Exploring the Energy Flexibility Potential in Battery Cell and Electric Vehicle Manufacturing in Europe

Battery cell and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing have emerged as key pillars in Europe’s industrial landscape, potentially playing a crucial role in the region’s energy transition and economic development. The advanced technological nature of these industries provides untapped potential for energy flexibility. This paper explores the energy flexibility capabilities within battery cell and EV manufacturing. It demonstrates how these industries can adapt their energy consumption by identifying and quantifying the potential for demand-side management within crucial manufacturing processes. Findings indicate that battery cell production offers high flexibility potential due to the intermittent energy demand of critical processes like electrode drying and formation cycles. Similarly, the automotive assembly line for EVs presents opportunities to modulate electricity consumption without compromising productivity. Scaling these energy flexibility potentials in line with the projected growth of battery and EV manufacturers in Europe, it becomes evident that these sectors can contribute significantly to the electricity grid’s stability. This paper underscores the role of sector-specific flexibility strategies as a pillar of Europe’s energy transition.