INVESTIGATION ON SECTOR COUPLING POTENTIALS OF COLD DISTRICT HEATING & COOLING NETWORKS

In this paper the topic of sector coupling is discussed with a specific focus on utilising extra profits for the operation of cold district heating & cooling (CDHC) networks. In the course of the research project DeStoSimKaFe it was investigated, how the heat energy production and the heat capacities of an existing CDHC system can provide flexibilities for power to heat applications. The intention is to take advantage of the benefits of the day ahead pricing of European electricity market or the electricity balancing market of the respective country. Therefor in a first step a previously developed co-simulation tool for large district heating systems was adapted to the specific environment of the existing CDHC system. In a second step the system flexibilities were systematically investigated with respect to heat capacity, response behaviour and electrical energy consumption as a function of thermal comfort in the buildings. So that quality and quantity of the flexibilities provided are known and subsequently can be used to optimise the heat energy retail price for customers in the investigated CDHC network in Zürich, Switzerland.