1. |
- Abaravicius, Juozas, et al.
(author)
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Analysing Load Demand in Households
- 2006
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In: Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting (EEDAL) conference proceeding. - 9789279027529
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The importance of load demand variation, when analysing energy and environmental impact of residential energy use, is increasing. Load demand in residential houses is a significant contributor to peak load problems experienced by utilities. The knowledge about demand variation in households is limited as well as the use of methodologies to analyse the demand is. Many utilities have recently installed interval (hourly) metering at their residential customers. The availability of this data is a big step forward, however, our experience show that the utilities use this data only to a limited extent, mostly for billing purposes only. This study aims to discuss the ways and benefits of using this valuable end-use data. There are several established load analysis tools, such as load curve, typical load curve, load duration curve, load factor, superposition factor, etc., which utilities could apply and develop. Among other benefits, the hourly load data analysis can provide the detailed characteristics of load demand in households, define the consumption patterns and can help to identify the main contributors to the utility peaks. This information is essential when developing new energy services, appropriate pricing, load management strategies and demand response programs. This paper analyses strengths and weaknesses of different analysis tools, the knowledge they could give, how applicable they are and what value they could have for the utility and the customer. The study is exemplified with ten “real world” cases in Southern Sweden, where the households with electric space heating and hot water systems are analysed.
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2. |
- Abaravicius, Juozas, et al.
(author)
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More or Less about Data - Analyzing Load Demand in Residential Houses
- 2006
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In: [Host publication title missing].
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Load demand in residential houses is a significant contributor to peak load problems experienced by utilities. The knowledge about demand variation in households is fairly limited as well as the use of various tools to analyze the demand. Many utilities have recently installed interval (hourly) metering at their residential customers. The availability of hourly data is a significant progress, however, the utilities use this data only to a limited extent, mostly for billing purposes only. This study aims to discuss the possibilities and the benefits of using this valuable data. There are several established load analysis tools, such as load curve, typical load curve, load duration curve, load factor, superposition factor, etc., which utilities could apply and develop to provide feedback to small electricity users. Among other benefits, the hourly load data analysis can provide the detailed characteristics of load demand, define the consumption patterns and can help to identify which households contribute most to the utility peaks. This information is essential when developing new energy services, appropriate pricing, load management strategies and demand response programs. Through the analysis of strengths and weaknesses of different load analysis tools, this paper defines the knowledge they could give, how applicable they are and what value they could have both for the utility and the residential customer. The study is exemplified with ten cases of households with electric space heating in Southern Sweden.
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3. |
- Abaravicius, Juozas, et al.
(author)
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Turn Me On, Turn Me Off! Techno-Economic, Environmental and Social Aspects of Direct Load Management in Residential Houses
- 2005
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In: META Energy Savings: What Works and Who Delivers? eceee Summer Study Proceedings. V. 1-3. - 9163140020
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Load management is a techno-economic measure for harmonizing the relations between supply and demand sides, optimising power generation and transmission and increasing security of supply. It can also benefit the environment by preventing use of generators with higher emissions. This study was performed in collaboration with one electric utility in Southern Sweden, which aims solving peak load problems either with load management or by constructing diesel peak power plant. The objective of the study was to experimentally test and analyse the conditions and potential of direct load management from customer and utility viewpoint. Techno-economic and environmental aspects as well as customer experiences were investigated. Ten electric-heated houses were equipped with extra meters, enabling hourly load measurements for heating, hot water and total electricity use. Household heating and hot water systems were controlled by the utility using an existing remote reading system. The residents were informed about the experiment but not about the time and duration of the controls. The experiment was followed up by interviews. According to the interviews, the residents noticed some of the control periods of heating. Body activity level as well as compensation of sun radiation and heat producing appliances influenced the experiences. After the experiments the households were positive about load control, but they expressed requirements for the implementation of such measures.
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4. |
- Averfalk, Helge, 1988-
(author)
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Enhanced District Heating Technology : Maintaining Future System Feasibility
- 2017
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- When heat demand and high temperature heat supply gradually decreases in the future, then it will effect district heating systems ability to compete on the heat market. A good way to mitigate less district heating feasibility is to operate systems with lower temperature levels and the most conceivable way to achieve lower temperature levels is to decrease return temperatures.Thus, this thesis emphasise temperature errors embedded in district heating systems. Only a selection of temperature errors are analysed in this thesis. First, the temperature error that occurs due to recirculation in distribution networks at low heat demands. Second, the temperature error that occurs due to hot water circulation in multi-family buildings. Third, the temperature error that occurs due to less than possible heat transfer in heat exchangers, i.e. too short thermal lengths.In order to address these temperature errors three technology changes have been proposed (i) three-pipe distribution network to separate the recirculation return flow from the delivery return flow, (ii) apartment substations to eliminate hot water circulation utilisation, and (iii) improved heat exchangers for lower return temperatures at a constant scenario. Analysis of proposed changes has resulted in annual average return temperatures between 17-21 °C.Furthermore, rapid introduction of intermittent renewable electricity supply in the energy system has prompted an increased necessity of power system balancing capacities. Large-scale conversion of power-to-heat in electric boilers and heat pumps is a feasible alternative to achieve such balancing capacities. Analysis of the unique Swedish experience with utilisation of large heat pumps installations connected to district heating systems show that since the 1980s 1527 MW of heat power has been installed, about 80 % of the capacity was still in use by 2013. Thus, a cumulative value of over three decades of operation and maintenance exists within Swedish district heating systems.The two papers presented in this thesis are related to future district heating systems through the five abilities of fourth generation district heating (4GDH), which are documented in the definition paper of 4GDH.
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5. |
- Brange, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Bottlenecks in district heating networks and how to eliminate them - A simulation and cost study
- 2017
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In: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-5442. ; 137, s. 607-616
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To optimise district heating (DH) systems and simplify the transition towards the fourth generation of district heating, it is important to remove any bottlenecks existing in the DH network. DH bottlenecks are in this study defined as pipes with too high flow relative to the pipe diameter, resulting in difficulties to maintain sufficient differential pressure in the area beyond the pipe. The aim of this study is to investigate how well possible measures to solve bottleneck problems work in different DH network configurations and how much they cost. This was achieved by a simulation study and a cost analysis. The results showed that DH systems with a lower flow rate demanded more extensive measures than other systems and that different problems might arise in different types of networks. The economic results showed that a lot of varying parameters, such as the internal rate of return, the fuel and electricity prices and the annual utilisation time of the measure could have a large impact on the outcome. An increase of the supply temperature could however easily become very expensive. Before any bottleneck measures are implemented in a DH system, calculations and analysis based on the local situations should thus be performed.
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6. |
- Brange, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Bottlenecks in district heating systems and how to address them
- 2017
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In: Energy Procedia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; 116, s. 249-259
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Problems with bottlenecks in district heating networks occur when the pipes have too small dimensions to sufficiently meet customer needs. This may result in insufficient differential pressure in DH areas attached to these pipes. Bottlenecks are especially common in expanding DH networks, as previously sufficient pipe diameters may become too small when more DH consumers are connected to the DH network. Historically, bottlenecks have often been addressed by increasing the supply temperature or by exchanging the pipe to a larger dimension. Other techniques are however available to solve bottleneck problems. Such techniques are for example installation of local heat supply on the other side of the bottleneck (LHS), demand side management (DSM), or installation of thermal energy storage (TES). The aim of this study was to identify different techniques for addressing bottlenecks and to see what solutions were used by the DH companies in Sweden. A literature study of the different techniques available was performed and a survey study with the DH distribution companies in Sweden that are members of the Swedish DH association was carried out. The survey was sent out to in total 131 companies, of which 89 answered. The results showed that the most used techniques in Sweden are a higher supply temperature and installation of a new pipe to increase the pipe area, whereas for example DSM and TES were more rarely used techniques. This work is an introduction to the different techniques used to address bottleneck problems and shows the bottleneck situation in Swedish DH networks. More research and tests are however necessary in order to more thoroughly evaluate which techniques that should be used in different situations.
