(567a) Smart Integration of Thermal Energy Storage for Grid Demand Response.

The manufacturing sector is actively exploring innovative approaches for mitigating peak demand penalties. With thermal energy storage (TES) experiencing significant advancements and diversifying in application, it has captured the attention of numerous industrial operations. Such technologies offer promising avenues for moderating peak electricity demands and, consequently, diminishing demand charges. This research endeavors to showcase the effectiveness of TES systems in reducing demand charges while emphasizing recent progress in integrating TES with intelligent control mechanisms. We provide a comparative analysis of energy use and peak demand in an industrial setting, both with and without TES systems, under a predefined charging and discharging regimen. Furthermore, the study delves into the benefits of deploying a smart control system capable of dynamically scheduling TES operations based on real-time energy consumption and preset objectives. Findings reveal significant financial benefits stemming from TES utilization across two distinct scenarios, manifesting in lowered energy costs for the facility under investigation. Specifically, integrating a smart controller with TES is projected to yield annual savings of approximately 3.3% in energy charges, excluding potential incentives. By contrast, savings accruing from a regimented charging schedule are estimated at 2.7% annually.