There is a growing demand for sustainable production in the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. This work demonstrates how digitalization and virtualization through simulation modeling can holistically analyze production systems to enhance sustainability, using breweries as a case study. A novel tool was developed, integrating Reference nets, Java, database systems, and a model coupling mechanism called Balance Flows. This tool virtualizes brewery operations, including wort production, beer production, bottling, and cleaning, enabling quantification of ecological and economic savings. Various case studies illustrate its effectiveness: installing a second wort pan increases production capacity by 30%, replacing a specific wort pump saves 30 kWh weekly, and adding a storage water tank in the Clean-In-Place system reduces fresh water usage by 5000 kg weekly. Additionally, adjusting the production schedule can yield double-digit percentage savings due to fluctuating electricity costs. These savings are analyzed enterprise-wide, based on individual "digital twins" of the breweries. A holistic examination of brewery departments reveals numerous ecological and economic insights. This innovative virtualization tool serves as a robust foundation for modeling and simulating batch-oriented production systems, assisting plant managers and engineers effectively.
