IT-based Architecture for Power Market Oriented Optimization at Multiple Levels in Production Processes

in Procedia CIRP (2019), 81

Given the increasingly volatile prices on the power markets, it becomes economically more and more important for companies to develop and realize flexible strategies for energy consumption. A steady ... [more ▼]

Given the increasingly volatile prices on the power markets, it becomes economically more and more important for companies to develop and realize flexible strategies for energy consumption. A steady adaption of production processes which considers current power prices can take place on several levels of the automation pyramid, where each level has its own characteristics and requirements. In this paper, we present an optimization architecture based on an IT-platform which meets the challenges of complex multilayered production processes. We introduce layer-specific optimization strategies as well as an associated information flow, which facilitates creating holistic and well-coordinated optimizations. [less ▲]

Industrie 4.0 als Befähiger für Energieflexibilität

in Energieflexibilität in der deutschen Industrie : Ergebnisse aus dem Kopernikus-Projekt - Synchronisierte und energieadaptive Produktionstechnik zur flexiblen Ausrichtung von Industrieprozessen auf eine fluktuierende Energieversorgung (SynErgie) (2019)

Energy from renewable resources is not always readily available. Depending on the season and the weather, the power made available by solar parks or wind turbines varies, for example. Due to the ... [more ▼]

Energy from renewable resources is not always readily available. Depending on the season and the weather, the power made available by solar parks or wind turbines varies, for example. Due to the continuous expansion of renewable energies, the volatility in the energy system will become more and more pronounced in the future. Preparing and adapting the industry to the changing supply structures is a major challenge for the next few decades. In the future, companies must be able to design their processes and operational organization in such a way that energy consumption can at least partially adapt flexibly to the volatile energy supply. In addition to developing technologies, Concepts and measures to make industrial processes more energetic, a second focus of future work is the development of a consistent IT infrastructure with which companies and energy providers can provide and exchange information from the production machine to the energy markets in the future. This leads to a paradigm shift in the operation of industrial processes - away from continuous and purely demand-driven energy consumption towards the adaptable, energy-flexible operation of industrial plants. This reference work presents the most important results of the research in the context of the Kopernikus project Synergy and clarifies trend-setting findings for further developments in the still young field of industrial energy flexibility. [less ▲]

Flexible IT platform for synchronizing energy demands with volatile markets

in Information Technology (2018), 60(3), 155--164

Abandoning fossil and nuclear energy sources in the long run and increasing amount of renewable energies in electricity production causes a more volatile power supply. Depending on external realities ... [more ▼]

Abandoning fossil and nuclear energy sources in the long run and increasing amount of renewable energies in electricity production causes a more volatile power supply. Depending on external realities, renewable energy production emphasizes the need for measures to guarantee the necessary balance of demand and supply in the electricity system at all times. Energy intensive industry processes theoretically include high Demand Response potentials suitable to tackle this increasing supply volatility. Nevertheless, most companies do not operate their production in a flexible manner due to multiple reasons: among others, the companies lack know-how, technologies and a clear business case to introduce an additional level of flexibility into their production processes, they are concerned about possible impacts on their processes by varying the electricity demand and need assistance in exploiting their flexibility. Aside from fostering knowledge in industry companies, an IT-solution that supports companies to use their processes’ Demand Response potential has become necessary. Its concept must support companies in managing companies’ energy-flexible production processes and monetarize those potentials at flexibility markets. This paper presents a concept, which integrates both companies and energy markets. It enables automated trading of companies’ Demand Response potential on different flexibility markets. [less ▲]