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7. |
- Brange, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Decision-making process for addressing bottleneck problems in district heating networks
- 2019
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In: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management. - 2246-2929. ; 20:2019, s. 37-50
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lower system temperatures in district heating (DH) grids are important factors for system efficiency. Lower system temperatures lead, for example, to lower heat losses and higher production unit efficiency. One obstacle to lower supply temperatures are so-called bottlenecks in DH networks. Bottlenecks are areas in DH networks of very low differential pressure, which makes it difficult to supply them with sufficient heat. There are many potential solutions to bottlenecks. However, the current decision-making process generally does not include every potential bottleneck solution and also often does not include every important factor that affects the outcome. The aim of this study is to propose a structured and general modus operandi, in order to identify the best bottleneck solution for a specific situation. In this study we conducted analyses of previous bottleneck studies, workshops and interviews. The results show a decision-making process developed to be a tool when choosing a bottleneck solution. Coupled to the decision-making process, a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of different factors and bottleneck solutions is presented, as well as a description of a real case in which the decision-making process is used.
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8. |
- Brange, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Risks and opportunities for bottleneck measures in Swedish district heating networks
- 2018
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In: 16th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling, DHC2018, 9–12 September 2018, Hamburg, Germany. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; 149, s. 380-389
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heat supply bottlenecks are common in district heating (DH) networks and makes the DH network work in a non-optimal way, why it is beneficial to address them. The purpose of this paper is thus to investigate risks, opportunities, added values and issues coupled to various bottleneck measures. This is made by in depth interviews with DH companies and through DH network simulations. The results showed numerous risks and opportunities coupled to each bottleneck measure investigated, and are meant to highlight more effective measures, to help increase the competitiveness of and improve the environmental performance of DH.
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9. |
- Calvén, Alexandra, et al.
(author)
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From vision to reality – integrating energy goals in the development of a new urban district in Sweden
- 2024
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In: eceee 2024 Summer Study Proceedings. - 9789198827026 - 9789198827033
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Urban areas play an important role in attaining the sustainability and energy goals set by municipalities. Despite the often ambitious sustainability visions and goals for new urban areas, there is limited understanding of how these aspirations are integrated into the planning and development process. This paper aims to provide insights into how energy-related visions and goals, in a new district in Sweden, are formulated and further translated into instruments employed by the municipality. Brunnshög, a new sustainability-profiled district in Lund envisioned to become a leading example of sustainable urban development, is used as a case study. The district’s long-term energy goal is to generate more energy than what is used, emphasizing a strong focus on energy efficiency and local renewable energy generation. Key to Brunnshög’s energy strategy is the implementation of the world’s largest low-temperature district heating network supplied with excess heat from two high-tech research facilities. The planning process for Brunnshög began in 2006 and the district is expected to be completed in 2055, accommodating an estimated 40,000 residents and workers.Adopting a municipal planning perspective, this paper combines analysis of planning documents with interviews conducted with developers and the municipality’s project manager for Brunnshög. The results provide an overview of how the energy-related visions and goals for Brunnshög have been included in the planning documents for the district and describe the utilization of three instruments used by the municipality to achieve these visions and goals: (1) collaboration contract with the local energy company, (2) land allocation competitions, and (3) sustainability agreements with the developers.The formulation of visions and goals for Brunnshög, divided into long-term visionary goals and more immediate operational goals, allows for adjustments of specific aspects based on changing circumstances while still maintaining a commitment to broader visions and goals. The translation of energy goals into commitments is an evolving process, with the level of ambition influenced by factors such as the demand for housing and office space, competition among developers, and prevailing sustainability trends. This paper concludes that the integration of sustainability criteria into land allocation competitions is a powerful instrument for driving ambitious building projects. However, in contexts where the municipality lacks ownership of the land or faces subdued market conditions, there is a need for additional tools to be developed. Furthermore, sustainability agreements with developers serve as an important tool to track the sustainability commitments made in land allocation competitions. However, implementing a more systematic review and evaluation of these agreements, including long-term assessments, is necessary to learn from the experiences and hold the actors accountable. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of how energy goals can be sustained throughout lengthy urban development processes. Insights gained from development processes such as Brunnshög are essential for implementing the necessary changes to decrease the climate impact of new urban development projects and to mainstream the practices of sustainable urban development.
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10. |
- Gåverud, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Kundernas uppfattning om förändrade prismodeller
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Tidigare svenska studier om prissättning och prismodeller i fjärrvärmeverksamhet har bidragit med viktiga aspekter ur ett produktionsperspektiv på hur man kan tänka vid utformning av prismodeller för fjärrvärme. Dessa studier har framförallt tryckt på att fjärrvärmens prismodeller bör återspegla fjärrvärmebolagets kostnader för produktion och distribution av fjärrvärme i kundledet då detta minskar fjärrvärmebolagens ekonomiska risker vid förändringar i fjärrvärmeunderlaget eller i kundernas uttagsmönster. Denna studie har haft som syfte att bredda bilden och synen på vad man bör beakta vid framtagande av prismodeller för fjärrvärme genom att lägga till ett tydligt kundperspektiv. Syftet har varit att analysera kunders syn på fjärrvärmebolagens prismodeller och de förändringar som skett avseende dessa modeller. Ett kvalitativt angreppssätt har valts i denna studie. Anledningen till detta är frågeställningens karaktär. Det är inte alla fjärrvärmekunder som är insatta i hur prismodellen som de debiteras är utformad och fungerar. Vi såg därför ett behov av att kunna diskutera och ställa följdfrågor till kunderna. För att nå en fördjupad dynamik i diskussionerna valdes fokusgruppintervjuer som metod. Totalt sex fokusgruppintervjuer har genomförts – en för större och en för mindre kunder för vart och ett av de tre företag som har ingått i studien. Dessa företag är Sala-Heby Energi, Södertörns Fjärrvärme och Öresundskraft. Södertörns Fjärrvärme och Öresundskraft har under senare år infört prismodeller som ska generera priser som bättre återspeglar företagets kostnader. Sala-Heby Energi har valt att gå en annan väg, företaget har helt slopat de fasta avgifterna och effektavgifterna. Företaget har endast ett rörligt energipris som kunderna betalar för. Utifrån de resultat som har framkommit från studiens sex fokusgruppintervjuer står det klart att det finns en divergens mellan vilka egenskaper som kunderna vill att en prismodell för fjärrvärme ska ha och tidigare studiers rekommendationer som trycker på kostnadsreflektering och riskminimering för företagen. De främsta egenskaperna som kunderna lyfter fram för en bra prismodell ur ett kundperspektiv är följande: • Energieffektivisering måste löna sig, kundernas kostnader ska vara påverkbara av kundernas beteende • Prismodellen ska vara enkel att förstå och enkel att kommunicera – kunden vill förstå vad den betalar för • Kunderna vill kunna förutse kommande kostnader för att kunna lägga budget Den egenskap som kunderna ser som allra viktigast i fjärrvärmebolagens sätt att ta betalt för fjärrvärme är att energieffektiviseringsåtgärder måste löna sig och att prismodellen ska vara påverkbar av kundernas beteende. Vidare vill kunderna ha prismodeller som går att förstå och kommunicera till andra. Ju mer komponenter och kategorier som finns i prismodellerna, desto svårare är det för kunderna att förstå hur olika åtgärder som kunderna gör slår igenom och desto svårare är det att lägga budget. Större kunder såsom kommuner och fastighetsbolag betonar behovet av förutsägbarhet. Utifrån fokusgruppintervjuerna föreföll effektavgiften vara den del i fjärrvärmebolagens prismodeller som utgjorde det största störnings- och orosmomentet för kunderna. Komponenten är problematisk utifrån flera av de faktorer som kunderna ser som viktiga för en bra prismodell. Vidare har olika fjärrvärmebolag olika definitioner och sätt att ta betalt för effekt. Detta är något de större fastighetsbolagen som ingick i studien hade synpunkter på. För de som äger fastigheter i olika områden är det svårt att hålla reda på alla olika definitioner och det försvårar beräkningar och budgetering. En branschgemensam norm för hur man definierar och tar betalat för kapacitet efterfrågades