Abstract
Uncertainty in energy markets is driving flexibility adoption in European manufacturing, supported by distributed energy technologies and long-term contracting mechanisms. Simultaneously, growing environmental expectations demand decision support tools integrating operational, economic, and environmental dimensions. This study introduces IndustryOpt, a framework that allows the novel methodology of coupling detailed scheduling and energy systems optimisation models. This tool is combined with an aligned dynamic life-cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate flexibility measures for certain representative weeks with hourly resolution. The methodology is demonstrated through two long-term case studies (2025–2050) in Spain and Norway, reflecting diverse electricity price dynamics and industrial processes under decarbonisation-aligned scenarios from the Europe-wide energy systems model EMPIRE. Results highlight three main insights: (i) detailed operational modelling is essential to correctly value flexibility, (ii) comprehensive energy-system representation supports robust investment planning, and (iii) flexibility measures and local technologies do not always guarantee environmental benefits, reinforcing the need for integrated assessments in future industrial energy strategies.