Optimal scheduling of a dairy industry based on energy hub considering renewable energy and ice storage

The use of energy in industrial processes is a vital aspect of their proper functioning and productivity. However, with the increasing demand for energy and the need for more sustainable energy sources, managing energy efficiently has become crucial for industries. In this context, energy management systems (EMS) have emerged as a solution to integrate different energy sources and optimize their use. This work proposes a model for the optimal scheduling of a dairy industry based on an energy hub, considering the integration of renewable energy sources and Ice Storage. The proposed model aims to minimize daily operating costs by satisfying the electrical and thermal demands of the industrial process while considering the availability and costs of different energy sources. The model takes into account the use of microturbines (MT), photovoltaic (PV) sources, wind generation (WT), electrical storage systems (ESS), and energy from the electrical grid for the generation of electrical energy, and a boiler and an Ice Storage for thermal energy. A case study is conducted in this paper at the dairy farm belonging to UDLA in Nono, Ecuador, where the advantages of the proposed energy hub model for the dairy industry are analyzed. The suggested scheduling optimization model is solved using Pyomo library with a mixed integer linear programming method showing the benefits of including Ice Storage Systems and renewable energy.