scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Low Temperature District Heating System in Gulbene Region

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-299
Author(s):  
Fabian Diaz ◽  
Ieva Pakere ◽  
Francesco Romagnoli
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Hotspot Analysis ◽  
District Heating System

AbstractNew district heating system technologies have arisen in the last years to deliver economic and environmental benefits to residential and commercial buildings. The extensive ranges of equipment, energy sources, temperature profile configurations, size of the network, energy demand, and many other intrinsic variables, make it difficult to identify if a determined district heating option is potentially better than another in environmental terms. As for the economic evaluation, there are several tools decision-makers can rely on to assess environmental performance. The main challenge is to provide a holistic point of view for which lifespan and complexity of implementable, new technological systems can be an obstacle. For this reason, in this paper, a Life Cycle Assessment is performed upon a technical evaluation of several district heating configuration options for the Gulbene region in Latvia, where DH systems in most of the assessed parishes are already operating under medium temperature regimes, also known as third-generation district heating. The goal of the study is to understand the environmental impact of moving from the current DH system to a low temperature one. Results show a considerable environmental benefit if low-temperature profiles, combined with the use of renewable energy sources are adopted in the current DH systems. A hotspot analysis is also performed showing the use stage is the one carrying most of the burden across the project’s lifetime, followed by infrastructure construction; also showing that the refurbishment of buildings does not play a major role in the total environmental impact contribution.

scholarly journals Analysis and comparison of methods for the preparation of domestic hot water from district heating system, selected renewable and non-renewable sources in low-energy buildings

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 03001
Author(s):  
Maciej Knapik
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
District Heating System ◽  
Domestic Hot Water

The article presents an economic analysis and comparison of selected (district heating, natural gas, heat pump with renewable energy sources) methods for the preparation of domestic hot water in a building with low energy demand. In buildings of this type increased demand of energy for domestic hot water preparation in relation to the total energy demand can be observed. As a result, the proposed solutions allow to further lower energy demand by using the renewable energy sources. This article presents the results of numerical analysis and calculations performed mainly in MATLAB software, based on typical meteorological years. The results showed that system with heat pump and renewable energy sources Is comparable with district heating system.

Life cycle assessment of base–load heat sources for district heating system options

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 212-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Ghafghazi ◽  
Taraneh Sowlati ◽  
Shahab Sokhansanj ◽  
Xiaotao Bi ◽  
Staffan Melin
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Heat Sources ◽  
District Heating System ◽  
Base Load

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Irish District Heating Systems: A Comparison of Waste Heat Pump, Biomass-Based and Conventional Gas Boiler

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conall Mahon ◽  
Maneesh Kumar Mediboyina ◽  
Donna Gartland ◽  
Fionnuala Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Heat Pump ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
District Heating System ◽  
Ghg Reduction

Abstract This paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of heat supply scenarios for the replacement of fossil-based energy systems through a case study focusing on an existing gas-fired boiler supplying heat for buildings located in Tallaght, Ireland. The three replacement systems considered are a waste heat fed heat pump district heating system (WHP-DH), a biomass CHP plant district heating system (BCHP-DH), and an individual gas boiler system (GB). The study found that both DH systems have lower environmental impact than the GB, with the BCHP-DH being superior to WHP-DH. However, using 2030 electricity data showed almost similar overall impacts for both the DH systems. Human toxicity potential (HTP) was highest among all impact categories studied and was due to the large additional infrastructure requirement for all three systems. Whereas the other impacts; Global warming (GWP), Fossil fuel depletion (FFD) and Eutrophication (EP), were due to involving usage of natural gas and electricity in use phase. The BCHP-DH showed reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% and FFD by 73% compared to the GB system. Using 2030 electricity data, the WHP-DH decreased GHG emissions by 42% and FFD by 47%. Further, replacing biomethane with the natural gas in the DH systems decreased GWP by at least 11.4%. The present study concludes that the environmental benefit of a DH system is largely dependent on the carbon intensity of the electricity it uses, thus recommending the DH systems for large scale retrofitting schemes in Ireland to reach Europe’s 2030 GHG reduction targets.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an Innovative Compact Hybrid Electrical-Thermal Storage System for Residential Buildings in Mediterranean Climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5322
Author(s):  
Gabriel Zsembinszki ◽  
Noelia Llantoy ◽  
Valeria Palomba ◽  
Andrea Frazzica ◽  
Mattia Dallapiccola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Electrical Consumption ◽  
The Impact

