Thermaflex Thermal demand and supply as flexible elements of future sustainable energy systems

Elements of flexibility as central building blocks of a future energy system

In a sustainable and fully decarbonised energy system, including e.g. large shares of renewable, partly volatile energy sources, integrated sector coupling, decentralised and centralized structures, etc. will lead to a considerable increase in system complexity. At the same time, however, supply security must be maintained while energy costs must remain affordable for end customers. This can only be achieved by increasing the flexibility of the overall system, enabled by intelligent interaction between technical and non-technical elements.

District heating systems are ideally suited for measures to increase flexibility in terms of sector coupling, integration of renewable energy sources, waste heat utilisation, use of heat storage, new operating strategies and user integration. This flexibility potential can be further increased if holistic approaches are pursued and new scientific methods for simulation and optimisation are used in planning, implementation and operation.

The flagship project “Thermaflex”

This is precisely where the flagship project “Thermaflex” comes in, which as project of the Vorzeigeregion Energie “GreenEnergyLab” focuses on increasing energy flexibility while reducing CO₂ emissions in the district heating sector. No fewer than 27 project partners (district heating operators, technology providers and research institutions) are working in eight work packages on i) identification, ii) simulation-based planning, iii)evaluation and selection as well as iv) implementation in combination with detailed monitoring and the resulting optimisation of flexibilisation measures. The focus here is on seven demonstrators in district heating supply areas of small, medium-sized and large cities. The funding volume for Thermaflex and selected demonstrators amounts to approx. nine million € and makes this project the largest project in relation to the total funding volume within the second call for tenders of the “Vorzeigeregion Energie” programme.

Flexibilisation of district heating systems showcased in seven demonstrators

Thermaflex focuses on the scientific support of the seven following demonstrators along the entire implementation process from idea and concept development via planning and implementation to commissioning, monitoring as well as evaluation and continuous optimisation:

Acknowledgements:

The research project ThermaFLEX (FFG No.: 868852) is funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund in the framework of the research initiative “Green Energy Lab” as part of the Austrian innovation campaign ” Vorzeigeregion Energie”.

Literature:

1. BMWFW, 2017: Energie in Österreich – Zahlen, Daten, Fakten; Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Wirtschaft; Wien, 2017
2. FGW, 2017: Zahlenspiegel 2017 – Erdgas und Fernwärme in Österreich; Wien, 2017