Storage for electrified industry

Abstract

Industrial electrification has a crucial role to play in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and ensuring power reliability is an important factor in this process. Therefore, this thesis explores cost-effective storage to ensure the reliable operation of the renewable energy-based power supply of a 500 MW electrified industrial load in the 2035 Botlek area in the Rotterdam harbour. The study focuses on integrating electrical storage solutions to mitigate external power system risks that threaten reliability.

The research identifies key external risks to be energy shortages, power outages, frequency fluctuations and voltage instability. After a comprehensive review of current and emerging storage technologies, three storage mitigation strategies are formulated based on financial, technical, practical and other aspects. A synthetic industrial model consisting of generic component representations in DIgSILENT PowerFactory 2024 SP1 based on an electrified version of the Shell Pernis refinery is used. It is adapted to represent the Botlek 2035 study case, the storage assets are integrated and inputs are defined to represent on-site wind power generation and connection to the external future Dutch power system. 20% of peak demand is assumed to be flexible based on the residual load in the Dutch power system in 2035.
Via a dispatch simulation, the performance of each strategy is assessed. The loss of load expectation and expected energy not supplied are used as reliability metrics. The costs of plant interruption, storage system costs and electricity costs are used to select a strategy. Results are subjected to several input and parametric sensitivities.

Results indicate the combination of a Lithium iron phosphate battery, an alkaline electrolyser, magnesium hydride storage and a hydrogen turbine can ensure reliable operation most cost-effectively. Hydride storage is identified as a technology with much potential for industrial integration due to the advantages of waste heat utilization for hydride dehydrogenation. Extreme weather scenarios are advised to be covered with externally sourced fuel instead of on-site storage reserves. A 10.5 GWh or 315 tonne hydrogen storage system is expected to be required for reliable operation in the Dutch power system, when 20% of peak demand is modelled as flexible. This configuration yields to an average levelized cost of energy of 45.3 €/MWh during the year compared to 45.7 €/MWh without storage while also ensuring reliable operation without significant interruption costs.
This thesis provides insight into the integration of storage assets in electrified industrial networks in the context of the future Dutch energy system and lays a foundation for further research.