Flexible Batch Processes: A Path to Energy Cost Reduction

The ongoing electrification of the chemical industry is driving a significant increase in electricity demand and exposure to volatile electricity prices. Batch processes, which are widely applied in many medium-sized companies, offer a promising potential due to their inherent flexibility with defined start and stop times. This presentation introduces methods for flexibilizing batch processes to enable cost-optimized participation in the electricity spot market. Based on modeling, parameter studies, and case examples—such as an electrified reactive distillation—we demonstrate how variable scheduling and intentional oversizing can substantially reduce energy costs. The results highlight that considerable savings can be achieved with relatively low investment and that flexible batch processes can make an important contribution to the decarbonization of the process industry.