av dessa kunder. Flödespremier, som har till syfte att ge kunderna incitament att effektivisera sina kundcentraler, är också svåra att förstå för kunderna. Ska man som fjärrvärmebolag använda sig av flödespremier får man förbereda sig på att det krävs en hel del arbete med att ta fram information kring flödesavgiften och ett enkelt sätt att förklara varför fjärrvärmebolaget vill ha tillbaka en låg returtemperatur. Det kan även vara svårt för kunder att förstå bakgrunden och syftet till införande av säsongsdifferentierade priser. Det kan vara en pedagogisk utmaning för fjärrvärmeleverantören att motivera att värmen ska vara dyrare på vintern än på sommaren – utifrån ett kundperspektiv blir värmen då dyrare när den behövs som mest medan den blir billigare när man i princip inte behöver någon värme. Fokusgruppintervjuerna indikerar dock att det är lättare att förklara och motivera säsongsdifferentierade priser än ovan nämnda effekt- och flödeskomponenter. Är prismodellen begriplig i övrigt verkar kunderna acceptera de prismässiga säsongsvariationerna. Vi kan alltså konstatera att det föreligger ett glapp mellan de strategier som förordas i branschen som trycker på att fjärrvärmebolagen genom prismodellen ska minimera sina ekonomiska risker vid förändrat fjärrvärmeunderlag eller uttagsmönster och kundernas behov och önskemål när det gäller fjärrvärmens prismodeller. Denna studie har haft som syfte att bredda bilden och synen på vad man bör beakta vid framtagande av prismodeller för fjärrvärme genom att lägga till ett tydligt kundperspektiv. Syftet har dock inte varit att ge något färdigt recept på hur prismodellerna ska se ut då det finns många perspektiv att ta hänsyn till. Den viktigaste rekommendationen som kommer ifrån denna studie blir därför att fjärrvärmebolagen har en viktig läxa att göra när det gäller att väga de olika perspektiven mot varandra. Detta måste göras med vetskapen om att olika mål och perspektiv kanske inte är kongruenta mot varandra. Genom att ta ut höga fasta kostnader i kundledet säkrar fjärrvärmeföretagen sina investeringar vilket kan vara en strategi för möta hoten om minskade värmelaster i framtiden. Samtidigt riskerar detta att skapa ett missnöje hos kunderna. En övergripande och central slutsats i studien rör alltså även det kommunikativa och kundrelationen i stort. Kunderna verkar vilja känna att fjärrvärmebolaget är närvarande, behjälpligt och förstår kundernas situation. Det tycks vara lika viktigt att man som fjärrvärmeleverantör kommunicerar och hur man gör det som vad man kommunicerar. Även den relation som fjärrvärmebolaget har med kunderna vid införandet av en ny prismodell påverkar hur kunderna tar emot prismodellsförändringen. Vid en stark relation är förtroendekapitalet stort för fjärrvärmebolaget vilket ökar kundernas beredvillighet att se förändringen i positiv dager eller åtminstone något som inte nödvändigtvis måste vara av ondo för kunderna. Vid en svag eller dålig kundrelation ökar kundernas misstänksamhet för prismodellen och fjärrvärmebolagens underliggande skäl att vilja ändra sin prismodell.
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11. |
- Johansson Kallioniemi, Per-Olof, et al.
(author)
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Report on improved use of individual metering concept
- 2019
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In a low temperature district heating (LTDH) system the importance of well performing network and customer installations are essential due to reduced operation margins. The use of low-value waste heat in the production sets limitations on the supply temperature. New piping materials sets limitations on the supply temperature and the pressure level. All in all, this means an increased focus on ensuring that DH installations arewell performing. This report is about ‘individual metering concepts’. The LTDH-system is monitored by direct connection to the heat meters at all the consumers. The data from the heat meters can be used as a basis for describing, predicting and analysing the system's performance for better control of production and operation, for better conditions for troubleshooting and maintenance of the grid and the customer installations as well as for better customer service. The aim of this report is to: give an overview over the current regulations for metering and billing of heat in Sweden and Denmark give an overview of desirable functionalities for DH meters and metering systems to provide input to applications that can be developed with the help of meter readings and which can be useful for the district heating industry describe how DH meter readings can be used for condition monitoring of service pipes and develop a method for this Regulations for metering and billing of DH follows EU regulations which says that all DH customers must be charged according to actual consumption. The overview of the current regulations for metering and billing in Denmark and Sweden shows that the two neighbouring countries have somewhat different approach to the individual metering concept. In Denmark there is a long tradition of individual metering in multifamily buildings and the tenants heat consumption is measured. In Sweden there is no such tradition and the individual metering concept generally is not in focus. Instead, the property owner is the customer. Denmark follows the Energy Efficiency Directive from 2012 (supplemented 2018) that requires individual metering and charging. The Swedish regulations on metering and billing are based on the exception in the EU regulation concerning individual metering and charging saying that individual metering must be economically justifiable. The Swedish National Board of Housing has shown that implementation of the EU regulations is not economically justifiable for the Swedish case ‐ neither for existing buildings or in new buildings. There is a general attitude that increased frequency and higher resolution of meter readings automatically results in increased possibilities for new and improved analyses of customer performance. At present there are several researchers and research groups that are using meter readings from DH customers and machine learning with the aim to improve the energy performance of both the DH customer installations as well as the DH network and production operation. From ongoing projects four areas for applications have been identified: Fault detection, Load prediction, Production planning and Operational optimization. For these applications hourly meter readings are sufficient, at least in combination with historical data and weather conditions. For improved fault detection algorithms and moving towards fault diagnosis it would be beneficial to access secondary meter readings such as temperatures in the secondary side heating‐ and domestic hot water system as well as indoor temperatures. When moving on towards fault diagnosis, the frequency may also be in focus. A temporary shift to meter readings with higher frequency may be necessary for diagnosis. All in all, it might not be the frequency of the meter readings that should be increased, it might be more beneficial to include more meter parameters from the customer side of the heat exchanger. By integration of more meter parameters, the focus may shift from a matter of frequency to the broad concept of Internet of things (IoT). One scope within this project was to evaluate the feasibility for usage of meter readings from customer installations to detect increased heat losses in service pipes due to moisture. A theoretical study was carried out, but it did not turn into a success. Results showed that even though the heat losses in the service pipe increases due to moisture content, the impact on the measured parameters, that is temperature and flow, are low and would be hard to detect. A higher resolution or increased frequency of meter readings would not improve the feasibility to use meter readings for monitoring increased heat losses in service pipes since if feasible, it would require stable heat load at the customer installation and stable and known temperature conditions in the DH network. Through studies performed within this work and by other researchers it is clear that DH utilities, both in Denmark and Sweden, has a desire to improve customer performance and to reduce the DH return temperature. A key factor for success within this field is good customer relations and access to the customer’s DH substation. This may be a driving force for DH‐utilities to offer service agreement and ICT‐platforms for greater customer engagement. Customers seems to be more willing to take actions to improve their installations if they understand why it is important. Recommendations: The following recommendations are given based on the overall picture provided by the report's different compilations and studies: The meter should be able to measure the energy for every hour and be able to convert to measure with higher frequencies (minutes). Some types of measurement data analyses may require a higher resolution than hourly measurement, which is why the possibility of higher resolution should be provided, without that being a default setting. It should be possible to remotely upgrading the meters and to remotely change the meter frequency. This will provide that new functionalities can be introduced in a cost‐efficient way and that expensive field visits can be avoided. Access to secondary meter readings. The following measurements were seen as the most important: Indoor temperatures, secondary temperatures measured on branches for the heating system in the building, and measurement on the district heating differential pressure. Measuring these parameters would be beneficial for developing algorithms for fault detection and for improving system performance for the total district heating system, as well as for as being able to guarantee the quality of energy supplies at the customer substations. There should be a digital interface that the end customers can use to access their energy consumption locally. The communication solution should also support a future standard for communication with devices in the home. In order to be of real use for the customers, this should be delivered with some kind of analysis tools that can help the customers relate their consumption or data to reference data (for example historical data, norms or set point values) and that can provide the customer with extended analysis that make sense to the customer.
