Intelligently controlled heating networks of the future

In private households, more than half of final energy consumption is used to heat living spaces. An important step towards a climate-neutral future is therefore the provision of CO2-neutral heat. As the availability of renewable heat sources such as solar thermal energy, geothermal energy or waste heat is limited, low-CO2 heat will often be provided in future by electrifying heat generation (power-to-heat). As heat can be stored relatively easily and cheaply, power-to-heat will also play a relevant role in the electricity sector of the future, as there is great potential for flexibility in the demand for electricity.

“Heat storage systems are very cost-effective and can be produced in any size. If we always consume a large proportion of the electricity for heat anyway and store the heat, then large quantities of heat could be generated and stored in times of high winds, for example, which would be available in times of low winds,” explains Steinke. “The topic of heat, the storage and electrification of heat, the interconnection with naturally existing heat generation and heating networks are extremely important for the success of the energy transition.”

Heating networks have been around for a long time. In Darmstadt, for example, the incineration of waste in the waste-to-energy plant produces district heating as well as electricity. “Typically, a power plant, such as a waste-to-energy plant or coal-fired power plant, is used to generate heat. In order to supply even more people with environmentally friendly heat, other sources need to be added, such as waste heat from factories, solar thermal energy or heat pumps,” says Steinke. “Instead of one large supplier, there will then be many flexibly functioning suppliers with different temperatures. That's why our project is called 'Methods for flexible heating networks'.”

In order to enable flexible balancing between heat generators, storage systems and consumers, the participants in the EnEff:Wärme – MeFlexWärme project are developing and testing new concepts and methods for the research areas of “network transparency” and “flexibility control” in relation to heating networks.

“We validate this with detailed simulations for a scenario of what the district heating network of the city of Darmstadt could look like in 2030. We are also checking that market-based, decentralised decision-making does not lead to greatly increased costs compared to a global mathematical optimisation of the deployment plans.”

“EnEff:Wärme – MeFlexWärme” is an important step on the way to intelligent, flexible and low-carbon district heating systems. Not only for municipal heat planning in Darmstadt, but also beyond.