The buildings sector is one of the least sustainable activities in the world, accounting for around 40% of the total global energy demand. With the aim to reduce the environmental impact of this sector, the use of renewable energy sources coupled with energy storage systems in buildings has been investigated in recent years. Innovative solutions for cooling, heating, and domestic hot water in buildings can contribute to the buildings’ decarbonization by achieving a reduction of building electrical consumption needed to keep comfortable conditions. However, the environmental impact of a new system is not only related to its electrical consumption from the grid, but also to the environmental load produced in the manufacturing and disposal stages of system components. This study investigates the environmental impact of an innovative system proposed for residential buildings in Mediterranean climate through a life cycle assessment. The results show that, due to the complexity of the system, the manufacturing and disposal stages have a high environmental impact, which is not compensated by the reduction of the impact during the operational stage. A parametric study was also performed to investigate the effect of the design of the storage system on the overall system impact.

scholarly journals Technology Pathways and Economic Analysis for Transforming High Temperature to Low Temperature District Heating Systems

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3218
Author(s):  
Pedro Durán ◽  
Herena Torio ◽  
Patrik Schönfeldt ◽  
Peter Klement ◽  
Benedikt Hanke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Economic Analysis ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
District Heating System ◽  
Heating Systems ◽  
District Heating Systems

There are 1454 district heating systems in Germany. Most of them are fossil based and with high temperature levels, which is neither efficient nor sustainable and needs to be changed for reaching the 2050 climate goals. In this paper, we present a case study for transforming a high to low temperature district heating system which is more suitable for renewable energy supply. With the Carnot Toolbox, a dynamic model of a potential district heating system is simulated and then transformed to a low temperature supply. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to see the system performance in case space constrains restrict the transformation. Finally, an economic comparison is performed. Results show that it is technically possible to perform the transformation until a very low temperature system. The use of decentralized renewable sources, decentralized heat storage tanks and the placement of a heat pump on each building are the key points to achieve the transformation. Regarding the sensitivity analysis, the transformation is worth doing until the seasonal storage and solar collector field sizes are reduced to 60% and 80% of their values in the reference case, respectively. The economic analysis shows, however, that it is hard for highly efficient low temperature renewable based heat networks to compete with district heating systems based on a centralized fossile CHP solution. Thus, though the presented transformation is technically possible, there is a strong need to change existing economic schemes and policies for fostering a stronger promotion of renewable energy policies in the heat sector.

scholarly journals Overview of Solutions for the Low-Temperature Operation of Domestic Hot-Water Systems with a Circulation Loop

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3350
Author(s):  
Theofanis Benakopoulos ◽  
William Vergo ◽  
Michele Tunzi ◽  
Robbe Salenbien ◽  
Svend Svendsen
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Heat Loss ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Heating Power ◽  
Circulation Loop ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
District Heating System ◽  
Domestic Hot Water

The operation of typical domestic hot water (DHW) systems with a storage tank and circulation loop, according to the regulations for hygiene and comfort, results in a significant heat demand at high operating temperatures that leads to high return temperatures to the district heating system. This article presents the potential for the low-temperature operation of new DHW solutions based on energy balance calculations and some tests in real buildings. The main results are three recommended solutions depending on combinations of the following three criteria: district heating supply temperature, relative circulation heat loss due to the use of hot water, and the existence of a low-temperature space heating system. The first solution, based on a heating power limitation in DHW tanks, with a safety functionality, may secure the required DHW temperature at all times, resulting in the limited heating power of the tank, extended reheating periods, and a DH return temperature of below 30 °C. The second solution, based on the redirection of the return flow from the DHW system to the low-temperature space heating system, can cool the return temperature to the level of the space heating system return temperature below 35 °C. The third solution, based on the use of a micro-booster heat pump system, can deliver circulation heat loss and result in a low return temperature below 35 °C. These solutions can help in the transition to low-temperature district heating.

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