Energy flexibility in industry: optimizing your production rates
Introduction: Energy Flexibility, an Accelerator of Industrial Performance
Energy flexibility is now emerging as a major competitive advantage for industry. Energy, traditionally viewed as an expense, is becoming a lever for optimizing profitability and performance. Sticking to stable production exposes manufacturers to increased risks: unpredictable cost increases, loss of market momentum, financial vulnerability. Agility is no longer limited to adjusting production volumes; it extends to the proactive management of energy usage. By anticipating and modulating consumption, companies acquire a lasting advantage. Real-time control of electricity demand is disrupting established models: energy consumption becomes intelligent, adapted to grid signals and price fluctuations. The era of fixed prices is over. Now, dynamic load modulation—or eco-modulation—stands out as a strategic focus. This approach not only contains costs during price peaks but also generates revenue by monetizing flexibility. The modern factory relies on this agility to stabilize profitability and anchor its ESG strategy in concrete actions. Energy flexibility is becoming a structural element for any industry seeking to optimize its resources and strengthen its competitiveness.
Key takeaway: Energy flexibility is establishing itself in industry as a competitiveness lever by enabling eco-modulation of production rhythms. By aligning the most energy-intensive lines with off-peak hours or renewable generation peaks, industrial managers achieve a simultaneous reduction in OPEX and carbon footprint. This agile planning transforms energy from a suffered cost into a controlled variable, protecting the organization from price volatility while accelerating decarbonization goals. Mastering energy flexibility also means strengthening adaptability in the face of sector changes.
I. Cheap Energy, a Thing of the Past
Understanding the New Volatility of Electricity Markets
Electricity markets are experiencing unprecedented volatility, driven by the rise of renewables, the transition in the energy mix, and geopolitical tensions. Manufacturers face sharp fluctuations in wholesale prices, putting pressure on energy-intensive sites' viability. Between negative price episodes and extreme peaks, financial visibility becomes difficult. Ignoring these signals exposes companies to financial shocks that can undermine profitability. Energy flexibility then emerges as a pragmatic response to absorb these fluctuations and boost industrial resilience.
Geopolitical Issues and Impacts on Electricity Costs
The European electricity landscape is heavily influenced by geopolitical uncertainties. Supply disruptions, volatile gas and commodity prices, and growing dependence on imports are profoundly altering balances. International events have revealed this fragility. In addition, the rise of renewables, a driver of decarbonization, generates intermittency and increases price variability. Industrial decision-makers must incorporate these constraints to avoid budget surprises. Energy flexibility gives them the ability to adjust and anticipate these changes, controlling consumption more effectively.
A Now Central Financial Issue
The ability to adjust energy consumption is now scrutinized by investors and rating agencies. Energy risk management is no longer an add-on but a pillar of financial assessment. An industrial site connected to market signals is more robust, less exposed to shocks, and delivers increased value creation. Energy flexibility rises to the level of a strategic asset, just like innovation or supply chain management. Investing in energy flexibility is the foundation for tomorrow’s competitiveness.
II. Eco-Modulation and Load Shifting: Pillars of Industrial Agility
Load Shifting: Principles and Use Cases
Load Shifting means shifting electricity consumption to periods when energy is cheapest and least carbon-intensive. This control relies on a detailed analysis of load profiles and a flexible production organization. Gone is passive price tracking: it’s about optimizing equipment usage based on market signals. Applications are numerous: deferred machine start-ups, thermal storage, cycle modulation, automation of operating orders. This strategy reduces the energy bill and limits exposure to price spikes. Energy flexibility thus maximizes Load Shifting gains by improving efficiency and profitability.
Targeting Flexible Processes to Reduce the Energy Bill
The success of Load Shifting depends on the accurate identification of flexible processes. Heating, cooling, pumping, compression, or certain thermal treatments offer significant margins for maneuver. Conversely, critical operations—finishing, final assembly, or processes with high quality requirements—allow little room for shifting. A relevant breakdown, based on real process flexibility, enables optimized scheduling and the seizing of market opportunities without compromising quality or customer service. This approach uses advanced tools, such as digital twins—a Dillygence area of expertise—in industrial energy flexibility.
Dynamic Orchestration to Capture Tariff Opportunities
Dynamic production management leverages low-tariff periods by readjusting output in real time. This mode of control requires close coordination between operations, supply chain, and industrial management. It’s not about arbitrarily shifting production, but synchronizing activities with periods of reduced marginal cost. The use of optimization, forecasting, and automation solutions ensures maximum responsiveness. This method, proven in the automotive and aerospace sectors, is now spreading to all industrial sites seeking to control their performance trajectory. Energy flexibility paves the way for this continuous adaptation.
