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A Review of Industrial Load Flexibility Enhancement for Demand-Response Interaction

Author

Listed:
  • Jiubo Zhang

    (College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China)

  • Bowen Zhou

    (College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
    Key Laboratory of Integrated Energy Optimization and Secure Operation of Liaoning Province, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China)

  • Zhile Yang

    (Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China)

  • Yuanjun Guo

    (Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China)

  • Chen Lv

    (China Electric Power Research Institute, Beijing 100192, China)

  • Xiaofeng Xu

    (Department of Economic Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China)

  • Jichun Liu

    (School of Electrical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

Abstract

The global transition toward low-carbon energy systems necessitates fundamental innovations in demand-side flexibility, particularly in industrial load regulation. This study presents a systematic review and critical analysis of 90 key research works (2015–2025) to establish a comprehensive framework for industrial load flexibility enhancement. We rigorously examined the tripartite interdependencies among the following: (1) Multi-energy flow physical coupling , addressing temporal-scale disparities in electricity-thermal-gas coordination under renewable penetration; (2) Uncertainty quantification , integrating data-driven and physics-informed modeling for robust decision-making; (3) Market mechanism synergy , analyzing demand response, carbon-P2P hybrid markets, and regulatory policy impacts. Our analysis reveals three fundamental challenges: the accuracy-stability trade-off in cross-timescale optimization, the policy-model disconnect in carbon-aware scheduling, and the computational complexity barrier for real-time industrial applications. The paper further proposes a roadmap for next-generation industrial load regulation systems, emphasizing co-optimization of technical feasibility, economic viability, and policy compliance. These findings advance both academic research and practical implementations for carbon-neutral power systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiubo Zhang & Bowen Zhou & Zhile Yang & Yuanjun Guo & Chen Lv & Xiaofeng Xu & Jichun Liu, 2025. "A Review of Industrial Load Flexibility Enhancement for Demand-Response Interaction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-31, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:4938-:d:1665951
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    References listed on IDEAS

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