SINTEF has been working with industrial clusters for many years. For example, the SINTEF-led Centre for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) HighEFF, focuses on enhancing the energy efficiency and reducing emissions of both new and existing industrial clusters. We analyse opportunities for increased interaction between different energy carriers and technologies, the utilisation of surplus energy, the use of energy storage and conversion, and other measures to decarbonise individual industries and clusters.
Why integrated energy systems in industrial clusters are essential:
Industrial clusters with diverse energy carriers - integrated energy systems - often have a significant potential for increased energy efficiency, and reduced emissions and costs through the improved integration of different energy carriers, and the utilisation of surplus energy. Surplus energy is commonly in the form of heat at various temperatures, including exhaust gases, cooling water and radiant heat. It can also be energy tied up in by-products, such as biomass and metallurgical slag or in the form of local renewable electricity production. Depending on the quality of surplus energy, such as temperature, it can be used as an input factor for other actors in the clusters or externally, like in district heating, be stored for later use, upgraded or converted into other energy carriers.
Sharing resources benefits everyone:
The energy needs in different industrial processes can vary significantly over time, resulting in large load fluctuations and peak load requirements. This can be very costly. Therefore, industrial clusters should explore opportunities to better utilise expensive infrastructure. This can be achieved by co-locating industrial processes with complementary energy profiles or by combining flexible and non-flexible processes. This approach can significantly reduce economic costs, greenhouse gas emissions and the impact on the environment.
Data centres are one of many industries where it is advantageous to utilise surplus energy. Data centres often generate significant excess heat, which can be captured and sold for use in a nearby industrial process, to generate power, or to heat tap water for a residential area nearby, instead of releasing this resource into the open air.
What we do within industrial clusters:
- Utilisation of waste heat, surplus energy, and by-products, both internally in industrial plants and among other companies within industrial clusters, as well as externally, such as for district heating.
- Connection of multiple energy carriers with energy conversion, including hydrogen.
- Energy-efficient carbon capture and intermediate storage among multiple actors.
- Peak load requirements.
- Decarbonisation of steam production – for example, using high-temperature waste heat.
- Power generation from high-temperature surplus heat.
- Utilisation of low-temperature waste heat, for example, in greenhouses.
- Optimal development and use of thermal, electric, and hydrogen-based energy storage.
- Utilisation of energy content in flue gases.
Typical tasks for us include:
- Analysis of energy efficiency in industry and industrial clusters.
- Assessment of energy storage.
- Power analysis – peak load requirements.
- Analysis of waste heat utilisation from multiple actors.
- Investigation of common energy infrastructure – often involving multiple energy carriers (heat, electricity, hydrogen, bioresources).
- Analysis of load flexibility – for increased renewable energy share.
- Mapping possibilities for common CCS infrastructure.
- Hydrogen analysis – both procurement and as an energy source and raw material.
Who we do this for:
- Metal industry.
- Energy companies.
- Clusters and business park operators.
- Public administration.
