Circularity as a driver for decarbonization in the manufacturing Industry. Environmentally sustainable digital and technological solutions for energy efficiency and environmental impacts reduction

This doctoral thesis investigates the decarbonization of the industrial sector through the integration of three strategic transitions identified at the European level: circular, energy, and digital. Within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the European Green Deal, the research explores the interconnections between the circular economy and the energy transition, placing particular emphasis on the enabling role of digitalization. The study includes a review of current technologies, as well as measurement tools and indicators for assessing energy and circularity performance in industrial organizations. Developed in collaboration with a Major Agri-food manufacturing Company, the research is structured along four principal axes: (1) an analysis of the state of the art in policies and regulatory frameworks for measuring circularity and energy performance; (2) the application of these frameworks to an industrial case study; (3) an assessment of the potential of digital technologies for monitoring and managing industrial assets; (4) the simulation of decarbonization scenarios through a virtual model informed by real monitored data. The research highlights the critical role of energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy generation as key strategies with a combined positive impact on circular performance. By integrating the Energy Audit methodology (as defined by Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014) with the UNI/TS 11820:2022 technical specification, the research proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework to support the strategic planning of decarbonization interventions. Improvement scenarios—focused on ambient cooling systems and photovoltaic installations—were simulated and demonstrated measurable benefits across all performance dimensions assessed. The thesis concludes by advocating for the development of real-time, interconnected Digital Twin platforms as tools for integrated and continuous industrial asset management. Finally, it outlines future research directions involving the use of artificial intelligence to enhance the optimized capacity of simulation models in industrial decarbonization pathways.