Coupling electricity and heat offers new potential
Due to the increased expansion of renewable energies, such as wind power and photovoltaic systems, the electricity grid is subject to existing usage-dependent fluctuations as well as weather-dependent production from renewable energies. As the share of renewable energies in electricity generation continues to rise, it is necessary to develop new approaches that enable the holistic integration of renewable energies into our energy system. In this context, it is particularly important to consider not only the production of electricity from renewable energies, but also to include heat generation, especially for heating and hot water, in the overall system.
New challenges for electricity grids
Fossil fuels such as oil and gas are mostly used for heat generation in private households. These fossil fuels can be replaced by solar thermal systems and heat pumps for heat generation. However, the use of heat pumps can lead to increased strain on the power grid when there is high demand for heat everywhere, i.e., on a cold winter day: Many heat pumps in a local network can then place a strain on the power grid due to their expected simultaneous operation.
Objectives of the research project
The aim of the research project is to analyze the behavior and effects of operating many heat pumps within a local network. An important question here is how simultaneously the heat pumps in the settlement run. Based on measured household load profiles, it will be determined whether and to what extent the electricity demand of such a local grid can be covered by wind power and photovoltaic systems, or what additional electrical or thermal storage is ideally required. Furthermore, it will be investigated whether the electricity demand of the entire local grid can be adapted to the electricity production from renewable energies and whether power peaks can be avoided through coordinated operation of the heat pumps. The overall project goal is to develop planning principles for wind-solar-heat pump settlements.
Materials
Reports and data
Final report EnEff:Stadt joint project: Wind-solar-heat pump district
PDF, 7.24 MBGuide to wind-solar heat pump districts – practical experience and planning aids
PDF, 2.71 MBContact
Dr. Raphael Niepelt
Head of Solar system technology department
Projektpartner
Publications
E. Schneider, M. Littwin, M. Knoop, P. Pärisch, O. Kastner, and T. Ohrdes, Entwicklung und messwertbasierte Parametrierung eines vereinfachten Gebäudemodells für die Quartiersmodellierung, Conexio. GmbH (Hrsg.): Tagungsunterlagen Symposium Solarthermie und innovative Wärmesysteme 2019, 47-62, Bad Staffelstein, Germany, (2019), ISBN: 978-3-948176-04-4.
T. Ohrdes, E. Schneider, M. Knoop, O. Bast, and V. Spielmann, Wind-Solar-Wärmepumpen-Quartier – Dynamische Modellierung und messtechnische Evaluation der Strom- und Wärmeversorgung im Quartier, Presentation/Poster, Berlin, Germany, 13.09.2019, (5. Dialogplattform Power-to-Heat).
T. Ohrdes, M. Knoop, and E. Schneider, Energieversorgung mit Wärmepumpen im Quartier, EnEV Baupraxis Ausgabe Januar / Februar 2020, (2020).
T. Ohrdes, M. Knoop, E. Schneider, A-K. Fries, O. Bast, L. Franzen, and J. Behnisch, Wind-Solar-Wärmepumpen-Quartier – Erneuerbar betriebene Wärmepumpen zur Minimierung des Primärenergiebedarfs, Inproceedings, Hochschule. Nordhausen (Hrsg.): Tagungsband 3. Regenerative Energietechnik Konferenz in Nordhausen, 181-187, Nordhausen, Germany, (2020), ISBN: 978-3-940820-16-7.
T. Ohrdes, Wind-Solar-Wärmepumpen-Quartier – Erneuerbar betriebene Wärmepumpen zur Minimierung des Primärenergiebedarfs, Presentation/Poster, Online Event, 02.09.2020, (Online-PV-Symposium 2020).
Schlemminger, M., Ohrdes, T., Schneider, E. et al. Dataset on electrical single-family house and heat pump load profiles in Germany. Sci Data 9, 56 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01156-1