Alleviate Energy Crisis Challenges with Tapes
The rising costs of energy have become a constant feature in the news and industry, and private households are already feeling the effects of higher petrol, natural gas, and electricity prices. The current global energy crisis is the result of a series of issues, such as the pandemic, which led to a reduction in global demand for oil and other energy sources, subsequently limiting their production. However, the rapid industrial recovery has caused a sharp increase in energy demand and higher coal and oil prices.
Particularly in Europe, many countries, industries, and private households are heavily reliant on natural gas, and geopolitical conflicts are exacerbating the energy supply situation by limiting the availability of natural gas, which in turn drives up the costs of alternatives. Like most companies today, Saint-Gobain® Tape Solutions is also affected by these higher prices but is doing everything possible to manage the new situation as best as we can for our customers, employees, partners, and suppliers. Higher energy costs are one of the drivers of the inflation we are currently experiencing, and energy-intensive industries need short- and medium-term solutions to remain competitive.
Five Ways Tapes Can Help Reduce Reliance on Energy
The situation is complex, and there are various ways to tackle the challenge, but we all share one common goal: to make the best of the situation with reliable solutions that help us emerge stronger and with less environmental impact from the crisis. Of course, the right tape cannot solve all energy challenges, but sometimes small components like these can have an unexpected impact on improving overall efficiency and mitigating the effects we are currently experiencing.
Optimising energy efficiency in mobility
Electric vehicles are an important step towards reducing fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions in today’s and future mobility. High-performance materials like our tapes can help improve their efficiency and range, resulting in a reduced need for energy to reach new destinations. We support the transition to electric mobility with industry-leading materials that enhance the efficiency, power density, and safety of EV battery packs, enabling longer range, durable performance, and increased charging cycles.
In addition to unique thermal runaway protection materials, compression pads with the flattest CFD curve, or innovative cushioning pads, our EV solutions are designed to accelerate new electric mobility concepts. Beyond the battery pack, electrical insulation tapes, specifically designed to enhance EV motor performance with excellent mechanical, chemical, and electrical resistance due to the use of high-performance materials like Kapton®, Nomex®, or Polyimide, can also help battery-electric vehicles become independent from fossil fuels — especially if the power source used to charge these vehicles is entirely based on renewable energy sources.
Increasing efficiency in renewable energy production with tapes
Industry, mobility and almost every part of our daily lives are powered by electricity. Wind-, hydro- or solar-based renewable energy production is nothing new but is booming worldwide. Becoming independent from fossil fuels and suppliers has become even more important with recent world events currently unfolding. Manufacturers are working to increase the efficiency of renewable energy production, and our tapes support this goal by enabling more efficient production of the largest wind turbines in the world to optimise the output of windmills. Special tapes built to withstand tough environmental influences help to guarantee durable performance of hydro- and solar-power generation with less maintenance and easier assembly.
New energy in transformation
Renewable energy production is already a major trend in energy supply, and it’s only just beginning. To make energy available wherever it is needed, it must be transformed and transported. Minimising losses and maximising efficiency are critical here, and our electro-mechanical tapes can open new doors for modern transformers and energy grids. These high-end UL-recognised products with proven chemical compatibility are optimised to address challenging electro-mechanical requirements like solving chemical compatibility concerns when adding a new adhesive tape to an oil-filled transformer system. Through direct collaboration with our technical experts, we're here to assist in selecting the right products to accommodate design requirements and navigate the barriers to entering this specification-driven market.
Supporting energy storage wherever and whenever needed
One of the biggest challenges in renewable energy sources is that they are not always available when and where they are needed. To help renewable energies achieve a full breakthrough, it takes new and powerful storage systems. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are currently on the rise with increased performance, reduced costs and higher durability. These systems benefit from materials also used in EV batteries, helping to increase power density, safety and the lifetime of the battery while reducing space at the same time. Whether in large-scale or smaller systems optimised for private households, energy storage systems can help to store renewable energy produced during peak times and make it available when and where it needs to be consumed. This decentralisation of energy production and storage can reduce costs, improve grid stability and strengthen independence from suppliers. But the best and perhaps fastest way to reduce energy costs is to reduce consumption.
Saving energy in buildings with tapes
The building and construction sector is energy-intensive — during construction as well as over its lifetime. This is one of the reasons governments all over Europe these days are counting on industry and private households to reduce their energy consumption, such as by turning down the heat or not heating less commonly used rooms on colder days. These requests might help in the short term but reduce comfort and quality of life indoors. A more long-term solution is therefore to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, and there are many ways tapes can support this. Materials with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions can increase thermal comfort and indoor air quality, while others are ideal for helping to create air- and watertight building envelopes that minimise heat loss.
Strong Bonds for New Energy
At our Saint-Gobain Tape Solutions sites in Europe and worldwide, many projects are already in place or currently being implemented to reduce our carbon footprint and the use of energy. On our path to Net Zero Carbon by 2050, recent steps have already better positioned us for dealing with the recent energy crisis and rising costs that show no end in sight. With the expectation to stabilise in 2023 but with prices significantly higher than before it started, industry, governments and private households will have to find new ways of dealing with the situation. Finding partners you can trust during tough times has proven essential to weathering this storm, and these strong collaborations — and the material innovations that result — may just be one way that we can accelerate change in the way energy is produced and consumed together. Whatever lies ahead, you can rely on us to support you and your projects, so contact us today to find the best tape solutions together.
