Recently, the drive towards more energy efficient district heating networks, able to operate with lower temperature heat sources has led to the concept of fifth generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC) systems. 5th Generation District and Cooling solutions are a new generation of intelligent district heating and cooling networks working at “neutral” temperature levels. i.e. close to the temperature of the ground and well below the temperature needed to cover the thermal loads. Reversible compression heat pumps and chillers are used to exchange heat with the network with the customers.

Together with central and local storages installed, controls that optimize loads balancing and energy storage are key from the technical and economic points of view. On the one hand, rules are assessed that assure a thermal balance among generation by renewable and waste heat sources diffused along the network, central and local storage and utilization. On the other, strategies are elaborated to decide when electricity is to be gathered locally (e.g. from local PV fields) or exchanged with the electric grid.

This optimal management, enabled by a systematic digitalisation of the networks, will lead to a synergic effect on heating and cooling sector’s CO2 emissions savings, assuring at the same time investments and operation profitability.

Intro kindly provided by Roberto Fedrizzi, EURAC Research.

On Wednesday September 29 at 10:00 CET you are kindly invited to join us for the Celsius Talk webinar on Fifth Generation District Heating and Cooling.