Optimal Integrated Energy Scheduling for Industrial Customers Based on a Bi-Level Programming

Industrial customers require various types of energy, including electricity, heat, oxygen, coal, and natural gas, while simultaneously generating energy byproducts during their production processes. Consequently, electricity retailers must diversify their operations into integrated energy services to enhance their competitiveness and evolve into integrated energy service companies (IESCs). Initially, the energy markets and flexible resources available to IESCs are analyzed. Next, the power and byproduct energy consumption, transformation, storage, and optimal scheduling in the production process of industrial users are formulated. Subsequently, a bi-level optimization model is established to maximize the benefits for both the IESC and the industrial users. Based on the model results, we provide detailed integrated energy consumption strategies for industrial users aimed at energy conservation, reduced consumption, and improve economic benefits. Simulation results demonstrate that industrial customers can decrease their electricity costs by shifting portions of their load from peak periods to lower price periods and by utilizing energy products in the production processes. At the same time, the IESC obtains additional profits from demand response and the sale of byproduct energy. Compared to a focus solely on production targets, the proposed model increases the profits of IECS by 20.31% and those of industrial customers by 109.29%.