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12. |
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13. |
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14. |
- Månsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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A fault handling process for faults in district heating customer installations
- 2021
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In: Energies. - : MDPI AG. - 1996-1073. ; 14:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Faults in district heating (DH) customer installations cause high return temperatures, which have a negative impact on both current and future district heating systems. Thus, there is a need to detect and correct these faults soon after they occur to minimize their impact on the system. This paper, therefore, suggests a fault handling process for the detection and elimination of faults in DH customer installations. The fault handling process is based on customer data analysis since many faults manifest in customer data. The fault handling process was based on an analysis of the results from the previous fault handling studies, as well as conducting a workshop with experts from the DH industry. During the workshop, different organizational and technical challenges related to fault handling were discussed. The results include a presentation of how the utilities are currently working with fault handling. The results also present an analysis of different organizational aspects that would have to be improved to succeed in fault handling. The paper also includes a suggestion for how a fault handling process based on fault detection using data analysis may be designed. This process may be implemented by utilities in both current and future DH systems that interested in working more actively with faults in their customer installations.
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15. |
- Månsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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A machine learning approach to fault detection in district heating substations
- 2018
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In: 16th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling, DHC2018, 9–12 September 2018, Hamburg, Germany. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; 149, s. 226-235
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study is to develop a model capable of predicting the behavior of a district heating substation, including being able to distinguish datasets from well performing substations from datasets containing faults. The model developed in the study is based on machine learning algorithms and the model is trained on data from a Swedish district heating substation. A number of different models and input/output parameters are tested in the study. The results show that the model is capable of modelling the substation behavior, and that the fault detection capability of the model is high.
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16. |
- Månsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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A taxonomy for labeling deviations in district heating customer data
- 2021
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In: Smart Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 2666-9552. ; 2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper suggests a taxonomy for labeling deviating patterns in district heating (DH) customer data. The taxonomy contains several fault labels intended to register information about faults in the DH systems that cause deviations in customer data. This taxonomy is needed because the DH industry is currently missing a unanimous way to label identified faults. The lack of a taxonomy makes it hard to develop automated fault detection and diagnosis methods based on the analysis of DH customer data. Such methods usually require training on historical data sets known to contain deviating data patterns caused by specific faults. By developing a taxonomy for labeling these faults, this study aims to create value for DH utilities in current and future DH systems. The taxonomy structure was based on literature studies, workshops, and discussions with partners within the Swedish FutureHeat collaboration organization Smart Energi. Once the basic structure was decided, it was sent out for evaluation amongst Swedish DH utilities. The evaluation was carried out as a survey study. The results from the survey were compiled, and the finalized version of the deviation cause taxonomy was produced. The study includes the results of the survey study and the finalized version of the deviation cause taxonomy.
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17. |
- Månsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
-
Faults in district heating customer installations and ways to approach them: Experiences from Swedish utilities
- 2019
-
In: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-5442. ; 180, s. 163-174
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The district heating (DH) customer installations in current DH systems contain a variety of different faults that cause the return temperatures of the systems to increase. This is a major problem, since the focus in the DH sector is to decrease the system temperatures in order to utilize more low-temperature heat. Therefore, this study has focused on how utilities are currently working to keep their temperatures low, how they involve their customers in this work, and what faults are most common today. This was done by conducting a combined interview and survey study, where Swedish DH utilities participated. The results showed that the two most important elements to obtain low return temperatures were to have physical access to and mandate of the customer installations, and to maintain a good and close customer relationship. The results also showed that many faults occur in the customers’ internal heating systems, or were due to leakages somewhere in the installation. Overall, the results showed that it is indeed possible to work close to and affect the customers to obtain lower return temperatures from the customer installations. It was also clear that the most common faults were rather easy to eliminate as long as the utilities gained physical access to the entire customer installation.
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18. |
- Persson, Tommy, et al.
(author)
-
Svenska fjärrvärmebolags försäljningsstrategier i småhusområden
- 2004
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- District heating is well expanded in the residential areas in Sweden, although not in detached house areas. Increased environmental concerns as well as steadily increasing electricity and oil prices make the detached houses sector a potential market for the district heating companies. District heating in low heat density areas is economically challenging for mainly two reasons: Firstly, construction of the district heating system implicate large investment costs. Secondly, the distributions costs, particularly for heat losses, will be larger in systems with low heat density. In order to maximize the line heat density and to reduce the investment cost per house a high rate of connections in the area is essential. Hence the economic prerequisites bring about a market situation in which the district heating companies are required to connect as many customers as possible within a specific area at the same time. The aim of this study is to find out what kind of strategies the district heating companies use for selling district heating to detached house owners. Our hope is that this study will help transferring knowledge and experiences between the district heating companies; that is identify efforts for new, successful strategies and to make some specific contributions to these new strategies. Methods used in this study were a survey that was sent to all of the members of The Swedish District Heating Association and telephone interviews with some of the companies that answered the survey. The rate of answers in the survey was 30 % and the number of interviews was 17. Results from the statistical analysis show that the size of a company is an important factor for the expansions rate. As measurements of company size either the company’s amount of customers, or the company’s total amount of heat sold per year, have been used. Not very surprising, large companies seem to connect a higher number of new customers in detached houses per year compared to smaller companies. Also, a correlation between the supply of cheap fuel in the production mix and the expansion rate has been found, although the correlation is rather weak. Many companies use sales processes that are similar to each other. The first step in the sales process is to investigate the customer interest for district heating within the area. This is accomplished either by sending out interest inquiries to the potential customers and arranging information meetings, or by assigning an already interested customer to investigate the interest for district heating in the neighbourhood. A combination of the different activities also exists. The next step is contract signing. The customer is usually tied up by the contract to connect to district heating when the system is expanded to the area, whereas the company does not guarantee any connection unless a sufficient rate of connections can be achieved in the area. Several companies also perform sales to latecomers during or after the erection of the system.The figure above discloses results from the study regarding which information companies have or collect about their potential customers. The information mainly concerns physical factors that can be used for estimating heat load in an area, factors that can be used to determine the heat sources presently used by the customer and the age of boilers and equipment in the houses. Some companies have been rather active when it comes to physical factors and for instance used the public record of energy wells in order to get an indication of the existence of heat pumps in the area. This is one example of an interesting move that other companies surely can adopt. Social factors like income, profession, education and age of household members are hardly examined at all. This kind of information is needed by the district heating companies for them to be able to offer customer specific solutions or to sharpen the argumentation when marketing district heating. From this viewpoint the customer is still seen merely a heat load in the district heating system. When the company presents their offer to connect houses to the grid the customers are not always in the situation where they can change heat source right away. The district heating companies have developed a variety of strategies to deal with this problem. Some companies offer compensation to the customer for the old heat source or assist in mediating the customer’s old boiler to a buyer. If the customers’ heating device breaks down before the house has been connected to the district heating system, some companies arrange a temporary solution for the customer. A small number of companies offer a resting connection if the customer for some reason doesn’t want to connect to the district heating system straight away. Only very few companies offer services that stand out from the core business ”to sell heat to detached houses”.
