A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs
Abstract Background District Heating (DH) is a technology that provides heating and domestic hot water to buildings and is an important technology for supporting the European energy transition. As such the heating systems increasingly resort to renewable heat sources and waste heat, it is even more...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Energy, Sustainability and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-023-00417-0 |
| _version_ | 1797557374509121536 |
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| author | Kristina Lygnerud Theo Nyberg Anna Nilsson Antoine Fabre Pascal Stabat Chloé Duchayne Valentin Gavan |
| author_facet | Kristina Lygnerud Theo Nyberg Anna Nilsson Antoine Fabre Pascal Stabat Chloé Duchayne Valentin Gavan |
| author_sort | Kristina Lygnerud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background District Heating (DH) is a technology that provides heating and domestic hot water to buildings and is an important technology for supporting the European energy transition. As such the heating systems increasingly resort to renewable heat sources and waste heat, it is even more important that they operate in the most efficient way possible. DH companies have access to the primary network of which they can impact system performance. To maximize the efficiency of the system, however, it is important that the system at the building level, known as the secondary system, is also efficient; otherwise, overall system efficiency is reduced. To increase system efficiency, return temperatures from the secondary system into the primary system have been targeted through motivational tariffs. There is limited information on how to establish a motivational tariff that motivates the customer to improve both the primary and secondary systems, which is a gap that this paper aims to fill. Results In this paper, the impacts of retrofit actions in secondary systems are assessed through simulations. The identified relevant refurbishment measures to lower the return temperature to the primary system are variable flow pumps, low-temperature radiators, parallel heat exchangers, and a pass-through DHW system. Apart from simulated refurbishments, we also identify that the secondary system sometimes generates excess heat, which is valuable to recover, especially during peak load periods for the primary system. Hence, motivational tariffs targeting secondary system efficiency should also encompass an incentive for the customer to make use of waste heat in the secondary circuit to lower peak demand for the DH system. Conclusions To date, the most commonly used parameters introduced to customers are linked to the flow of water through the customer’s asset and the bonus malus principle. The results from simulations show that DH companies can introduce additional parameters to support customers in guiding their secondary system to perform more efficiently. Increased overall system efficiency has a positive impact on both costs and emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:17:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c74108265b348a9a9e00e7696dfaf23 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2192-0567 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:17:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy, Sustainability and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c74108265b348a9a9e00e7696dfaf232023-11-20T10:28:26ZengBMCEnergy, Sustainability and Society2192-05672023-10-0113111510.1186/s13705-023-00417-0A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffsKristina Lygnerud0Theo Nyberg1Anna Nilsson2Antoine Fabre3Pascal Stabat4Chloé Duchayne5Valentin Gavan6Lund UniversityIVL, Swedish Environmental Research InstituteIVL, Swedish Environmental Research InstituteCES- Centre for Energy Efficiency of Systems, MINES Paris, PSL Research UniversityCES- Centre for Energy Efficiency of Systems, MINES Paris, PSL Research UniversityLab CRIGEN, ENGIE R&ILab CRIGEN, ENGIE R&IAbstract Background District Heating (DH) is a technology that provides heating and domestic hot water to buildings and is an important technology for supporting the European energy transition. As such the heating systems increasingly resort to renewable heat sources and waste heat, it is even more important that they operate in the most efficient way possible. DH companies have access to the primary network of which they can impact system performance. To maximize the efficiency of the system, however, it is important that the system at the building level, known as the secondary system, is also efficient; otherwise, overall system efficiency is reduced. To increase system efficiency, return temperatures from the secondary system into the primary system have been targeted through motivational tariffs. There is limited information on how to establish a motivational tariff that motivates the customer to improve both the primary and secondary systems, which is a gap that this paper aims to fill. Results In this paper, the impacts of retrofit actions in secondary systems are assessed through simulations. The identified relevant refurbishment measures to lower the return temperature to the primary system are variable flow pumps, low-temperature radiators, parallel heat exchangers, and a pass-through DHW system. Apart from simulated refurbishments, we also identify that the secondary system sometimes generates excess heat, which is valuable to recover, especially during peak load periods for the primary system. Hence, motivational tariffs targeting secondary system efficiency should also encompass an incentive for the customer to make use of waste heat in the secondary circuit to lower peak demand for the DH system. Conclusions To date, the most commonly used parameters introduced to customers are linked to the flow of water through the customer’s asset and the bonus malus principle. The results from simulations show that DH companies can introduce additional parameters to support customers in guiding their secondary system to perform more efficiently. Increased overall system efficiency has a positive impact on both costs and emissions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-023-00417-0District heatingSecondary systemRetrofit actionsMotivational tariffPrice model |
| spellingShingle | Kristina Lygnerud Theo Nyberg Anna Nilsson Antoine Fabre Pascal Stabat Chloé Duchayne Valentin Gavan A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs Energy, Sustainability and Society District heating Secondary system Retrofit actions Motivational tariff Price model |
| title | A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| title_full | A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| title_fullStr | A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| title_full_unstemmed | A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| title_short | A study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| title_sort | study on how efficient measures for secondary district heating system performance can be encouraged by motivational tariffs |
| topic | District heating Secondary system Retrofit actions Motivational tariff Price model |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-023-00417-0 |
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