Flexible electricity use in the cement industry: Laying the foundation for a not so concrete future
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Limiting the global warming levels to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels will substantially reduce the effect of global warming on our everyday lives. Because greenhouse gasses are the main contributor to climate change, the EU aims to combat global warming by shifting towards carbon neutral industries in 2050. By implementing more variable renewable energy sources (VRES) the EU aims to decarbonize the electricity system. Because it is costly to store electricity the demand must become more flexible so VRES can be better integrated. This thesis estimates the flexibility demand of a cement plant. Focussing on the cement industry is interesting since it is a mayor emitter of CO2, it is energy intensive, and it is at present not clear which decarbonation pathway the industry should choose. The main research question this thesis aims to answer is: “What is the technical and economic flexibility potential of a carbon neutral cement plant in 2050?” At currently operating cement plants, the carbon emissions originate from two sources: the burning of fossil fuels and the formation of clinker (calcination emissions). To answer the research question, the flexibility potential of cement plants when using the four most likely decarbonization pathways were estimated - one scenario where all emissions are captured of a plant with a conventional fuel mix, three scenarios where a renewable heat source is used and only calcination emissions are captured. By understanding the flexibility potential, the future role of cement plants in matching electricity supply and demand can be understood. This thesis estimates the amount of cost savings and the amount of electrical load that can be shifted. Price signals were used to incentivise flexible operation. Using a linear program the monthly savings and amount of electricity shifted for the four most likely decarbonization pathways were calculated. Use of hydrogen fuel has the highest load shift potential, followed by the reference fuel. Both scenarios also show the highest electricity consumption, and therefore put the most strain on the electricity grid. Using 100% biofuels puts the least strain on the electricity grid and has the benefit that some of the fuel used (sewage sludge) can be prepared flexibly. It was found that the electrification scenario has the lowest flexibility potential, but has the benefit that it uses less electricity than the hydrogen scenario.