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19. |
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20. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Cool ways of using low grade Heat Sources from Cooling and Surplus Heat for heating of Energy Efficient Buildings with new Low Temperature District Heating (LTDH) Solutions. : Report on solutions for avoiding risk of legionella
- 2018
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Legionellae are bacteria that naturally exist in freshwater environments, but have also been found in seawater and soils.Legionellacan cause illnesses such as Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac Fever where the Legionnaires' disease is a severe variant of Pneumonia and Pontiac Fever is a milder influenza like variant.Legionellabacteria can grow in domestic hot water systems (DHW systems) and in order to prohibit bacterial growth, national temperature levels on DHW systems have been set.As the district heating industry strives to lower the supply temperature in district heating systems to achieve higher system efficiency, new solutions might be needed for solving the problems of Legionellagrowth in the customers’ domestic hot water systems.The aim of this report is to:•give an overview over the regulations in domestic hot water systems in terms of Legionella safety in six European countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany and France)•give an overview on different techniques forLegionellaprevention.•make an analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques and how these techniques comply with today’s regulation of domestic hot water systems as well as to analyse theapplicability of the different methods when used within a low temperature district heating context. •make a statistical outlook on the incidence of Legionnaires disease in the six selected countries and how the incidence levels relate to regulated temperature levels for domestic hot water systems. The review of national rules regarding Legionellasafety in DHW systems shows that the legislation in all countries is based on maintaining a sufficient temperature in domestic hot water systems in order to make an unfavourable environment to theLegionella bacteria. There are no rules that deal with the control of bacterial levels of Legionella in the water. The temperature level requirements in the six different countries differ. For most countries, the DHWtemperature requirements are set to minimum 50 °C at the drain point and 60 °C in storage tanks with stagnant water. Some countries have chosen to set the temperature requirements even higher, for example Norway that declares that Legionella should be controlled by keeping the temperature in circulating water systems above 65 °C. Other countries, such as France and Germany, use special legislations for small DHW systems (this special legislation is often referred to as ‘the 3-litre-rule’), and in Denmark a DHW temperature of 45 °C is permitted at times of peak flow.Our overview over feasible technical solutions for preventing Legionellagrowth in domestic hot water systems shows that there are several alternative techniques that theoretically could prevent Legionella growth besides the conventional one based on keeping a high water temperature. Many of these methods, however, come to short because they cannot be viewed as completely safe or as good long-term solutions, or they have not been commercialised and fully tested yet. Because of the legal temperature requirements in domestic hot water systems, the alternative techniques for Legionellacontrol could not be used as single methods if ultra-low temperature district heating is used (with a supply temperature of 50 °C), since the legal temperature requirements would then not be met.That means that today's legislation does not support ultra-low supply temperature in district heating grids in most EU countries unless the DHW temperature in the customer installation can be boosted using local heating solutions, such as electric heat tracing, micro heat pumps or instantaneous water heaters. In countries applying the 3-litre-rule, DHW preparation in decentralized DH substations could be a solution. When decentralized DH substations is used, the DHW is heated up instantly in a small heat exchanger with short residence time (seconds). The question arises if such heat-up has a significant influence on Legionella survival dependant on if the set point temperature is 55 or 45 °C. More research is needed to bring clarity if the small DHW systems can be assumed to beLegionellasafe. If the answer is yes, this could open up for usage of ULTDH for direct preparation of DHW at 45 C° in instantaneous heaters. According to statistics from the European Working Group for LegionellaInfections (EWGLI), the countries with the lower temperature requirements actually do show more incidences of Legionnaires’ disease. The findings are interesting although it is not possible to establish causal relationship by these variables within the framework of this study - if it is even possible to determine this at all. There may be other, underlying, variables that can explain this relationship. Nevertheless, for health reasons, and for PR reasons, it may be wise to use a precautionary principle for alternative techniques to prevent Legionellagrowth. It would not be fruitful to build a heating system that increases residents' risk of getting Legionella; furthermore, such a development could conduce to denigrate district heating reputation.If the research on Legionella safety in small DHW systems can show good results, there will be reason to argue for some legal changes. Today’s legal requirements in DHW systems can then be seen to unnecessarily aggravate possible system efficiency in the district heating business that comes with lower supply temperatures.
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21. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Customer perspectives on district heating price models
- 2017
-
In: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management. - 2246-2929. ; 13 (2017), s. 47-60
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Sweden there has been a move towards more cost reflective price models for district heating in order to reduce economic risks that comes with variable heat demand and high shares of fixed assets. The keywords in the new price models are higher shares of fixed cost, seasonal energy prices and charging for capacity. Also components that are meant to serve as incentives to affect behaviour are introduced, for example peak load components and flow components. In this study customer responses to these more complex price models have been investigated through focus group interviews and through interviews with companies that have changed their price models. The results show that several important customer requirements are suffering with the new price models. The most important ones are when energy savings do not provide financial savings, when costs are hard to predict and are perceived to be out of control.
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22. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin
(author)
-
Effekten av effekten. Elanvändning och laststyrning i elvärmda småhus ur kund- och företagsperspektiv. Fallstudier.
- 2004
-
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Electricity must be produced at the same time as it is used. This necessitates flexibility in the electricity production and electricity networks. Until recently, the increase in electricity demand and peak power demand has been met by expansion of the electricity production. Today, due to the deregulation of the electricity market, the production capacity is decreasing. Therefore, there is a national interest in finding solutions to peak problems also on the demand side, i.e. enabling electricity users to decrease or shift load when needed. For local players in the electricity market, there are various technical and economic motives for developingmethods to influence or control customers’ usage patterns.In the studies described here (Study 1 and Study 2) ten households in electrically heated houses, were examined. The households were all customers of the electric utility SkånskaEnergi AB. In 1999 the utility equipped their customers with a remote metering system (CustCom) that has an in-built load control component. A large number of studies, in Sweden as well as in other countries, investigate the impact of habits on energy use within a home. A hitherto not investigated area is the effect of habits on the load pattern. In Study 1 (of this licentiate thesis), the load pattern of ten households was examined by using energy diaries combined with frequent meter readings (every five minutes) of the load demand for heating, hot water service and domestic electricity use. Household members kept energy diaries over a four-day period in January 2004, noting time, activitiesand the use of household appliances that run on electricity. Comparison of the data from these two sources provided an estimate of the impact of various activities and the use of electrical appliances on load demand. The analysis showed that the use of heat-producing household appliances, e.g. sauna, washing machine and dryer, appliances used for cooking (oven,kitchen range-hob, electric kettle and microwave oven), dishwasher and extra electric heaters, contribute to the household’s highest peaks. Turning on the sauna and at the same time using the shower equates to a peak load of 7-9 kW. This, in addition to the use of electricity for heating and lighting along alongside electricity use for refrigerators and freezers, results insome households reaching their main fuse level (roughly 13,8 kW for a main fuse of 20 A). This means that the domestic use of electricity makes up a considerable part of the highest peak loads in a household, but the highest peaks occur together with the use of electricity for heating and hot water.viixIn the second study, Study 2, the households participated in a load control experiment, inwhich the utility was able to turn on and switch off the heating and hot water systemsremotely, using the CustCom system. Heating and water heaters were switched off for periodsof 1-4 hours (except for one occasion during which the water heater was switched off for 16hours) without letting the households know when the control periods would take place or howlong they would last. Household heating and hot water comfort as well as the households’attitudes towards and experiences of being controlled were investigated using a combinationof methods. During the experiment period, which lasted three weeks, the household indoortemperature was measured to establish the temperature drops caused by switching off theheating system. The households were asked to make notes of their experiences of thermalcomfort and hot water comfort on a specified “comfort sheet”. In order to be able to ascertainwhether the households had missed out on any of the control periods, the household membershad to keep a record of when they were away from home. Following the test period,interviews were carried out in order to establish the household experiences of the load controlexperiment, to gain insight into the household members’ views of their energy use and energyhabits, and to gain an understanding of the requirements that customers have regarding loadcontrol measures. Issues such as limitations of control time, compensation and feedback werediscussed. Also, a more indirect form of load control - tariffs - were discussed, namelyclassical time tariffs and tariffs using a peak load component where the grid fee is based on anaverage of the customer's three highest hourly peaks during one month.Interview data, records of thermal and hot water comfort and indoor temperature readingsshowed that the households noticed some of the control periods but that equally some wentunnoticed. At its lowest, the indoor temperature went down by 2,5ºC. Obviously, longercontrol periods of three or four hours contributed to larger temperature drops, but at the sametime sun radiation through windows affected the indoor temperature. Hence, the householdsseemed to be more sensitive to load controls in the mornings than in the evenings when thesun had had the chance to heat up the house. The households under investigation keptdifferent indoor temperature levels; the average temperature ranged from 18,5ºC to 24ºC.Intuitively, a household that normally keeps a lower indoor temperature should be moresensitive to a temperature drop of a couple of degrees. In this study, however, the householdswith a higher average indoor temperature tended to sense the temperature drops to the sameextent as those with lower average indoor temperatures. This may be a result of thesehouseholds adapting their clothing to the high indoor temperature by for instance wearing Tshirtsor walking around barefoot even in wintertime. Another factor impacting on the thermalexperience is the speed of the temperature drop. Houses equipped with direct resistive electricradiators and light frameworks lack the capacity to store heat and as such the indoor climatewill be affected more easily.Load control of the hot water systems went unnoticed. Only one household experienced ashortage of hot water when the water heater had been switched off for several hours (duringthe 16-hour long control period). The other households did not notice the switch-off period atall. This may however be a result of the fact that the households participating in this study didhave big water heaters in relation to their hot water needs.
