Technical demand response potentials of the integrated steelmaking site of Tata Steel in IJmuiden

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Abstract

Power generation from intermittent renewable energy sources in northwest Europe is expected to increase significantly in the next 20 years. This reduces the predictability of electricity generation and increases the need for flexibility in electricity demand. Data on demand response (DR) capacities of large electricity consumers is limited for most countries. Steel production processes are among the industrial processes with the highest DR potentials. In this study, we focus on DR options provided by changing the electricity generation rate at Tata Steel in IJmuiden (which produces 3 % of total electricity consumption in the Netherlands). For evaluating the technical DR potential we have developed a linear programming model in MATLAB. The model calculates the optimal allocation of works arising gases of Tata Steel in IJmuiden in case of a call for emergency balancing power. The optimization is done subject to the technical constraints of the distribution system and storage potential of the works arising gases, the demand of the Tata Steel plants for these gases, and the ramp-up rate of the power plant that runs on these gases. Results show that Tata Steel in IJmuiden can supply 10 MW for two Programme Time Units (i.e. PTU is defined as a 15 minute period in the Netherlands by TenneT) of positive DR capacity with an availability rate of 97 %. This is not enough for participating in the current emergency capacity programs in the Netherlands, which require at least 20 MW for longer than 1 PTU. Tata Steel can provide 20 MW DR capacity with an availability rate of 65 %. Therefore, if the availability rate requirements for emergency balancing programs in the Netherlands do not drop, Tata Steel would need to pool with other suppliers in order to participate in such programs. The negative demand response potential of Tata Steel in IJmuiden is found to be 20 MW supplied for 3 PTUs and 4 PTU with doubling of blast furnace gas storage capacities.