Kiinteistöjen hyödyntäminen energiaverkkojen tasapainottamisessa

Abstract

iFLEX on EU:n innovaatio- ja tutkimusohjelman Horisontti 2020 rahoittama hanke, jonka tavoitteena on saada energiankuluttajat osaksi kysyntäjoustoa. Diplomityön tavoitteena oli selvittää kiinteistöjen mahdollisuuksia energiaverkkojen tasapainottamisessa sekä kiinteistöjen kysyntäjouston yleistymisen edellytyksiä ja tulevaisuudennäkymiä. Kiinteistöjen kysyntäjouston potentiaalia tutkittiin iFLEX-hankkeen pilottikohteena toimivan asuinkerrostalon avulla. Joustopotentiaalin määrittäminen perustui poistoilmalämpöpumpun ohjauskokeisiin, joissa lämpöpumpun käyttö katkaistiin määräajaksi. Ohjauskokeiden vaikutuksia kohteen energiankulutukseen tutkittiin saatujen mittaustulosten pohjalta.

Tutkimustulosten perusteella kiinteistön sähkönkulutusta saatiin vähennettyä jopa 68 prosenttia ohjauskoetta edeltävään tuntiin verrattuna. Määrällisesti se vastasi 11 kilowatin laskua sähkötehossa. Lisäksi viimeisen ohjauskokeen aikana kiinteistön sähkönkulutuksen osuus kokonaisenergiasta saatiin laskettua 23 prosentista 6 prosenttiin. Kun sähkönkulutusta vähennettiin, kaukolämmön kulutus kasvoi. Tämän perusteella sähkön ja kaukolämmön välinen hintasuhde määrittää sen, kumpaa lämmitysmuotoa on kannattavampaa käyttää. Ohjauskokeiden avulla pystyttiin osoittamaan asuinkiinteistöjen mahdollisuus sähköverkon tasapainottamisessa. Koska pilottikohteen joustopotentiaali on yksinään suhteellisen pieni, useamman samankaltaisen kiinteistön joustopotentiaali on yhdistettävä kysyntäjoustomarkkinoille pääsemiseksi.

Kysyntäjouston rooli tulee energiamurroksen myötä kasvamaan. Useita haasteita on kuitenkin ratkaistava ennen kuin kysyntäjouston laaja-alainen käyttöönotto on mahdollista. Tämän perusteella sähkön kysyntäjouston edistämiseksi tulee keskittyä erityisesti sääntelyn kehittämiseen, sidosryhmien informointiin, kysyntäjouston tuotteistamiseen sekä prosessien ja järjestelmien yhtenäistämiseen.

iFLEX is a project funded by European Union’s Innovation and Research programme Horizon 2020. The objective of the project is to engage consumers in demand response. The aim of the thesis was to examine the opportunitieiFLEX is a project funded by European Union’s Innovation and Research programme Horizon 2020. The objective of the project is to engage consumers in demand response. The aim of the thesis was to examine the opportunities for apartment buildings to balance energy networks, as well as the requirements and the prospects of the demand response in apartment buildings. The flexibility potential of an apartment building was studied through the pilot of the iFLEX project. The study was based on direct control of the exhaust air heat pump in which the electricity consumption of the heat pump was limited for a specific amount of time. The flexibility potential was determined by analyzing the results.

Based on the results, the electricity consumption of the building was reduced by 68 percent compared to the previous hour. The amount refers to a decrease of 11 kilowatts. In addition, the share of electricity consumption in the building’s total energy decreased from 23 percent to 6 percent during the study. When the electricity consumption of the heat pump was reduced, district heating consumption increased. Based on this, the price ratio between electricity and district heating determines which form of heating is more profitable to use. The study demonstrated that apartment buildings could be utilized to balance the power grid. However, the flexibility potential of the building is relatively small; therefore, several similar buildings need to be aggregated to join the Finnish power market.

Demand response will play a central role in the energy transition. However, a few challenges need to be overcome before large-scale implementation. In order to promote demand response, the focus should be on informing the stakeholders, developing regulations, productizing demand response, and harmonizing processes and systems related to demand response. s for apartment buildings to balance energy networks, as well as the requirements and the prospects of the demand response in apartment buildings. The flexibility potential of an apartment building was studied through the pilot of the iFLEX project. The study was based on direct control of the exhaust air heat pump in which the electricity consumption of the heat pump was limited for a specific amount of time. The flexibility potential was determined by analyzing the results. Based on the results, the electricity consumption of the building was reduced by 68 percent compared to the previous hour. The amount refers to a decrease of 11 kilowatts. In addition, the share of electricity consumption in the building’s total energy decreased from 23 percent to 6 percent during the study. When the electricity consumption of the heat pump was reduced, district heating consumption increased. Based on this, the price ratio between electricity and district heating determines which form of heating is more profitable to use. The study demonstrated that apartment buildings could be utilized to balance the power grid. However, the flexibility potential of the building is relatively small; therefore, several similar buildings need to be aggregated to join the Finnish power market. Demand response will play a central role in the energy transition. However, a few challenges need to be overcome before large-scale implementation. In order to promote demand response, the focus should be on informing the stakeholders, developing regulations, productizing demand response, and harmonizing processes and systems related to demand response.