Smart integration of photovoltaic production, heat pump and thermal energy storage in residential applications

Abstract

The optimal design of distributed generation systems is of foremost importance to reduce fossil fuel consumption and mitigate the environmental impact of human activities in urban areas. Moreover, an efficient and integrated control strategy is needed for each of the components of a distributed generation plant, in order to reach the expected economic and environmental performances.In this paper, the transition from natural gas to electricity-based heating is evaluated for residential applications, considering the interplay between photovoltaic electricity produced on site and the thermal energy storage, to grant the optimal management of heating devices. The energy demand of an apartment building, under different climatic conditions, is taken as a reference and four power plant solutions are assessed in terms of energy cost and pollution reduction potential, compared to a baseline plant configuration. The performance of each power plant is analyzed assuming an optimized control strategy, which is determined through a graph-based methodology that was previously developed and validated by the authors. Outcomes from our study show that, if heat pumps are used instead of natural gas boilers, energy costs can be reduced up to 41%, while CO 2 emissions can be reduced up to 73%, depending on the climatic conditions.Our results provide a sound basis for considering the larger penetration of photovoltaic plants as an effective solution towards cleaner and more efficient heating technologies for civil applications. The simultaneous utilization of heat pumps (as substitutes of boilers) and photovoltaic panels yields a positive synergy that nullifies the local pollution, drastically cuts the CO 2 emission, and guarantees the economical sustainability of the investment in renewable energy sources without subsidiary mechanisms.

Energy-Positive House: Performance Assessment through Simulation and Measurement

“…There is currently a shift in European housing, from gas to electric heating, with the smart integration of solar PV (photovoltaic), heat pump technology and energy storage [23]. The UK Committee on Climate Change report, UK housing: Fit for the future [24] has recommended that from 2025 at the latest, no new homes should be connected to the gas grid.…”

Análise de viabilidade econômico-financeira, pelo método de Monte Carlo, de um sistema fotovoltaico para geração distribuída

“…Desde o século passado os combustíveis fósseis vêm sendo a principal fonte energética do planeta, porém, nas últimas décadas, as pesquisas científicas relatam sobre seus danos causados ao meio ambiente, dentre estes sobressaem-se os resultantes do aquecimento global com todos os desdobramentos para o futuro (Facci et al, 2018) e os respectivos prejuízos à saúde das pessoas.…”

The Influence of Weather Conditions on the Optimal Setting of Photovoltaic Thermal Hybrid Solar Collectors—A Case Study

“…There are two main types of devices for harnessing the energy of the Sun: solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic (PV) panels. Recent years have witnessed the development of hybrid devices that convert solar energy into both heat and electricity [6][7][8][9][10]. These solutions have numerous advantages because only approximately 15% of solar irradiance is converted into electricity, and the remainder is reflected and converted into heat that is accumulated by the collector (up to 60%) [11,12].…”