Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description :

Areas of expertise : Business models and financing

Activity : Animation de la filière

Description :

Areas of expertise : Business models and financing

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : The growing need for biomass to decarbonise the economy raises questions about its availability and competition for use between now and 2050.

On a global scale, biomass consumption for energy purposes is expected to increase sharply (the International Energy Agency, for example, forecasts a 48% increase between 2020 and 2050 in its Net Zero scenario).

This increase will be driven mainly by the need to produce carbon-free electricity and heat and by demand from the industrial sector. In France, although electricity is already largely decarbonised, consumption of heat from combustion and biogas is also expected to increase.

However, bio-resources use much more land than other decarbonisation options, and their limited potential raises a number of key questions:

• What is the best land use trade-off?
• How can biomass be developed while preserving biodiversity and carbon sinks?
• How can we prioritise the use of biomass to meet all our needs and optimise the decarbonisation of our society?

The ALLICE study, based on a meta-analysis of publicly available studies, assesses the challenges involved in mobilising France's biomass resources in the future to meet industrial demand for bioenergy:

• Quantifying the biomass resource that can be mobilised in 2030 and 2050
• Biomass demand scenarios
• Competition and prioritisation of uses
• Identification of key factors for optimising the use of the resource

Most scenarios show a shortage of biomass to meet bioenergy demand between now and 2030 and 2050. Due to the significant differences between the scenarios in terms of assumptions and hence projections of availability and demand, the results obtained do not allow definitive conclusions to be drawn on the biomass shortfall. Regular updates of this work will allow the analysis to be refined.

Areas of expertise : Integration of alternative energies

Activity : Veille

Description :

Areas of expertise : Integration of alternative energies

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : Emissions from the industrial sector are on a downward trend, due to decarbonisation efforts by manufacturers and high energy prices.

Some of these high-emission industrial processes are difficult to decarbonise because of the lack of compatible low-carbon alternatives, or the lack of availability and competitiveness of these
alternatives

This is particularly the case at high temperatures (above 300°C), for example in the metallurgy, materials and chemicals sectors. Hybridisation may therefore be a suitable solution to reduce emissions from these processes.

This study is limited to hybridisation solutions:

• Between natural gas and electricity or between natural gas and hydrogen.
• Direct, i.e. two energy carriers are used directly and locally in the production process without any major intermediate conversion or storage stages.

The objectives of the study are:

• For the demand-side, to identify near-term opportunities for decarbonisation projects through energy hybridisation.
• For the supply-side, to understand and get a better knowledge of the possible technology combinations and the technology needs of customer sectors.

L’étude est réalisée en deux parties : 

1) The first part of the study provides an overview of electric solutions and the low carbon hydrogen value chain, as well as a description of thermal processes in sectors that are hard-to-abate due to the high temperatures required (above 300°C): materials, metallurgy and chemical

2) Secondly, case studies are carried out to assess the technical and economic benefits of hybridisation. The case studies involved hybridising the processes under consideration by:

• Injecting hydrogen at a compatible rate into the kiln burners,
• Electric heating of the pre-firing zone of the brick kiln,
• Electrification of the dryer using a heat pump to improve heat recovery

Among the results and conclusions of this study:

• All of these hybridisations presented in the second part ensure the sustainability of the processes without compromising the quality of the end products, as the hybridisation does not affect the heat transfer mechanism of the existing process.
• From an economic point of view, the results obtained in France show an increase in the cost of metallurgy and material hybridisation
• In the case of the metallurgical furnace, the scenario of using hydrogen when it is cost competitive allows a small reduction in CO2 emissions, but at a lower cost.
• In the case of the tunnel kiln, hybridisation with electric resistors remains limited and uncompetitive.
• In the case of the rotary dryer, the performance of the heat pump combined with heat recovery means that the project is profitable

Areas of expertise : Integration of alternative energies

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : The French agri-food industry, the country's leading industrial sector in terms of jobs and sales, is facing a major challenge: reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to combat climate change while ensuring food security for a growing world population.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global food system is responsible for between 21% and 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, underlining the importance of decarbonising processing methods in this sector.

For the food industry, federations are currently working on specific roadmaps for each sub-sector. It is in this context that ALLICE and the CTCPA (French agri-food technical centre) have collaborated to carry out a technical study on decarbonisation in the agri-food industry.

This study consists of three main phases:

• Phase 1: Agri-food sub-sectors with energy challenges.

The aim of this first phase is to make an inventory of energy consumption, especially thermal, in the agri-food sector and to identify the processes and operations where energy is a priority.

• Phase 2: Case studies, identification of decarbonisation levers for key processes.
  

The aim of this second phase is to investigate the most relevant decarbonisation levers for the priority energy-related processes and operations identified in Phase 1. These case studies will be complemented by simplified applications at industrial sites.

• Phase 3: Technical contribution to roadmaps for the agri-food sector.
  

The aim of this final phase is to use and extrapolate the results obtained and the levers identified in phase 2 to the entire sectoral scope of the study: processing activities under NCE codes 12 (dairy industry) and 14 (other agri-food industries). From this analysis, the decarbonisation potential of the transformation processes is estimated.

These three parts were carried out independently and are self-contained. For ease of reading, the study is divided into three separate reports, which are reserved for ALLICE members. Each report corresponds to a phase of the study and has its own structure (introduction, summary, conclusion, bibliography, table of tables and figures, table of annexes).

These reports are supplemented by a fourth document: a public executive summary.

Areas of expertise : Decarbonisation at a glance

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : The industry uses various fluids essential for the energy requirements of processes, collectively referred to as utilities. These fluids are used on several production lines, and can be a source of thermal energy (heat, cold), motive energy (compressed air) or consumables (gas).

