engleski

The Role of Cool Thermal Energy Storage in Integration of Renewable Energy Sources and Peak Load Reduction

The building sector is one of the largest energy consumers. Even with cooling needs not contributing with a large share in overall energy demand in temperate climates, recent trends show a tendency of large growth. This growth is related to two main drivers: the cheap and affordable air-conditioning units that overran the market, and more frequent appearance of hot and extremely hot weather conditions. In combination with inadequate insulation and sealing in most of the old buildings, both drivers contributed to new cooling installations that are significantly increasing electricity demand and peak load even on the national level. Consequently, the use of fossil fuel in power plants and electricity import has been increased. Development of sustainable buildings and the use of renewable energy sources seem as promising solutions. But the problem with integration of renewable energy sources in current energy system is related to their intermittent nature and uncontrollable occurrence. Cool Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) may play important role in management of peak load and solving the intermittency problem of renewable energy sources, especially when cooling storage is integrated in district cooling system. A simple mathematical model of a system with integrated renewable energy sources and cool thermal energy storage has been developed. Hourly system analyses have been conducted for one building, group of buildings connected to district cooling system and a region represented by mixture of different demands for cool thermal energy. Paper also includes results for overall energy efficiency, cost effectiveness and environmental impact of analysed systems.

Buildings; Cooling; Thermal Energy Storage; Modelling

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