Industrial excess heat use: Systems analysis and CO2 emissions reduction

Abstract

The adopted energy efficiency directive stresses the use of excess heat as a way to reach the EU target of primary energy use. Use of industrial excess heat may result in decreased energy demand, CO2 emissions reduction, and economic gains. In this study, an energy systems analysis is performed with the aim of investigating how excess heat should be used, and the impact on CO2 emissions. The manner in which the heat is recovered will affect the system. The influence of excess heat recovery and the trade-off between heat recovery for heating or cooling applications and electricity production has been investigated using the energy systems modeling tool reMIND. The model has been optimized by minimizing the system cost. The results show that it is favorable to recover the available excess heat in all the investigated energy market scenarios, and that heat driven electricity production is not a part of the optimal solution. The trade-off between use of recovered excess heat in the heating or cooling system depends on the energy market prices and the type of heat production. The introduction of excess heat reduces the CO2 emissions in the system for all the studied energy market scenarios.

Holistic methodological framework for assessing the benefits of delivering industrial excess heat to a district heating network

“…Several studies have evaluated the use of IEH for DH and other purposes, considering different future scenarios for the background energy system, including energy systems that are carbon-lean. 45,46,[49][50][51] Weinberger et al 45 investigated the use of IEH from a steel mill for deliveries of DH, process steam, and cogeneration of electricity, and concluded that the reduction of GHG emissions varies significantly depending on assumptions regarding the background energy system. Maximum reduction was achieved assuming biomass to be a limited resource and coal-based electricity production.…”

“…Broberg Viklund and Karlsson and Ivner and Broberg Viklund studied the GHG consequences of using IEH in DH by applying different energy market conditions with different system boundaries in time and space. The evaluation was conducted for different energy market scenarios for 2030, with the aim to reduce total system costs.…”

Evaluating the utilisation of industrial excess heat from an energy systems perspective

“…These bottom-up methods may collect data through questionnaires, direct process stream measurements, or public databases. Questionnaires are a suitable method for bottom-up studies that aim to aggregate data for whole regions or sectors, and have been used extensively [13,[41][42][43][44]. However, due to the lack of a common definition of industrial excess heat, large variations in industrial sectors among regions and countries, and the different scopes of the studies, it is generally difficult to directly compare the results of such studies and to assess the precision of the results [20].…”

Design of a Database of Case Studies and Technologies to Increase the Diffusion of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Recovery in the Industrial Sector

“…Among the various barriers identified, the lack of knowledge and the absence of support tools significantly influence WHR technologies' diffusion [27][28][29].…”

“…These tools represent two key elements of an information system developed within the scope of a broader research project, whose final aim is to develop a software tool supporting the industrial companies in all phases involved in the planning of WHR projects, from the identification of waste heat flows to the selection of the best technological solution for its reuse. Among the various barriers identified, the lack of knowledge and the absence of support tools significantly influence WHR technologies' diffusion [27][28][29].…”