Performance Assessment of District Energy Systems with Common Elements for Heating and Cooling

Aleksandar Ivančić, Joaquim Romaní, Jaume Salom and Maria-Victoria Cambronero
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Aleksandar Ivančić: Thermal Energy and Building Performance Group, Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jardins de les Dones de Negre 1, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
Joaquim Romaní: Thermal Energy and Building Performance Group, Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jardins de les Dones de Negre 1, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
Jaume Salom: Thermal Energy and Building Performance Group, Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Jardins de les Dones de Negre 1, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, Spain
Maria-Victoria Cambronero: ACCIONA, Anabel Segura 11, 28108 Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: District energy systems, especially those integrating renewables or low exergy sources, have multiple elements for generating heating and cooling. Some of these elements might be used for both purposes: heating and cooling, either simultaneously or alternatively. This makes it more complex to separate the assessment and have a clear picture on performance of cooling service on one side, and heating services on the other, in terms of energy, environmental, and economic results. However, a correct comparison between different district energy configurations or among district energy and conventional solutions requires split assessment of each service. The paper presents a methodology for calculating different district heating and cooling system key performance indicators (KPIs), distinguishing between heating and cooling ones. A total of eleven indicators are organized under four categories: energy, environment, economy and socio-economy. Each KPI is defined for heating service and for cooling service. According to this, the methodology proposes a demand-based and an investment-based share factors that facilitate the heating and cooling KPI calculation.

Keywords: district heating; district cooling; renewable energy; key performance indicator; benchmarking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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