INTEGRATE: Integrating seasoNal Thermal storagE with multiple enerGy souRces to decArbonise Thermal Energy

该项目评估了季节性热能储存（STES）系统的潜力，以促进供暖和制冷的脱碳，同时为未来的净零能源系统提供灵活性服务。气候变化委员会（Committee on Climate Change）最近的报告强调，要实现净零排放，需要对建筑、工业和电力部门进行完全脱碳。目前的估计是，英国总能源需求的44%是由于具有较大季节性变化的热需求（冬季比夏季高约6倍）和高的早晨高峰增加率（热需求的增长速度比电力需求的增长速度快10倍）。目前，大约80%的热量是通过天然气电网提供的，这提供了灵活性和能力来处理大而快速的变化，但会造成大量的温室气体排放。虽然目前英国的制冷需求很小，但预计将大幅增加：国家电网估计，到2050年，空调将增加夏季高峰电力需求的100%。在丹麦等国家，具有季节性热能储存（STES）的区域能源系统已经被证明是化石燃料供暖的经济实惠和更可持续的替代品，能够处理高增加率和季节性变化。然而，现有系统的设计和运行通常独立于更广泛的能源系统（电力、冷却、工业和运输部门），而事实表明，只有将所有能源部门结合和协调，才能找到最佳解决方案（在减少排放和成本方面）。特别是，与电力和小型家庭储热相比，大型STES系统每安装千瓦时的成本约为100倍，可以释放供暖和制冷需求与工业、地热和废热以及可变可再生能源发电之间的协同效应。然而，由于不同的地下特征和不同的更广泛的能源系统背景，现有的系统不能直接转化为英国。此外，由于不同部门之间复杂的非线性相互作用，多部门整合仍然是一个悬而未决的挑战。该项目将通过考虑能源供需之间的相互作用和协调、季节性储热特性以及监管和市场框架，开发具有STES的区域能源系统的整体和综合设计。来自各个领域的结果和模型将结合在一个整体系统模型中，用于设计和运行具有STES的智能区域能源系统。整个系统模型将用于开发基于STES系统智能集成的城市、郊区和校园热能系统的代表性案例研究和指导方针。结果将使低碳供暖和制冷系统的开发和部署成为可能，为客户提供价格合理、灵活可靠的热能，同时也提高了电网基础设施的利用率，并整合了可再生能源发电资产和其他热源。

This project evaluates the potential of Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES) systems to facilitate the decarbonisation of heating and cooling while at the same time providing flexibility services for the future net-zero energy system.The Committee on Climate Change's recent report highlighted that a complete decarbonisation of the building, industry and electricity sectors is required to reach net-zero. Current estimates are that 44% of the total energy demand in the UK is due to heat demand which has large seasonal variations (about 6 times higher in winter compared to summer) and high morning peak ramp-up rates (increase in heat demand is 10 times faster than the increase in electricity demand). Currently, around 80% of the heat is supplied through the natural gas grid which provides the flexibility and capacity to handle the large and fast variations but causes large greenhouse gas emissions. While cooling demand is currently very small in the UK, it is expected to increase significantly: National Grid estimates an increase of up to 100% of summer peak electricity demand due to air conditioning by 2050. In countries such as Denmark, district energy systems with Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage (STES) are already proving to be affordable and more sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based heating that are able to handle the high ramp-up rates and seasonal variations. However, the existing systems are usually designed and operated independently from the wider energy system (electricity, cooling, industry and transport sectors), while it has been shown that the best solution (in terms of emissions reduction and cost) can only be found if all energy sectors are combined and coordinated. In particular, large STES systems which are around 100 times cheaper per installed kWh compared to both electricity and small scale domestic thermal storage, can unlock synergies between heating and cooling demand on one side, and industrial, geothermal and waste heat, and variable renewable electricity generation on the other side. However, the existing systems cannot be directly translated to the UK due to different subsurface characteristics and different wider energy system contexts. In addition, the multi-sector integration is still an open challenge due to the complex and nonlinear interactions between the different sectors.This project will develop a holistic and integrated design of district energy systems with STES by considering the interplay and coordination between energy supply and demand, seasonal thermal storage characteristics, and regulation and market frameworks. The results and models from the individual areas will be combined in a whole system model for the design and operation of smart district energy systems with STES. The whole system model will be used to develop representative case studies and guidelines for urban, suburban and campus thermal energy systems based around the smart integration of STES systems. The results will enable the development and deployment of low carbon heating and cooling systems that provide affordable, flexible and reliable thermal energy for the customers while also improving the utilisation of the grid infrastructure and the integration of renewable generation assets and other heat sources.