Modeling of an Eco Factory for the Apparel Sector

Abstract: The objective of the project was to design and model an eco-factory for the apparel sector. The apparel sector comprises one of the major industries in the world; contributing to 2% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). The industry holds a market value of three trillion dollars, whilst providing employment to nearly 25 million people globally. A significant proportion of apparel manufacturing occurs across Asia; attributed to several factors, such as low costs associated with labour, land, and utilities. The initial data was obtained through an exhaustive literature review, followed by site visits to Sri Lanka and India, where a significant proportion of data was collected by means of observations, calculations and interviews. A virtual factory was modelled for the city of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, based on data collected during the site visits, as well as software simulations. The factory had an electricity demand of 1,509.7 MWh, drinking water requirement of 7.975 m3 / day, thermal demand of 578.39 kW and an organic waste output of 78 tons/ year, while having an unused roof space of 9,732 m2. The analysis was conducted using three software packages; DIALux, IDA ICE and HOMER. The inputs from several stakeholder groups obtained during the site visits provided a practical overview of the proposed model. An analysis of the potential resources for the system indicated that solar PV was a suitable source, owing to the availability of large roof areas at apparel factories, as well as the high global horizontal irradiation (GHI) in the regions where the industry is located. Two scenarios were modeled: grid connected and off-grid, which offered greater operational flexibility and comparison on the returns on investment. The LCoE for the two scenarios: grid tie and off grid, provided promising results with US$ - 0.00793/ kWh and US$ 0.07549/ kWh respectively. These values were well below the current tariffs offered for the industrial sector, which is expected to rise over time. From an environmental perspective, the system emits a significantly low level of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. For the off-grid system, this level is as low as 347 kg CO2 (eq)/ year. Two sensitivity variables were identified for the analysis: the costs for biomass and batteries. The analysis indicated that the LCoE is more sensitive to the cost of biomass, compared to that of the batteries, proving that a sustainable supply chain of biomass is a key element for the success of this system. The results of this project prove a valid case for the adoption of sustainable practices for industries in the manufacturing sector, with the provision of potable drinking water for its employees, whilst clean and affordable electricity is utilized for meeting production demands, which could contribute immensely to the success of the global sustainable development goals.