Improved Structural Local Thermal Energy Planning Based on Prosumer Profile: Part B

Abstract

Distributed energy systems (DES) are currently at the forefront of the energy transition. Their placement brings production closer to the demand side of urban and sub-urban environments, making optimal design a necessity. However, the complexity of accurately addressing the energy demands via DES has received increasing research attention. This is mainly due to the impact they have on the energy transition’s socioeconomic aspect, as these systems are far from viable in most cases, especially when cutting-edge renewable technologies are involved. The current study aims to provide a practical and non-repetitive approach to DES design, explicitly referring to thermal distributed supply systems (TDESS). The authors present the last two of their three-layer Hierarchically Dependent Layering Methodology (HDLM) approach in designing a thermal local energy community (TLEC) from the ground up. The 2nd layer is the superstructure design of the TLEC, where a map approach is introduced and explores several combinations of the selected equipment, how they will interact to meet the heating and cooling loads and how they will form the superstructure. The 3rd is the economic assessment of the proposed scenario. The study results indicate relative ease of use of the model, as a non a priori approach is needed. Additionally, the proposed solution is economically viable as the respective performance indicators suggest.