FLEX4FACT - Industrial Cluster FLEXibility platform for sustainable FACTories

We envision to enable flexible manufacturing in industries and create the conditions for the necessary energy transition in energy intensive industrial sectors

FLEX4FACT aims to make industrial sites and processes more flexible through digitisation, automation, and smart control systems. It will support industrial stakeholders to integrate more renewable sources into their industrial energy systems and to provide flexibility to the electrical systems via demand response measures. FLEX4FACT will develop an end-to-end solution made of 1. tools supporting the definition of pathways for increased renewable penetration in industrial sites, 2. digital twins of 5 different industrial use cases, 3. a module for manufacturing process planning & control and 4. a cloud platform allowing industrial sites to participate in the ancillary energy market. All solutions will be developed in a modular way to allow for easy replication and upscaling in the EU.

Key Exploitable Results

FLEX4FACT builds on a modular and multi-level architecture that leverages the provision of flexibility from the industry through digital process twinning, machine learning techniques and novel algorithms supporting modern manufacturing planning and scheduling. Following exploitable results will be developed within the project and validated in 5 pilots involving companies of various sizes and business segments:

Modelling and simulation tools for industries and manufacturing processes and their energy requirements
Software for optimizing and scheduling of the manufacturing processes,
Methodology and tools for manufacturing process flexibilization,
Digital twins of the industrial processes to achieve greater energy flexibility during the manufacturing process.
Results of techno-economic and life cycle assessments

These exploitable results will help leverage energy flexibility at industrial sites’ level and contribute to accelerate the integration of renewable sources in the industrial sector in EU. These innovations will benefit not only the industrial players involved, but also the entire energy community, as FLEX4FACT will provide demand response services through its flexible platform for industrial clusters.

Project partners

SINTEF Manufacturing, SINTEF Energy, SINTEF Industry, Universitat Politecnica de
Catalunya, Instituto Tecnologico de Aragon, Steinbeis Innovation gGmbH, Evolvere SPA Societa Benefit, Aingura IIOT SL, Ikergune AIE, We Plus SPA, Centro di Competenza Start 4.0, Standard Profil Spain, Inaventa Solar, SEACSUB, Barna Steel, University College Cork, Altran Deutschland, Fachhochschule Albstadt-Sigmaringen, Institutt for Energiteknikk, Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, STAM, Sener Ingenieria y Sistemas, Theben AG

Financing

Funded by: EU Commission

Overall Budget: 21 210 643 €

Project duration: 6/2022 - 11/2025

Scope: EU

Microfocus: Controlling flexibilities
Evaluation of technical solutions to offer and trigger flexibilities

Macrofocus: Technical realization
Evaluation of technologies to orchestrate a (high) number of flexibilities by using e.g. software services

Degree of Prosumer & consumer involvement: Medium
Evaluation of their needs and expectations as flexibility providers as main part of the project