The use of ULTDH network in combination with CHP, reversible heat pumps for heating & cooling, solar systems, and waste heat increases the energy performance in every case.

business case RELaTED

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The RELaTED project assessed the business case for ULTDH using a decentralized approach to heat production, i.e. heat can be collected from multiple points within the district heating (DH) network, not just one location. This assessment was applied to the DH customer case for residential and non-residential buildings, and heat producers (DH company).

For DH customers, the use of building integrated solar panels, heat pumps, and triple function substations were applied to the DH networks of Belgrade, Serbia, and Tartu, Estonia. For Heat producers, a business model was developed to assess the feasibility of incorporating new sources of heat into the DH network; this was also applied to Belgrade and Tartu.

Residential & commercial customers

In the eyes of a DH company, there is little difference between how residential and non-residential buildings are treated as customers; both customer segments pay for the heat they consume. But there are a few factors that can determine the demand for heat which can impact the cost. For example, if a building has been renovated to reduce heat loss – insulated walls, thermally efficient windows, doors, and roofs – then they will cost less to heat. There are also differences that can arise from the size of buildings – i.e., an apartment complex with 32 apartments might have a similar heat demand compared to an office building of a similar size. On the other hand, an individual home would have a much different heat demand and consumption compared to an office building or school.

To account for these differences, the RELaTED concept and cost assessment were applied to buildings of a comparable size and heat consumption profile. In this case, apartment buildings (residential) in Tartu and Belgrade and non-residential buildings – an office building (Belgrade) and grocery store (Tartu) – were compared.

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“The business case for ULTDH using the RELaTED concept” is one of the topics included in the report D4.6 (download report D4.6 here >>). The RELaTED project has addressed this issue in WP4 – Economic feasibility & business analysis. The report, D4.6, serves as a summary of the main findings for this WP as it relates to the profitable operation of the RELaTED DH networks.