Decarbonised district heat, electricity and synthetic renewable gas in wind-and solar-based district energy systems
Year of publication
2021
Authors
Weiss, Robert; Saastamoinen, Heidi; Ikäheimo, Jussi; Abdurafikov, Rinat; Sihvonen, Teemu; Shemeikka, Jari
Abstract
Low availability of sustainable biomass prevents transition of district heating in Europe away from fossil fuels. The need for sustainable fuels stems from current energy generation structure, which mainly relies on centralised combined heat and power operated as baseload units. Our study shows that districts with generation of renewable power, heat and synthetic natural gas can reach complete energy system decarbonisation even without biomass, only using wind and solar power as primary energy. It requires rethinking of interactions between electricity, gas and heating networks and a polygeneration solution with power-to-heat and power-to-gas technologies to fully utilise local solar and wind power and cover peak demands. Power-to-heat as baseload units supported with power-to-gas for seasonal and back-up energy storage are proposed as novel district heating approach. The operation of such polygeneration is tested successfully using a model of a Finnish district. Carbon dioxide circulation is analysed together with capacity requirements to synthetic natural gas and needed wind power installation. Resulting complete decarbonisation requires coordination and flexible operation of power-to-heat and power-to-gas capacity together with gas-fired combined heat and power plants and heat-only boilers, which ensures that renewable power production, heating and power needs, security of supply and grid limitations are met.
Show moreOrganizations and authors
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Shemeikka Jari
Abdurafikov Rinat
Weiss Robert
Sihvonen Teemu
Publication type
Publication format
Article
Parent publication type
Journal
Article type
Original article
Audience
ScientificPeer-reviewed
Peer-ReviewedMINEDU's publication type classification code
A1 Journal article (refereed), original researchPublication channel information
Volume
9
Issue
2
Article number
1080340
ISSN
Publication forum
Publication forum level
1
Open access
Open access in the publisher’s service
Yes
Open access of publication channel
Fully open publication channel
License of the publisher’s version
CC BY
Self-archived
No
Other information
Fields of science
Environmental sciences; Mechanical engineering; Environmental engineering
Keywords
[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Language
English
International co-publication
No
Co-publication with a company
No
DOI
10.13044/j.sdewes.d8.0340
The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection
Yes