IEA DHC Annex TS8: Experimental investigations of DHC systems

For the heat transition a successful conversion and expansion of thermal networks is crucial. This requires new operational strategies for utilizing volatile heat sources, being based on innovative approaches to flexibilisation, digitalisation and sector coupling. For a successful implementation of those new solutions key prerequisites are the testing of these approaches in both, laboratory and field experiments, in combination with digitised applications.

Within the IEA TCP framework for “District Heating and Cooling” the aim is to improve the design, increase efficiency and optimise the operation of district heating and cooling systems (DHC). Annex TS8 highly concentrates on promoting and enhancing the use of experimental investigations for the transformation, decarbonisation, and flexibilisation of new and existing DHC systems. In doing so the use of digital technologies is a strong focus, both in terms of application (e.g. IoT and cloud solutions, digital twins, machine learning) and experimental implementation (e.g. hardware-in-the-loop).

Annex TS8 provides a platform for the exchange of results from international and national research projects and gathers relevant knowledge, which is presented, among others, in a guidebook, technical articles and lectures at international events. The main areas of the project include:

• Evaluation of experimental needs for future DHC applications: Focus on laboratory investigation and field experiments, as well as the participation of partners from the field to provide a “reality check”
• Review of approaches for experimental design and control: identification of research questions and planning of experiments for DHC applications on the level of buildings and grids
• Validation of datasets and sources: assessment of challenges and risks in data usage, including best-practice examples and interoperability issues (e.g. via data spaces)
• Evaluation of networking potential of test facilities: collecting approaches for coupling of test facilities considering sector coupling on both component- and system-level
• Collection of examples: identification, review, and classifying of existing facilities and facilities under development, creating fact sheets for further dissemination