A Different Approach to Develop a District Heating Grid Based on the Optimization of Building Clusters

Abstract

Currently, reducing energy consumption and fossil fuel emissions are key factors placed in the first position on the European agenda. District heating technology is an attractive solution, able to satisfy the energy and environmental goals of policymakers and designers. In line with this, a different approach to planning a district heating grid based on the optimization of building clusters is presented. The case study is Wilhelmsburg, a district of Hamburg city. This approach also investigates the usage of industrial waste heat as the grid’s heat source, which is CO2-neutral. First, the data acquisition regarding the buildings’ location and heat demand are described in detail. Based on the derived data and the source of the industrial waste heat, the district heating grid is created by clustering the buildings and connecting the obtained nodes. Furthermore, the grid’s efficiency is improved by eliminating nodes, which are too distant from the heat source, or have lower heat demand. Finally, a single building is simulated in Matlab/Simulink, showing the energy-savings and ecological results. The usage of the district heating grid saves 97.32 GWh annually, which results in financial savings of €5.83 million, and avoided CO2 emissions of 19,585 tCO2.