Working with an aluminum smelter in North Carolina on Duke's Schedule LGS-TOU. Their production runs 24/7 but I'm wondering if there's any opportunity to shift some non-critical loads away from on-peak periods (2-7 PM summer). The on-peak demand charges are brutal - $18.50/kW. Anyone optimized TOU rates for continuous process manufacturing?
Duke Energy NC - Time-of-use optimization for aluminum smelter
Greg - smelting operations are tough because the process can't really be interrupted. But look at auxiliary loads like compressed air, cooling systems, and material handling. Even shifting 200-300kW of support equipment off-peak could save $45K annually in demand charges.
Warren, that's a great point. They have massive air compressors and cooling pumps that might be schedulable. I'll work with their production team to identify what can be shifted without affecting the smelting process. Thanks for the insight!
Also consider thermal storage if they have any heating processes. Some facilities use off-peak power to heat thermal mass that carries them through peak periods. Probably not applicable to smelting but worth asking about.