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Role of lng in an optimized hybrid energy network

The future energy system could benefit from the integration of independent gas, heat and electricity infrastructures. Such a hybrid energy network could support the increase of intermittent renewable energy sources by offering increased operational flexibility. Nowadays, the expectations on Natural Gas resources forecast an increase in the application of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as a means of storage and transportation, which has a high exergy value. Therefore, we analyzed the integration of decentralized LNG regasification with a Waste-to-Energy (W2E) plant for a practice-based case to get an idea on how it might affect the balancing of supply and demand, under optimized exergy efficient conditions. We compared an independent system with an integrated system that consists of the use of the LNG cold to cool the condenser of the W2E plant, as well as the expansion of the regasified LNG in an expander, using a simplified deterministic model based on the energy hub concept. We use the hourly measured electricity and heat demand patterns for 200 households with 35% of the households producing electricity from PV according to a typical measured solar insolation pattern in The Netherlands. The results indicate that the integration affects the imbalance for electricity and heat compared to the independent system. If the electricity demand is met, both the total yearly heat shortage and heat excess are reduced for the integrated system. If the heat demand is met, the total yearly electricity shortage is also reduced (with 100 MWh). However, the total yearly electricity excess is then increased (with 300 MWh). We observed that these changes are solely due to the increase in exergy efficiencies for heat and electricity of the W2E Rankine cycle. The efficiency of the expander is too low to offer a significant contribution to the electricity demand. Therefore, future research should focus on the affect that can be obtained by to other means of integration (e.g. Organic Rankine Cycle and Stirling Cycle).

Role of LNG in an optimized hybrid energy network

The future energy system could benefit from the integration of independent gas, heat and electricity infrastructures. Such a hybrid energy network could support the increase of intermittent renewable energy sources by offering increased operational flexibility. Nowadays, the expectations on Natural Gas resources forecast an increase in the application of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as a means of storage and transportation, which has a high exergy value. Therefore, we analyzed the integration of decentralized LNG regasification with a Waste-to-Energy (W2E) plant for a practice-based case to get an idea on how it might affect the balancing of supply and demand, under optimized exergy efficient conditions. We compared an independent system with an integrated system that consists of the use of the LNG cold to cool the condenser of the W2E plant, as well as the expansion of the regasified LNG in an expander, using a simplified deterministic model based on the energy hub concept. We use the hourly measured electricity and heat demand patterns for 200 households with 35% of the households producing electricity from PV according to a typical measured solar insolation pattern in The Netherlands. The results indicate that the integration affects the imbalance for electricity and heat compared to the independent system. If the electricity demand is met, both the total yearly heat shortage and heat excess are reduced for the integrated system. If the heat demand is met, the total yearly electricity shortage is also reduced (with 100 MWh). However, the total yearly electricity excess is then increased (with 300 MWh). We observed that these changes are solely due to the increase in exergy efficiencies for heat and electricity of the W2E Rankine cycle. The efficiency of the expander is too low to offer a significant contribution to the electricity demand. Therefore, future research should focus on the affect that can be obtained by to other means of integration (e.g. Organic Rankine Cycle and Stirling Cycle).

Rotatable Smart TinyLab, a platform for testing integrated façades and indoor climate

Increasing the attractiveness of district heating networks to consumers

This report has been established within the Flexiheat project. Flexiheat has focused on increasing flexibility in district heating systems. The intelligent district heating network is a dynamic network: an open network where different waste heat and renewable energy sources are connected, that has multiple producers and groups of consumers and facilitates the connection between different energy infrastructures (gas, heat and electricity). Eventually this will lead to an optimal deployment of the available heat sources and an increased cost-efficiency of district heating. Flexiheat aims to develop new concepts for these intelligent, flexible district heating networks. One of the strategies is to allow third party access to the network. A smart control system is developed to manage the heat flows across the network. This system makes use of dynamic pricing. In this exploration the concept of third party access in relation to the Flexiheat project will be discussed. The development of new business and price models based on the Flexiheat approach has led to an analysis of possible alternative price models for consumers.

Natural gas vehicles and smart gas grids

This article explores the applicability of smart grid concepts to the Dutch gas network by reflecting on the experience of the electricity sector.

The second life for gas

The European Union is striving for a high penetration of renewable energy production in the future energy grid. Currently, the EU energy directive is aiming for 20% renewable energy production in the year 2020. In future plans the EU strives for approximately 80% renewable energy production by the year 2050. However, high penetration of wind and solar PV energy production, both centrally and de-centrally, can possibly destabilize the electricity grid. The gas grid and the flexibility of gas, which can be transformed in both electricity and heat at different levels of scale, can help integrate and balance intermittent renewable production. One possible method of assisting the electricity grid in achieving and maintaining balance is by pre-balancing local decentralized energy grids. Adopting flexible gas based decentralized energy production can help integrate intermittent renewable electricity production, short lived by-products (e.g. heat) and at the same time minimize transport of energy carriers and fuel sources. Hence, decentralized energy grids can possibly improve the overall efficiency and sustainability of the energy distribution system. The flexibility aforementioned, can potentially give gas a pivotal role in future decentralized energy grids as load balancer. However, there are a lot of potentially variables which effect a successful integration of renewable intermittent production and load balancing within decentralized energy systems. The flexibility of gas in general opens up multiple fuel sources e.g., natural gas, biogas, syngas etc. and multiple possibilities of energy transformation pathways e.g. combined heat and power, fuel cells, high efficiency boilers etc. Intermittent renewable production is already increasing exponentially on the decentralized level where load balancing is still lacking.