Demand Side Management within Industry: A Case Study for Sustainable Business Models

The transition of the German energy market is primarily based on RES. The main problem of RES like photovoltaic and wind power is volatile availability. This issue can be mitigated through enhanced flexibility of the demand. DSM can be an additional mechanism in smart grids. Energy intensive industry offers a high DSM potential that could be useful to the energy sector. New business models are required that combine economic viability with environmental and social benefits for various stakeholders operating in the energy sector and manufacturing industry. This research analyses opportunities for business model innovation through DSM in industry. The study presents two case studies in which the Value Mapping Tool was applied to identify failed value exchanges with respective stakeholders and DSM. The research proposes a new business model aligned with sustainable development principles that can help the industry to mitigate volatile energy availability in an economically sensible manner.