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23. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin
(author)
-
Energy Services in Sweden - Customer Relations towards Increased Sustainability
- 2008
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Energy use and supply are evident issues to consider for a sustainable development, where the economic, social and environmental aspects are all important. In large grid-bound systems, the supply of energy is usually a rather invisible activity and the contacts between household custo-mers and utilities are sometimes only repre-sented through the energy bill. In this thesis, three particular fields are emphasized where these interactions comes into focus: Electricity peak load problems and load manage-ment in households; Energy monitoring and feedback, and; The selling of district heating to households in de-tached house areas. Improved customer relations in these areas can both increase the energy utilities abilities to compete on the markets and to contri-bute to an increased sustainable development within the energy sector. The traditional ways to handle peak load problems in the Swedish electricity system have been to build new power plants and to reinforce the elec-tricity grid. However,there are many reasons why solutions should be sought for on the demand-side. This thesis discusses the issues of load management through technical load control of households’ electric heating systems and electric water heaters, and through indirect load management with different pricing of electricity.The new Swedish law about monthly accurate billing of electricity for household customers has influenced the electricity network owners to install new automatic meter reading (AMR) systems. Hourly metering can give raise to a new set of data about household electricity use, that can be utilised to provide detailed characteristics of load demand and consumption patterns and serve as a basis for customer segmentation. This information can be useful when developing new energy services, new pricing of electricity, new load management strategies and demand response programs. In this thesis, customer preferences towards feedback on electricity use and different types of billing are investigated and the results from this research can make a contribution to the knowledge of customers’ need and awareness of different kinds of feedback. Conversion of electric heating systems in detached houses to district heating can contribute to solve peak load problems, to lower emissions in the energy system and may constitute a new heat demand needed for new introduction of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Effective market strategies are important in order to achieve a high connection rate of household customers to the district-heating grid. Results from two studies in this thesis can contribute to the knowledge of customer preferences, attitudes and decision-making processes that play an important role for the development of more effective marketing strategies for district heating.
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24. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Koncessionsplikten - i kollision med utbyggd mikroproduktion
- 2014
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Syftet med detta projekt har varit att analysera huruvida, och i sådana fall på vilket sätt, koncessionsplikten hämmar förutsättningarna för småskalig elproduktion, främst mikroproduktion. I detta ingår också att komma med förslag på hur juridiska och regleringsmässiga förändringar skulle kunna se ut för att öka möjligheterna för transitering av lokalt producerad energi. Studien har framförallt baserats på intervjuer med berörda myndigheter och intressentgrupper, samt på studier av lagtexter och rapporter som relaterar till ämnet. Utifrån intervjusvaren framgår att det är de ekonomiska förutsättningarna, dvs. svårigheten att få lönsamhet i investeringarna, som ses som det största hindret för att öka intresset för mikroproduktion av el. Ekonomin vid investering i mikroproduktion påverkas till stor del av vad som faller under begreppet egenproducerad el. Idag är denna del begränsad av hur mycket av den producerade elen som kan förbrukas av mikroproducenten själv utan att överföring sker i nätägarens elnät. När nätägarens nät används belastas elen med rörlig nätavgift, energiskatt och moms. Detta eftersom elen först matas in i lokalnätet och sedan tas ut från detsamma och därmed räknas som köpt el. Det är alltså inte produktionen som belastas med nätavgift och skatter utan när motsvarande mängd el förbrukas i ett senare skede. Merkostnaden som följer av detta begränsar möjligheten att utnyttja de bästa sol- och vindlägena vid placering av solcellsanläggningar och vindkraftverk. Analysen av intervjuer och litteratur har lett fram till tre rekommendationer. Det kan konstateras att det nuvarande regelverket kring koncession för elledningar har vuxit fram över tid och har tagits fram för en annan typ avenergisystem än det energisystem som är på väg att växa fram idag, där konsumenter också kan vara elproducenter. En första rekommendation är därför att initiativ tas till en övergripande översyn av koncessionsregelverket. Vid en sådan översyn är det viktigt att beakta och väga in förutsättningarna för småskalig elproduktion och mikroproduktion. Det perspektivet saknas i det nuvarande regelverket. Parallell infrastruktur är dock inte något som är önskvärt ur ett samhälleligt perspektiv så länge den tillkommande infrastrukturen inte också ger upphov till förbättringar eller nya användningsområden. Därför utgör inte ändringar eller nya undantag till koncessionsplikten förstahandsvalet för främjandet av mikroproduktion om samma eller liknande effekter kan uppnås genom andra styrmedel eller förändringar. Vid nybyggnationer, där anslutningar till det koncessionspliktiga nätet inte redan finns etablerade, bör dock finnas möjlighet till ökad flexibilitet för olika lösningar i syfte att främja nytänkande och en effektiv utveckling av energisystemet. En andra rekommendation i studien är därför att ett dispensförfarande införs med möjlighet till dispens från de generella bestämmelserna i fall där det finns en uppenbar nytta för energisystemets utveckling och där påverkan för koncessionshavaren är begränsad.För att förbättra förutsättningarna för lönsamheten när det gäller mikroproduktion av el stod många aktörers hopp till att regeringen skulle införa nettodebitering för mikroproduktion av el. Då nettodebitering inte har ansetts vara en framkomlig väg har istället regeringen tagit fram ett förslag som innebär att skatteavdrag ska få göras för produktion upp till 20 000 kWh om året. Avdraget ska ungefär motsvara kostnaden för energiskatt och moms. Som tredje rekommendation förordas att regeringens förslag till skattelättnad vidareutvecklas, genom att så långt som möjligt ta bort den geografiska kopplingen mellan produktion och förbrukning. På detta sätt kan gynnsamma lägen för elproduktion utnyttjas på ett bättre sätt och en betydligt större del av den totala potentialen avseende mikroproduktion komma att realiseras.En central fråga som skulle behöva utredas vid ett sådant förfarande är dock hur elnätsbolagens förutsättningar att bedriva en effektiv nätverksamhet skulle komma att påverkas om en del av den el som överförs i nätet inte får belastas med en rörlig nätavgift.
