Process integration has considerable potential to contribute to increased energy efficiency.
The main focus of the Implementing Agreement on Process Integration is on efficient use of energy and reducing the environmental impact from process industries. The main technologies being considered are pinch analysis for heat recovery, heat and power systems and wastewater minimisation, exergy analysis, optimisation techniques such as mathematical programming and stochastic search methods such as simulated annealing and genetic algorithms, and the use of heuristics and knowledge based systems. The main outputs of the Agreement until now are an end-user survey and the Catalogue on Process Integration. The Catalogue contains a unique collection of data and information on technology developers, software vendors, software packages, consultants, training courses, text books, and other resources on process integration. It also describes and classifies various existing and emerging process integration methodologies.