A comparative co-simulation analysis to improve the sustainability of cogeneration-based district multi-energy systems using photovoltaics, power-to-heat, and heat storage
Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 291, pp. 117226
Abstract
For an extensive decarbonization of district multi-energy systems, efforts are needed that go beyond today’s cogeneration of heat and power in district multi-energy systems. The multitude of existing technical possibilities are confronted with a large variety of existing multi-energy system configurations. The variety impedes the development of universal decarbonization pathways. In order to tackle the decarbonization challenge in existing and distinct districts, this paper calculates a wide range of urban district configurations in an extensive co-simulation based on domain specific submodels. A district multi-energy system comprising a district heating network, a power grid, and cogeneration is simulated for two locations in Germany with locally captured weather data, and for a whole year with variable parameters to configure a power-to-heat operation, building insolation/refurbishment, rooftop photovoltaic orientation, future energy demand scenarios, and district sizes with a temporal resolution of 60 s, in total 3840 variants. The interdependencies and synergies between the electrical low-voltage distribution grid and the district heating network are analysed in terms of efficiency and compliance with network restrictions. Thus, important sector-specific simulations of the heat and the electricity sector are combined in a holistic district multi-energy system co-simulation. The clearly most important impact on emission reduction and fuel consumption is a low heat demand, which can be achieved through thermal refurbishment of buildings. Up to 46 % reduction in CO2 emissions are possible using the surplus electricity from photovoltaics for power-to-heat in combination with central heat storage in the district’s combined heat and power plant. Domestic hot water heated by district heating network in combination with power-to-heat conversion distributed in the district reduces the load on the distribution power grid. Even though the investigated measures already improve the sustainability significantly, providing the energy needed for the production of synthetic fuels remains the crucial challenge on the further path towards net-zero.
Authors 22
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Combustion Technology, German Aerospace Center, Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
David Neuroth Aachen Chair VII for Computer Science Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences
Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair VII for Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
Affiliation as printed
PVcomB, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Electric Energy Systems and High-Voltage Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Electric Energy Systems and High-Voltage Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Electric Energy Systems and High-Voltage Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Dominik Hering Aachen Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate E.ON Energy Research Center
Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate, E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Affiliation as printed
Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Theoretical Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Combustion Technology, German Aerospace Center, Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair for Fuel Cells, RWTH Aachen University, c/o Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Electric Energy Systems and High-Voltage Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Dirk Müller Aachen Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate E.ON Energy Research Center
Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Energy Efficient Buildings and Indoor Climate, E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences · Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
Affiliation as printed
Faculty 1: School of Engineering – Energy and Information, HTW Berlin–University of Applied Sciences, 10313 Berlin, Germany
PVcomB, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
-
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
-
Carolin Ulbrich corresponding
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
Affiliation as printed
PVcomB, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
Cited by 24 stored of 24
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-06).