A systematic energy-aware scheduling framework for manufacturing factories integrated with renewables

With the escalating integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) within the manufacturing sector, the synergy between energy and production management has gained paramount importance. To harmonise energy efficiency with production effectiveness, the concept of energy-aware scheduling, comprising off-line, on-line, and hybrid scheduling, has been introduced. While each approach has merits and drawbacks in handling unexpected disturbances, recovering optimal performance, and managing computational costs, their designs often tend to be ad hoc. Currently, there is a lack of a systematic design that effectively balances computational costs, robustness to unexpected disturbances, and optimal performance. Moreover, existing results do not fully leverage the flexibility in factories integrated with Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). In response, this study introduces the paradigm of event-triggered hybrid scheduling (ETHS) to achieve a balance among optimality, robustness, and computational cost by fully exploring the system's flexibility. The efficacy of ETHS is empirically demonstrated through a comprehensive case study involving a real-world manufacturing facility. Diverse scenarios are scrutinised, accompanied by sensitivity analyses pertaining to parameter choices. The outcomes conspicuously underscore the potency of ETHS in facilitating the harmonious alignment of energy and production management within the ambit of manufacturing industries.