Chlor-alkali Process with Subsequent Polyvinyl Chloride ProductionCost Analysis and Economic Evaluation of Demand Response

Demand response is a viable option to cope with the increasing
demand for flexibility of an energy system based on renewables. Several
studies have shown that the electricity-intensive chlor-alkali process
has high potential. Previous research primarily focused on process
engineering to determine technological flexibility potentials or optimal
production scheduling. However, these potentials can only be realized
if they are economically viable. This requires knowledge of the costs
of a demand response, including their causes and dependencies, as
well as an understanding of the necessary market conditions. Using
a business management approach, we examine the economically viable
demand response potentials. The cost is based on real data and the
economic evaluation of marketing flexibility on a day-ahead market.
The results lead to conclusions about relationships between costs
and performed load change and the economic limit of demand response.
Significant costs like accelerated membrane aging or anode degeneration
depend on various load change parameters. These conclusions can be
used to implement economic conditions in models for dispatch and scheduling
or bidding strategies concerning the chlor-alkali process and similar
electrochemical processes. We demonstrate that the chlor-alkali process
with subsequent PVC manufacturing is economically viable under current
market conditions.