Energy balance and life cycle assessment of small size residential solar heating and cooling systems equipped with adsorption chillers
Abstract Solar heating and cooling systems for space heating and cooling are experiencing a growing trend and interest. However, the actual energy and environmental performance of small/medium size installations is not clearly foreseeable. In this paper, an analysis of such systems using adsorption chillers in different European climates is presented. Solar systems have been simulated in TRNSYS and compared to a conventional system employing a vapour compression unit. The results have been used for a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, determining the potential impact during the whole life of the system, from raw materials supply to its end-of-life. The LCA has been carried out by using the …
Promoting the Flexibility of Thermal Prosumers Equipped with Heat Pumps to Support Power Grid Management
The increasing share of renewable energy sources in energy systems will lead to unpredictable moments of surplus/deficit in energy production. To address this issue, users with heat pumps can provide support to power grid operators through flexible unit operation achieved via Demand Response programs. For buildings connected to low-temperature heating networks with ensured third-party access, further room for flexibility can be explored by investigating the production of surplus heat that can be sold to the network. A key aspect lies in the identification of the energy pricing options that could encourage such flexible operation of a heat pump by “thermal prosumers”. To this aim…
Modelling of a prosumer’s substation in a district heating network: validation and dynamic analysis
Thermal grids will play a key role in the development of local energy communities and the achievement of 100% renewable societies. However, challenges are related to the capability of dealing with the increasing number of producers which could supply heat to thermal grids. Indeed, as in the case of the electricity grid, heat could be available for some hours in a day from RES plants installed at user level and distributed in the network (also referred to as “prosumers”). To achieve more reliable results when performing energy analyses of these innovative applications, there is a need to rely on accurate models of each component. For instance, substations are of paramount importance in the i…