertified.org/
EU action plan on the circular economy
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy-action-plan_en
Figure 03 - Cradle to Cradle quality categories considered for certification (source: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute/Powerbox)
Material Health:
Know the chemical ingredients of each material in a product and optimize toward safer materials. Identify materials as biological or technical nutrients. Understand how chemical hazards combine with likely exposures to determine potential negative impacts on human health and the environment.
Material Reuse
: Design products made from materials sourced from nature or industry that can be safely returned to it. Maximize the percentage of rapidly renewable or recycled content used in a product. Maximize the percentage of materials that can be safely reused, recycled, or composted at the end of the product's life. Designate your product as technical (can be safely returned to industry) and/or biological (can be safely returned to nature).
Renewable Energy and Carbon Management: We envision a future where all manufacturing is powered by 100% clean, renewable energy. Generate renewable electricity and offset carbon emissions in the final stage of product manufacturing.
Water Management:
Manage clean water as a precious resource and an essential human right. Address local geographic and industrial impacts on water at each manufacturing plant. Identify, assess, and optimize industrial chemicals present in facility effluents.
Social equity
: Design operations that respect all people and natural systems affected by the creation, use, disposal, or reuse of a product. Utilize globally recognized resources to conduct self-assessments to identify local and supply chain issues, and third-party audits to ensure optimal conditions. Make a positive difference in the lives of employees and the local community.
About Powerbox:
Founded in 1974, headquartered in Sweden, and operating in 15 countries across four continents, Powerbox serves customers worldwide. The company focuses on four core markets—industrial, medical, transportation/rail, and defense—for which it designs and markets superior power conversion systems for demanding applications. Powerbox's mission is to leverage its expertise to enhance customers' competitiveness by meeting all their energy needs. Every aspect of the company's business is focused on this objective, from designing the advanced components incorporated into its products to providing high levels of customer service. Powerbox is recognized for its technical innovations that reduce energy consumption and its ability to manage the entire lifecycle of its products while minimizing environmental impact. Powerbox is a Cosel Group company.
For more information
, visit www.prbx.com.
Contact Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communications Director,
at +46 (0)158 703 00.
Reference
PRBXA012b ES
About the author:
Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communications Director at Powerbox, is a business expert and qualified engineer with 40 years of experience in the power electronics sector. He has been a pioneer in the commercialization of new technologies such as digital energy and in technical initiatives to reduce energy consumption. Le Fèvre has authored and presented numerous white papers and articles at leading international power electronics conferences. These have been published over 450 times in media outlets worldwide. He also participates in various environmental forums, sharing his expertise and knowledge on clean energy.
Patrick Le Fèvre
Director of Marketing and Communication at Powerbox
