Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations
Electrification of processes and utilities is considered a promising option towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the chemical industry. Therefore, electricity demand is expected to increase steeply. Since the sources of future low-carbon electricity are variable in nature, there is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Energy Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1190174/full |
| _version_ | 1827912418632663040 |
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| author | Svenja Bielefeld Miloš Cvetković Andrea Ramírez |
| author_facet | Svenja Bielefeld Miloš Cvetković Andrea Ramírez |
| author_sort | Svenja Bielefeld |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electrification of processes and utilities is considered a promising option towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the chemical industry. Therefore, electricity demand is expected to increase steeply. Since the sources of future low-carbon electricity are variable in nature, there is a need for strategies to match availability and demand. Literature identified the flexibility of chemical processes as one promising strategy to address variability. This study aims to provide insights into how stakeholders from the power sector and the chemical industry consider flexibility in chemical processes and to identify key benefits and bottlenecks. For this article, we combined a review of peer-reviewed and grey literature with stakeholder interviews to map and describe the state of the art of flexible chemicals production, and to identify requirements for further research. The main drivers to investigate the flexibility potential are first, the contribution to energy system reliability, and second, potential cost savings for the industry. Main limitations are considered to be first, the uncertain economic performance of flexible processes due to investment costs, reduced production and uncertain revenues from flexible operation, and second, the complexity of the implementation of flexibility. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:15:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5f7f8fc5af6401e9ecdec82b18c6e45 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-598X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:15:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Energy Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5f7f8fc5af6401e9ecdec82b18c6e452023-06-30T15:30:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Energy Research2296-598X2023-06-011110.3389/fenrg.2023.11901741190174Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitationsSvenja Bielefeld0Miloš Cvetković1Andrea Ramírez2Energy and Industry Group, Engineering Systems and Services, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, NetherlandsIntelligent Electrical Power Grids, Electrical Sustainable Energy, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology, Delft, NetherlandsEnergy and Industry Group, Engineering Systems and Services, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, NetherlandsElectrification of processes and utilities is considered a promising option towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the chemical industry. Therefore, electricity demand is expected to increase steeply. Since the sources of future low-carbon electricity are variable in nature, there is a need for strategies to match availability and demand. Literature identified the flexibility of chemical processes as one promising strategy to address variability. This study aims to provide insights into how stakeholders from the power sector and the chemical industry consider flexibility in chemical processes and to identify key benefits and bottlenecks. For this article, we combined a review of peer-reviewed and grey literature with stakeholder interviews to map and describe the state of the art of flexible chemicals production, and to identify requirements for further research. The main drivers to investigate the flexibility potential are first, the contribution to energy system reliability, and second, potential cost savings for the industry. Main limitations are considered to be first, the uncertain economic performance of flexible processes due to investment costs, reduced production and uncertain revenues from flexible operation, and second, the complexity of the implementation of flexibility.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1190174/fullflexibilityenergy managementchemical productiondemand side managementdemand responseenergy transition |
| spellingShingle | Svenja Bielefeld Miloš Cvetković Andrea Ramírez Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations Frontiers in Energy Research flexibility energy management chemical production demand side management demand response energy transition |
| title | Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| title_full | Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| title_fullStr | Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| title_short | Should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response? Differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| title_sort | should we exploit flexibility of chemical processes for demand response differing perspectives on potential benefits and limitations |
| topic | flexibility energy management chemical production demand side management demand response energy transition |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1190174/full |
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