Thermal Electrification of Chemical Processes Using Renewable Energy: Economic and Decarbonization Impacts

The contribution of renewable energy sources to the power generation portfolio has been increasing in recent years, offering new opportunities for chemical industry electrification and decarbonization. However, renewables often face challenges that may affect their optimal utilization. Wind and solar power generation are highly variable over time, which can lead to a mismatch between electricity output and demand. In this work, we aim to identify optimal ways of more efficiently using wind-generated power through the direct electrification of chemical manufacturing, specifically the replacement of fossil-based thermal heating with electricity-based heating. We implement a multiperiod, multiobjective optimization model formulated as a mixed-integer linear program (MILP). Profit and CO₂-equivalent emissions are used as competing objectives in an effort to study the impact of variable renewable energy generation and how it can enable the shift toward lower carbon emissions in chemical manufacturing. The model’s capabilities are illustrated using a process network structure involving chemical processes that can use natural gas liquids as raw materials and a wind farm for power generation. The results demonstrate that the use of renewable electricity is impactful and, through thermal electrification, provides significant CO₂ emissions reduction. The coproduction and sale of chemicals and renewable electricity are shown to further accelerate the adoption of process electrification, emphasizing the importance of sector coupling (manufacturing–power grid) in promoting decarbonization. As emission limits become stricter, a transition point is identified beyond which thermal electrification alone is insufficient to meet the emissions target, and reductions in production and/or changing the product mix is necessary to maintain an optimal profit.