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25. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Risk management for maintenance of district heating networks
- 2017
-
In: Energy Procedia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; 116, s. 381-393
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Underground infrastructure such as buried district heating pipes are difficult to inspect. The methods available to assess the status of the district heating pipes are often both expensive and do not provide enough evidence to determine the condition of the pipelines. This paper discusses how utilities systematically can work with risk assessments and risk classification to plan the maintenance and renewal of district heating networks. The results were based on interviews with a selection of Swedish district heating companies that were already using risk and vulnerability analysis as a tool for maintenance and renewal of their networks, as well as on a literature study of methods for risk and vulnerability analysis. The study showed that a rather limited number of methods were used by the selected utilities, mainly those based on risk matrices. Risk classification of pipes were carried out based on age, type and dimensions of pipes, identification of pipes to customers with greater need for security of supply, history of damages on the pipes and statistics over probability of damage for different kind of pipes, working environment and safety. Personnel involved in the management and maintenance planning of reinvestment in the district heating network emphasized that strategic work with risk management really can aid the foreseeing of coming needs for reinvestments and planning of maintenance. The study rendered in advices and a checklist for how district heating companies can start working with the area of risk management.
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26. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Småhusägarnas syn på att köpa fjärrvärme. En studie av tillämpade försäljningsstrategier och kunders val vid konvertering från direktverkande el.
- 2006
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Summary This report presents results from the project ”Converting direct resistive electric heating into district heating - customer related aspects” conducted at the division of Efficient Energy Systems, Department of Energy Sciences, Lund University. The main objective of this study was to investigate how specific households within one housing area (Sandsbro in Växjö with 110 one-family houses) experienced the conversion process, in order to understand the reasons behind “yes” or “no” responses to the utility’s offer. A qualitative approach with semi-structured in-depth interviews with a specially selected sample of households from 10 converted and 13 not converted houses was chosen as the main method. The investigation led to the following conclusions and recommendations: • Household reactions to the terms of sale and conversion: Many households felt that the decisions were rushed - there is a need for better planning, especially for the older households. The information provided was evaluated as detailed and sufficient. The “demonstration villa” was a good idea but the installation should be done more professionally - aesthetics are very important here. Home visits were the only personal contact and should be conducted in all houses in order to answer questions and explain problems. Co-ordination of excavation should be better in order to limit the time the ground is open. A few of the households undertook some of the works themselves to reduce costs but the compensation was often considered as too low to motivate customers. • Household opinions on the product and/or service: Almost all households felt that the thermal comfort was better than before - more stable indoor temperature, no problems with overheated radiators or smell of burning dust. On the other hand, hot water comfort was worse - longer waiting time for hot water and too low water temperature during summer. Aesthetics were considered very important and could be crucial for the decision to convert the heating system. Many of the interviewed households were uncertain how to adjust and take care of the system - there is a notable need for information here. • Household understanding of the economic terms of the district heating conversion: It was clear that many of the interviewed households did not have a view about the change of energy costs after conversion. It was also difficult for them to make a profitability analysis before the decision. However, the offer was considered to be very favourable in this specific case. It is important that the offer and investment comes at the right time for the households - regardless of the price. One argument raised against district heating conversion was fear of monopoly and high energy costs. All households, even those not converted, were convinced that the investment would be paid back in the future because of an increased property value following conversion. Household reasons to say “no” to district heating conversion: • The household has recently invested in a new heating system or in a secondary system, • Negative views about aesthetics of the waterborne system, • It’s too labour intensive to convert, • Wrong facts or misunderstanding. Household reasons to say “yes” to district heating conversion: • Improved thermal comfort, • Convenience, • Low investment costs • Expectations about lower energy costs, • Few alternatives to direct resistive space heating, • Better than electricity from an environmental point of view. Statistical analysis proved that variables such as “age”, “type of household” and “energy use level” could, to some extent, be related to the decision to convert from electric radiators to district heating.
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27. |
- Sernhed, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
-
Synthesis of recent Swedish district heating research
- 2018
-
In: Energy. - London : Elsevier. - 0360-5442 .- 1873-6785. ; 151, s. 126-132
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Sweden, district heating meets currently above half of the heat demands in buildings. District heating research in Sweden has a long tradition dating back to 1975. The latest research program period included 34 projects and was executed between 2013 and 2017. In this paper, a synthesis is performed on the Swedish research frontier by assessing these recent research projects. The three study purposes was to provide an overview over the executed projects, to identify new research questions, and to identify future challenges to the Swedish district heating industry. The assessment was based on six defined key areas, such as demand, resources, system frameworks, technology, cold supply, and international perspective. The subsequent content analysis was performed from three perspectives: the perspective of energy system transition, the customer perspective, and the sustainability perspective. Final conclusions include the three future challenges for the Swedish district heating industry. These are future strategies to communicate the value of district heating, vision for district heating beyond the transition to fossil free supply, and technology development for efficient use of low temperature heat sources. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
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28. |
- Särnbratt, Mirjam, et al.
(author)
-
The Business Model of an Emerging Hydrogen Market in the Swedish Transportation Sector - outlook towards 2050
- 2023
-
In: ECS Transactions. - 1938-6737. ; 112:4, s. 471-483
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An improved understanding of the emerging business models for hydrogen applied in the transport sector is crucial to remove barriers for hydrogen uptake. The aim of this study is to create a characterisation of the current landscape for hydrogen road mobility in Sweden by mapping out the business model for hydrogen producers, hydrogen filling station owners and hydrogen vehicle manufacturers. This has been achieved by interviewing hydrogen market actors in the Swedish transport sector and through validation of the results in an expert elicitation. The main finding of the study is that the business model is still emerging and contains large uncertainties also about the viability of the business case. This is noticeable for example in the key partner section in the business model. Actors seek out partnerships and collaboration both horizontally and vertically along the hydrogen value chain, even with future competitors, to create a critical mass of supply and demand to enable the hydrogen market to take off. Additional value propositions and revenue streams, such as support services to the electrical grid and utilisation of residual products (excess heat and oxygen), are secondary in the business model today.
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29. |
- Särnbratt, Mirjam, et al.
(author)
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Vätgas i ett framtida energisystem - Affärsmodeller och användning i transportsektorn
- 2024
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Mot bakgrund av vätgasens snabba framväxt och satsningar som sker inom området finns ett behov av att kartlägga nuläget för affärsmodeller för vätgas och samtidigt öka kunskapen om hur affärsmodellen behöver utvecklas till 2045, när Sverige ska vara klimatneutralt. Projektets fokus har varit vätgasproduktion och distribution till transportsektorn, en fossilberoende sektor där vätgasen kan utgöra en viktig del av omställningen till fossilfria alternativ.Kartläggningen av dagens affärsmodeller för vätgas i transportsektorn visar på en omogen marknad där de tidiga affärsmodellerna har sin slutkund i vägtransportsektorn. Vätgasaktörerna behöver tampas med stora osäkerheter kring hur marknaden kommer att utvecklas och det skapar ett behov av att ha ett nära samarbete med aktörer längs hela värdekedjan, inklusive de första kunderna. Värdeskapandet består primärt av att man erbjuder ett fossilfritt bränsle. År 2045 kommer affärsmodellens samtliga beståndsdelar att påverkas av det övriga samhällets omställning. Projektet har identifierat fem randvillkor, eller förutsättningar, som affärsmodellen för vätgas inom transportsektorn kan komma att behöva förhålla sig till 2045 (Netto Noll CO2 – koldioxidneutrala produkter är standard, Långväga och Tung Transport – det primära kundsegmentet för vätgas inom transportsektorn, Etablerad Försörjningskedja & Etablerat Kundunderlag – vätgasmarknaden är etablerad, och Volatila Elpriser – på grund av ökad andel intermittent elproduktion). Dessa randvillkor, och förslagen till de framtidsanpassade affärsmodellerna, kan användas av vätgasaktörer för att göra långsiktiga strategiska val kring hur de ska utveckla sin affärsmodell framåt.För att vätgasmarknaden ska ta fart kommer stora investeringsvolymer att krävas. Genom intervjuer med investerare har investerarperspektivet på vätgasaffären idag och 2045 kartlagts. Investerare som har investerat i vätgas idag har ett långsiktigt perspektiv på investeringen och har inte samma förväntan om kortsiktig avkastning. De ser snarare investeringen i vätgasen som ett sätt att lära sig om en teknik som är viktig för framtiden. Samtidigt ser de flesta av de intervjuade investerarna vätgasen som en högriskinvestering och begränsar dess andel i portföljen. För vätgasaktörer som behöver kapital är det viktigt med en förståelse för vilka investerarkategorier som kan vara intresserade, hur investeringen bedöms och vilka risker investerare ser med vätgasaffären.
