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Different forms of flexibility can help in balancing variable generation. This work focuses on industrial demand-side flexibility applied in copper production, which is expected to grow for the build-out of green technologies. This study assesses the potential of capacity-based energy demand flexibility (over-sizing production processes) in an industry embedded in fully renewable energy systems. For this, an optimization model for multi-vector energy systems planning is extended so that it also includes the sizing and operation of a production process. A case study is presented for copper production, with greenfield results until 2050. Results show that flexibility at the concentration and refining stages belongs to the cost-optimal system design, at least over the next decade. At current costs, the potential cost savings in the energy system for the production process through capacity-based demand flexibility range from 5 % to 12 %, depending on the technology scenario. These potential savings are expected to decrease over time if cost reductions of renewable energy supply and storage technologies materialize. Technology scenarios considering seawater pumped-hydro energy storage yield lower costs over the entire projected period. • Endogenous integration of industrial process in optimal energy system planning. • Demand flexibility in copper industry beneficial in rapid energy transition. • Cost savings between 5 and 12 % for current costs of energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New method for water and energy systems planning. • First endogenous integration of coupled desalination and pumped hydro in planning models. • First design of integrated multi-vector systems for copper production. • Renewable-based desalinated water and energy supply economically attractive today. • Renewable-based is the least-cost alternative by 2030. Copper is required for the transformation of global energy systems, and its production is intensive in water and energy. Several studies have investigated the design of renewable energy systems for copper production, aiming at reducing its environmental footprint. Here, we present the first integrated design for desalinated water and energy supply that considers all forms of energy required in the copper production process. For this, we develop an optimization model for planning integrated multi-vector energy and water systems. The model includes -for the first time in an energy system planning model- a concept for integrated pumped-hydro storage using sweater and reverse osmosis desalination. Our results show that water-energy systems for copper production based exclusively on renewables can today achieve costs as low as those of conventional fossil-based systems, when integrating multi-vector planning and seawater pumped-hydro storage. For a case study in Chile and in fully renewable scenarios, the specific cost of supplying energy and desalinated water decreases from 520–670 € per ton of copper at current costs to 330–360 by 2050. By 2030, using seawater pumped-hydro storage makes a fully renewable, multi-energy scenario the least-cost alternative. Such an integrated system is an enabler for reducing the environmental footprint that copper brings into the global energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]