Microgrid design and management
In the case of a complex of buildings located close to each other, a beneficial solution is to consider the construction of an energy-integrated microgrid for heating, power and sometimes also cooling. The microgrids are supplied with energy only by RES (Heat Pumps, PV, others). Heating networks in microgrid are low-temperature and are supplied with heat by heat pumps (also operating in a cascade system) integrated with PV. Within microgrids there are also installed electricity and heat storage facilities which makes it possible to take advantage of low electricity prices during off-peak hours on the market (using dynamic tariffs).
Next Generation Heat designs energy-integrated microgrid solutions, manages their balancing and optimizes energy consumption of buildings connected to them using advanced IT tools. An example of microgrid designed for one of the housing associations is presented below:e
In the presented microgrid ground heat pumps located centrally in relation to the buildings operate on a low-temperature heating network, the heat from which is the low-source for water-water heat pumps located directly in the buildings. Water-water heat pumps increase the parameters of heating water to temperatures consistent with the buildings’ heating curve. In spring, summer and autumn air-water heat pumps located on the roofs of buildings operate for domestic hot water and central heating purposes. The microgrid is also equipped with heat storage facilities which enable the use of low electricity prices during off-peak hours on the market (dynamic tariffs). Additional sources of electricity are PV and PVT panels. The heat from PVT panels is used in the summer to regenerate the lower heat source of ground pumps.
The presented microgrid will allow the housing association to reduce heating bills by up to 50%.