Comparative Thermo-energetic Analysis of the District Heating Systems that Harness Renewable Energy Sources

Abstract

Identifying and harnessing renewable clean energy sources in crowded and polluted urban areas for heat production, in existing heating systems, represent an opportunity insufficiently exploited at present. Creating the optimum frame, in order to increase the participation share of renewable energies, represents nowadays a constant preoccupation and an important object in the field of energy. In this regard, the purposes of this paper are: identifying, analyzing and validating the specific performance indicators applicable in the comparative thermal energy analysis of the urban heating systems which quantifies the impact of integrating renewable energy sources, particularly thermal-solar energy, in the classical heating systems and the hybrid systems’ efficiency thus obtained, highlighting the importance of harnessing clean energies in crowded urban areas. The following concepts were approached simultaneously and synergistic: the energy efficiency of the thermal consumers and the harnessing efficiency of the renewable energy sources identified in urban areas in the buildings connected to the district heating system. Thoroughly, the performance indicators defined for the district heating systems were centralized and analyzed, achieving a synthesis of the specific indicators meant to analyze the hybrid heating systems which integrate technologies that harness renewable energy sources and a comparison of different suggested systems.