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30. |
- van der Leer, Janneke, 1992, et al.
(author)
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Energy systems in sustainability-profiled districts in Sweden: A literature review and a socio-technical ecology approach for future research
- 2023
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In: Energy Research and Social Science. - : ELSEVIER. - 2214-6296 .- 2214-6326. ; 101
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the past 30 years, several sustainability-profiled districts have been developed in Sweden with high ambitions for the energy systems, such as Hammarby Sj¨ostad in Stockholm and Western Harbor in Malm¨o. Research into energy systems in urban districts is interdisciplinary and therefore spread over different areas, which means that an overview of the current state of knowledge and lessons learned is lacking. This semi-systematic literature review aims to provide an overview of previous research on the planning, development, and evaluation of energy systems in sustainability-profiled districts in Sweden. The review of 70 journal and conference articles reveals seven research themes in the interdisciplinary nexus of energy systems and sustainability-profiled districts: (1) Conceptualizations and critique of sustainability-profiled districts, (2) Evaluations of energy goals and requirements, (3) Technical and economic assessments of heating and electricity systems, (4) Integration of innovative (energy) solutions in urban planning, (5) Stakeholder perspectives on energy systems, (6) Stakeholder collaboration on the building and the district level, (7) Governance and policy instruments for sustainable urban development and energy systems. We use a socio-technical ecology approach to critically discuss the existing research on energy systems planning, development, and evaluation to guide future research on energy systems development in urban districts. An increase in integrated approaches across all identified research themes and relationships between scales, phases, and impacts are discussed as central observations that can guide future research. Future research is needed on new or better-adapted energy indicators, the inclusion, perspectives, and roles of (new) stakeholders, and the consideration of ecology and nature in research on the planning, development, and evaluation of energy systems.
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31. |
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32. |
- Werner, Sven, et al.
(author)
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En syntes av Fjärrsyn 2013-2017
- 2017
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- ”Bortom förnybart” är rapportens underrubrik men också en sammanfattning av en av de viktigaste slutsatserna från syntesarbetet. Fjärrvärmesverige har nästan uppnått sin vision om en fossilfri värmetillförsel. Detta är en fantastisk prestation som behöver ersättas av nya framtida miljö-, klimat- och samhällsmål att sträva efter. Framtida forskning kring fjärrvärme bör utgå från en tydligare vision och målbild för fjärrvärmen som får bred acceptans och kan utvecklas. Detta skulle i sin tur leda till att långsiktiga förutsättningar identifieras, utvecklas och implementeras. Fjärrvärmen står år 2017 inför utmaningen att den framtida värmemarknaden kommer att vara relativt mättad. Energieffektiviseringar i kombination med ett varmare klimat gör att värmeunderlaget är vikande. Fjärrvärmeföretag behöver se över teknik, affärsmodeller och kundrelationer. De behöver effektivisera den befintliga verksamheten, möta kunders behov av värme och varmvatten på ett nytt och konkurrenskraftigt sätt samtidigt som kundens roll behöver utökas på så sätt att kunden får en mer aktiv roll som partner och inte bara som kund. Det slutgiltiga målet med syntesen är att analysera hur projekten har svarat mot dessa utmaningarna och vilka kunskapsluckor som finns inför den fortsatta forskningen på området. Det har gjorts genom att dela in analysen i tre perspektiv(i) fjärrvärmens och fjärrkylans roll i energiomställningen, (ii) fjärrvärme och fjärrkyla ur ett kundperspektiv och (iii) fjärrvärme och fjärrkyla utifrån ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. En kartläggning av rapporterna och dessas innehåll har genom en innehållsanalys genomförts utifrån respektive perspektiv. Baserat på kartläggningen fastställdes kunskapsläget och eventuella kunskapsluckor. Fjärrsyn, etapp 3 har totalt bestått av 34 projekt. Inom projekten har totalt 37 Fjärrsynsrapporter producerats. Dessutom har tio av projektutförarna publicerat 25 artiklar i internationella vetenskapliga tidskrifter. De aggregerade slutsatserna som syntesen genererat har sammanfattats under fem rubriker Fjärrvärme är en effektiv försörjningslösning med ett längre tidsperspektiv Resurser har lagts på att förbättra befintlig produktion, distribution och värmeunderlag. Den kunskap som genereras är reaktiv och ett försök till att adressera utmaningar som redan materialiserats. Forskningen har därmed kommit att reflektera vilka problem som branschen har för ögonen på kort sikt. Det kan konstateras att frågeställningen i forskningsprojekten är asymmetrisk, med ett fokus är på ett förbättrat nuläge snarare än på en förbättrad morgondag. Fjärrvärmens roll bortom fossilfrihet är otydlig Det har funnits en uttalad målbild för branschen genom fossilfrihet och låga koldioxidutsläpp. Denna målbild är nu i stort sett uppnådd vilket skapar ett stortbehov kring en tydlig målbild för fjärrvärmen i framtiden. Det finns en kunskapslucka kopplad till olika intressentgruppers målbilder med fjärrvärmen framöver. Nu finns kundperspektivet mer närvarande i fjärrvärmeforskningen Det finns en kunskapslucka om fjärrvärme och dess påverkan på sin omgivning utifrån ett bredare samhällsperspektiv. Forskningen inom Fjärrsyn har till stor del varit inriktad på branschens perspektiv. Samhället och kunderna har betraktats som perifera inslag i de flesta projekten, men inte inom alla projekt. Tydligare kravställning på systemgränser och modeller för analyser Det finns ett kunskapsgap med avseende på vilka systemgränser som skall gälla vid fjärrvärmeanalyser och vilka krav som skall ställas på applicerade modeller: skall de vara användarvänliga och skall de bygga på så stora mängder indata att konsulter måste engageras för att använda dem? Fjärrvärmen riskerar att bli inlåst i en teknik för fossila bränslen Sverige har en väl utbyggd fjärrvärme av tredje generationen, primärt anpassad för förbränning av avfall och biobränslen. Den väl etablerade tredje generationen gör att efterfrågan på alternativ teknik och alternativa bränslekällor är låg: företagen är inlåsta i befintlig teknik. Håller man fast vid befintlig teknik alltför hårt slås man ut, det finns det flera exempel på (Kodak, Facit m.fl.). Utifrån slutsatserna har rekommendationer för fortsatta fjärrvärmeforsking sammanfattats under följande fyra rubriker; Vision och målbild: Framtida forskning kring fjärrvärme bör bidra till att en tydligare vision och målbild för fjärrvärmen som får bred acceptans kan utvecklas. Först då dessa inslag är på plats kan rätt långsiktiga förutsättningar identifieras, utvecklas och implementeras. Samhällsperspektiv: Fjärrvärmeforskning bör beakta fler perspektiv än fjärrvärmeföretagens. Fjärrvärmeverksamhet måste sättas i ett samhällsperspektiv och fler dimensioner än branschens problemställningar behöver belysas. Vad vill kunderna ha? Vad krävs för stärkt politisk acceptans och bättre användning av fjärrvärme? Proaktivt förhållningssätt: Forskningen kan användas för att föra fram kunskap och för att påverka utvecklingen. Ett passivt och reaktivt förhållningssätt till t.ex. styrmedelsutveckling är inte effektivt vare sig för de politiska beslutsfattarna (som kanske fattar felaktiga beslut till följd av bristande input från branschen), företagen eller kunderna. Krav: Avslutningsvis bör framtida fjärrvärmeforskning vara bättre kravställd. Modeller och verktyg skall tydliggöras så att man vet vilken nytta de skapar, att de är användarvänliga och förankrade. En tydlig kravställning på forskningsuppgiften efterlyses.
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