Case Study: University of Southern Denmark achieves demand-response savings in meat cooling simulation with AnyLogic

A Simulation for a Meat Cooling Facility's Production in the Nordic Electricity Market

The University of Southern Denmark used AnyLogic simulation software to study demand response for a Danish meat-processing industrial consumer facing rising uncertainty in the Nordic electricity market. The challenge was to find ways to shift cooling-room electricity use without compromising storage temperature limits, while responding to peak and off-peak power prices.

AnyLogic implemented simulation experiments to test direct market participation, compare market strategies, and assess operational flexibility. The results showed that adjusting cooling-room temperatures could generate electricity bill savings, with higher temperatures enabling greater bids and a clear saturation effect where further increases delivered diminishing returns. The model also highlighted three approaches—descriptive, consumer-centric, and modular—and demonstrated how the same framework could be adapted for multiple consumers and different markets.

University of Southern Denmark