Distributed Energy Systems - DESY

Combining together different technologies can form a strong hybrid solution adapted to local needs. Local energy production also increases local business and local waste reduces waste management costs, thus enabling other local business and employment. Local energy production also increases energy, electricity and fuel security by reducing import dependency. Waste from one process can be a raw material or fuel for another. By combining the technological solutions for local needs, high primary energy efficiency can be achieved, thereby ensuring that local energy production potential is fully realized. The passive house level is possible to achieve with a well-insulated envelope and effective heat recovery from exhaust air. However, improvements in HVAC systems are more cost-effective than constantly improving the thermal insulation of the envelope. The net zero energy level is difficult to reach, because of heating of hot water, if you do not also build solar heating system or/and warm waste water recovery system. A heat pump system offers a possibility to reduce exterior energy for heating, including also the heating of hot water. The heat pump can also be supported by solar PV panels and COP of the heat pump is possible to increase by solar heating collectors. The net zero-energy building resulted in lower environmental impacts were approximately 50% or less than the district heating and direct electricity heating. Effective and cheap seasonal heat storage is required for good utilisation of solar heating. It is shown by simulations that district heating systems fed by solar heating does not need short-time heat storage. The heat network itself has enough capacity for heat storing. Expert views - there is much potential for small-scale production, but the future development can take very different paths, depending on how energy policy, citizen involvement, and business concepts evolve.