III. Connecting Production to Renewable Energy
Production Driven by Carbon Footprint
Synchronizing production with renewable energy availability means running the factory based on the carbon footprint of consumed electricity. Energy is no longer seen as a generic resource but assessed for its environmental impact. Anticipating solar or wind generation peaks helps reduce the instant carbon footprint of industrial activity. For companies seeking strong alignment with their ESG strategy, this approach offers a tangible lever for emission reduction while optimizing costs. Energy flexibility makes it possible to pair production with renewable resources.
Leveraging Weather to Anticipate and Adjust Demand
Integrating weather forecasting into consumption management is a qualitative leap. Thanks to data science and advanced modeling, it is now possible to predict renewable energy availability and adapt industrial rhythms accordingly. Flexible processes are intensified during renewable surges and slowed during lulls. This synchronization, enabled by automation and artificial intelligence, transforms intermittency into an economic and environmental opportunity. Energy flexibility thus becomes the driver of a connected, agile, and efficient factory.
Optimizing Self-Consumption and Leveraging Negative Prices
Self-consumption, via solar, wind, or hybrid systems, is becoming an increasingly important competitiveness asset. Increasing the share of self-generated energy reduces market dependence and secures supply. Furthermore, the emergence of negative electricity prices opens new horizons: consuming more or storing at such times becomes a source of profitability. This management approach, once reserved for energy players, is now accessible to any manufacturer able to finely manage demand thanks to energy flexibility.
IV. Operational Challenges and Human Evolution
Rethinking Work Rhythms for an Agile Factory
The shift to a network-connected factory requires a redesign of work organizations. Far from fixed schedules, it is about introducing greater flexibility in the management of shifts, positions, and teams. The goal is not to disrupt employees’ daily lives, but to reconcile operational performance with respect for people. Social dialogue, continuous training, and team engagement are key to designing these new organizational models. Adopting energy flexibility requires both human and managerial evolution.
Change Management: Ensuring Cohesion and Motivation
The success of this transformation depends on team buy-in. It is crucial for flexibility to be seen as an opportunity for sustainability and security, not as an added constraint. Transparency on the stakes, education on the benefits, and active listening are essential. Attentive management and appropriate support systems foster engagement and preserve well-being. Valuing energy flexibility also means recognizing everyone’s contribution to collective success.
Aligning the Supply Chain with the New Energy Landscape
Energy flexibility must not compromise the customer promise. Adapting the supply chain means rethinking flow organization, stock management, and coordination with partners. The challenge: to build a chain capable of absorbing variations without disruption or delay. Effective solutions are based on integrated information systems, collaborative planning, and simulation tools that anticipate the impact of trade-offs. This real-time management then becomes the guarantor of a robust supply chain aligned with economic and environmental objectives.
V. The "Grid-Aware" Factory: Towards a New Industrial Paradigm
Load Shedding Capabilities: Turning Constraint into Profit
The Grid-Aware factory holds a strategic place in the energy revolution. It monetizes its load-shedding capability by turning “non-consumption” during market adjustment peaks into a profit center. Manufacturers who leverage this tool diversify their revenue streams and strengthen their resilience to volatility. This model, led by Industry 4.0 pioneers, is becoming the benchmark for ambitious sites. Energy flexibility becomes the foundation of new economic and environmental agility.
Becoming a Key Player in Smart Grids
Being an active participant in the Smart Grid requires investment in control tools able to interact in real time with the electricity network. Digital platforms, intelligent sensors, and automation allow demand to be adjusted in line with signals sent by the network operator. The support of reliable (technology) partners, such as Dillygence, ensures a secure transformation and accelerated ROI. The Grid-Aware factory thus becomes an essential link in national energy security and a reference partner for market players. Betting on energy flexibility unlocks the full potential of the Smart Grid.
Turning Energy Constraint into a Value Creation Lever
The challenge is no longer to endure constraints but to transform them into opportunities. The boldest manufacturers use flexibility to constantly arbitrate between marginal cost, carbon impact, and market value. This approach combines innovation, operational excellence, and responsibility, repositioning the factory at the heart of the energy ecosystem. By making energy flexibility a strategic pillar, French industry demonstrates its ability to combine performance and sustainability. Today, energy flexibility is propelling industry towards a more competitive and low-impact future.
