Quantifying the Demand Response Potential of Inherent Energy Storages in Production Systems

The increasing share of volatile, renewable energy sources rises the demand for consumers who can shift their electrical power demand in time. In theory, the industrial sector offers great potential here, as it accounts for a large proportion of electricity demand. However, the heterogeneous structure of facilities in factories and the concerns of operators regarding data security and process control often prevent the implementation of demand side management measures in this sector. In order to counteract these obstacles, this paper presents a general mathematical framework for modelling and evaluating different types of inherent energy storages (IES) which typically can be found in industrial production systems. The method can be used to calculate the flexibility potential of the IES in a factory with focus on hysteresis-controlled devices and make the potential visible and usable for power grid stabilization. The method is applied in a typical production line from metalworking industry to provide live monitoring of the current flexibility potential of selected devices.