A Multi-level Procedure to Evaluate the Energy Flexibility Potential of Production Machines

With the recent increase in the use of renewable energies, such as photovoltaic and wind energy, both manufacturing companies and energy providers are confronted with an increasingly volatile energy supply, caused by alternating weather conditions. Quantitative models are needed to assess new strategies that can be applied to the circumstances of the volatile energy supply by manufacturing companies on a profitable basis. Most quantification models consider only individual production levels, so that a uniform assessment over several levels is not given. The approach presented in this paper expands an existing single-level quantification model for the application to further factory levels. Based on a simple example of a machining manufacturing, the energy flexibility potentials, quantified by key figures, are derived. A key point for the energy flexible operation of production machines is to ensure productivity and product quality. As the manufacturing industry is striving to maximize the utilization of its machines, a consideration of the energy flexibility potentials over the utilization ratio of the machines has been performed. This approach focusses on energy flexibility potentials which can be executed on short notice. Scheduling of energy demands via production planning, with lead time e.g. more than a day, is, however, not taken into account.