In the background of the continued integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and the increasing flexibility on the demand side, the diversity and complexity of new technologies for heating present increased challenges for design and operation of district heating systems (DHS). This work first reviews the progress of the new generation of DHS, followed by providing an overview of investigations on building energy flexibility in the field of heating, with a focus on the characterization and quantification of energy flexibility, the realization of thermal flexibility, and the use of building thermal mass in demand side management (DSM). Different technologies were categorized and summarized according to the composition of the new generation of DHS. Control strategies such as model predictive control were also examined. In particular, the concept of building thermal battery is used to analyze buildings or prosumers thermal energy flexibility. Finally, new elements of DHS development an
The foreseen reduction of available fossil fuels, the continued increase in global energy demand, and the irrefutable evidence of climate change, along with the implementation of a global commitment to achieve a net-zero emissions target, have greatly sharpened commercial interest in using renewable energy resources (RER). However, the high penetration of RER-based stochastic power generation systems has resulted in a significant requirement for increased flexibility on the demand side that can allow buildings to adapt to increasingly dynamic energy supply conditions to support power grid operation and optimization. Failure to adapt may carry serious electrical blackouts and can compromise the safety of the supply side.
The building sector accounts for a substantial amount of global energy usage and offers great opportunities for energy flexibility. Building energy flexibility is an important and emerging concept in the modern energy landscape, which can support the sustainable transit
Learn about Arizona's solar tax credit incentives and discover the benefits of using a Mango Power solar generator for your home or business. Start saving money and the environment today!
A transition to a renewable energy future with intermittent and fluctuating power generation calls for a paradigm shift in electrical power systems. Enabling this shift requires demand that can be adjusted according to the available power, and this is termed energy flexibility. A wide range of sustainable energy technologies have been developed to achieve flexibility within building energy systems to reduce operating costs, and support the operation of the power grid. This chapter first provides an overview of recent case studies using different technologies to improve building energy flexibility. A case study of a net-zero energy office building is then presented to demonstrate both how to effectively use photovoltaic panels and an electric battery to improve building energy flexibility, and how to quantify the energy flexibility that they can offer. Lastly, the potential of using other energy flexible measures present in the building to enhance energy flexibility is discussed.