Integration of Heat Pumps in Buildings and District Heating Systems—Evaluation on a Building and Energy System Level

Fabian Ochs, Mara Magni and Georgios Dermentzis
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Fabian Ochs: Unit for Energy Efficient Buildings, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Mara Magni: Unit for Energy Efficient Buildings, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Georgios Dermentzis: Unit for Energy Efficient Buildings, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-33

Abstract: The use of heat pumps in buildings is one of the best and often the only option for the decarbonization of the building stock. District heating seems a promising solution in urban areas and in existing buildings when the use of heat pumps is restricted and also technically and economically challenging (source exploitation, space restrictions, sound emissions, etc.). Heat pumps can be integrated in various ways in buildings and district heating systems: large central high-temperature heat pumps in district heating, medium-size heat pumps block- or building-wise or small heat pumps decentral apartment-wise. The best option depends on the individual district heating CO 2 emissions and the electricity mix as well as on the perspective of the building owner versus that one of the district heating system and its future development. Austrian examples of district heating systems and different variants of integrating heat pumps are investigated in a comprehensive way by means of an energetic and environmental simulation-based analysis. This assessment includes a detailed investigation of the capabilities of the booster heat pump to increase the PV own-consumption and is also expanded to include various scenarios for the development of the electricity mix and the decarbonisation of district heating.

Keywords: decarbonisation; district heating; heat pumps; booster heat pump; renewables; PV own-consumption; CO 2 -emissions; energetic and environmental evaluation (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: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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