Efficiency of thermal energy consumption at industrial enterprises of Ukraine in conditions of environmental restrictions

The purpose of the study was to identify key patterns of thermal energy consumption and develop an analytical basis for optimising technological processes based on environmental requirements. The methodology involved a step-by-step calculation of the heat utilisation coefficient, specific consumption and heat loss structure based on instrumental data on heat consumption by the public joint-stock company Kamet-Steel for JulySeptember 2024. The assessment of the efficiency of thermal energy consumption at the enterprise showed a stable, but insufficient level of energy use: the average coefficient was 81.0%, while heat loss did not decrease below 18.9%. Structural analysis showed that the largest share of losses was accounted for by pipelines (7.3%), heat exchangers (5.8%), cooling circuits (4.1%), and other losses (1.7%), which indicates the presence of several critical areas of inefficiency. Specific heat consumption per unit of production ranged from 0.1815-0.1923 Gcal/t and increased in September, despite a decrease in production volumes, which indicates the inertia of the supply system. Based on the results, a technical and analytical basis was formed for the reconstruction of energyefficient infrastructure elements with an estimated potential to reduce losses by 6-8%. The presented conclusions also confirmed the feasibility of digital monitoring as a tool for stabilising costs and increasing adaptability to changes in the production load. The results obtained can be used for the development of technical and economic measures for the reconstruction of heat transport infrastructure of industrial enterprises, in particular, through the optimisation of heat exchange modes, modernisation of pipelines, and the introduction of residual heat recovery systems. This will reduce specific energy costs, stabilise the heat balance, and reduce the environmental burden