This study presents an analysis of decarbonisation options for hot utilities, which consist of four main fluid families:

• Steam (the vast majority),
• Hot water,
• Organic fluids
• Superheated water.

These hot utilities account for one third of industrial energy consumption.

As most of these utilities are currently produced using fossil fuels, the associated carbon emissions also represent a third of industrial emissions (i.e. 26 MtCO2, or 6% of French emissions).

The main aim of the study is to characterise and assess the decarbonising potential of the hot utilities in France by providing both qualitative (on energy efficiency actions, the different options available, etc.) and quantitative information.

It makes use of the results of the CEREN study, highlighting the quantified estimate of the energy efficiency potential available both on the production side of utilities (in boiler rooms) and on the distribution side (in utility networks). Decarbonisation solutions are identified and characterised through a study of typical industrial sites, enabling recommendations to be made to the industrial sector.

The study was divided into 3 distinct phases:

• Establishment of an inventory of hot utility consumption.
• Modelling of sectoral case studies and implementation of a decarbonisation scenario by 2050 and comparison with SNBC2 targets (-81% of emissions by 2050).
• Use and extrapolate the results obtained to calculate the decarbonisation potential of industrial hot utilities and the corresponding economic impact (CAPEX, OPEX).

The case studies cover :

• The steam network of a typical pulp and paper production plant (231 GWh - 42 kt of product/year). The processes considered are dryers, heating white water tanks, starch cooking and hot water production.
• The steam network inspired by the yoghurt production plant (17.5 GWh - 110 kt of products/year). The processes considered are pasteurisation, sterilisation, clean-in-place, oven heating and air conditioning.
• The steam network of a fictitious chemical plant, including a set of uses representative of the needs of the sector (9.5 GWh/year). The processes considered are: reactors, stripping, distillation, drying and hot water production.Pour chacun des cas, une démarche de décarbonation a été construire selon diverses étapes explicitées dans le résumé exécutif et détaillées dans l'étude.

Areas of expertise : Decarbonisation at a glance

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : In a context of reducing energy consumption and carbon footprints, system analysis, and particularly the Pinch method, is emerging as an effective solution for optimizing energy use in industrial processes.

This methodology aims to determine the minimum amount of energy required and optimize heat exchanger networks, while minimizing operational and investment costs.

The Pinch method stands out for its strategic approach to improving energy efficiency, contributing to decarbonisation and sustainable resource management.

Implementation of the method comprises 5 steps, the first three of which are detailed in this report:

• Data collection
• Energy diagnosis
• Heat exchanger Network Synthesis
• Performance assessment
• Adjustments

The recommendations put forward in this report are designed to guide players towards optimal implementation, thus fostering significant advances in energy management, process decarbonization and industrial sustainability.

Areas of expertise : Energy Efficiency

Activity : Veille

Description : The ALLICE Alliance has published a new public report on industrial demand-side flexibility in France.

While demand-side flexibility is primarily of financial benefit to industry and the electricity system and contributes to the reliability of the electricity network, it also reduces the carbon content of electricity by
limiting the need to activate peak production resources (gas, coal and oil-fired power stations). 

To achieve its targets, France must increase its industrial demand-side flexibility capacity by 17% by 2030 and double it by 2050. However, by 2023, the industry will not quite achieve its targets and a slowdown in the development of industrial demand-side flexibility is predicted.

The aim of this study is to identify the barriers preventing the adoption of demand-side flexibility in industry and to make proposals about the development of the industrial demand-side flexibility sector in France.

definition of Demand-side flexibility

Demand-side flexibility involves reducing consumers’ electricity demand for a defined period in response to an external signal (for example, a request from the network operator or a price signal). As such, demand-side flexibility is
one of the solutions for managing network imbalances. Today, particularly in France, there are a variety of mechanisms with different contractual conditions which make it possible to take advantage of demand-side flexibility and
to play a role in balancing the electricity network.

The content of this public report is based on a complete study reserved for members, and published in 2024. 

A 4-part report to understand the challenges of Demand-side flexibility

This study’s objectives are to:

• Understand the main barriers preventing the adoption of demand-side flexibility solutions on industrial sites,
• Describe the operational implementation of demand-side flexibility,
• Suggest ways in which to achieve demand-side flexibility targets as identified by the PPE and RTE’s scenarios.
  

This public report is devided in 4 parts:

• Industrial electricity consumption, a tool to increase the flexibility of the French electricity system: The aim of this first part is to give an overview of industrial demand-side flexibility in France: objectives, exploitable resources, remuneration levels, etc.
• The demand-side flexibility value chain and its operational implementation: The second part presents the actors involved in the value chain and the process of implementing demand-side flexibility at an industrial site.
• Technical and economic barriers to be overcome to maximise industrial demand-side flexibility in France: This section lists and details 7 barriers to implementing load shedding for industry.
• Methods, tools and recommendations for industrial and demand-side flexibility players: In this final section, several situations are presented, along with the associated decision making methods.

Areas of expertise : Integration of alternative energies

Activity : Études pour les adhérents

Description : Fouling of heat exchangers is a major obstacle for manufacturers who are reluctant to invest in energy efficiency projects that include waste heat recovery. This report presents a state-of-the-art review of the solutions available to combat heat exchanger fouling and improve the performance of heat recovery systems.

The report describes the different types of fouling (particulate, corrosion, biological, chemical reaction), and the technical and economic implications of this phenomenon. Solutions exist to overcome these drawbacks, starting with the methodology for selecting the right exchanger for the industrial proces.

The choice of exchanger is the first part of the solution, provided its correct sizing. The second part of the solution requires the use of technologies that complement the exchanger.

The methodology used to gather information on existing solutions is based on bibliography in the field, supplemented by interviews with innovative technology solution providers in the sector.

Areas of expertise : Energy Efficiency