TransUrban.NRW

 

Transformation der netzgebundenen, urbanen Wärme- und Kälteversorgung mit intersektoralen Power-2-Heat Lösungen als Beitrag zum Strukturwandel in den Kohlerevieren NRWs

Project duration: 06/2020 – 05/2025

Funded by: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK)

Funding code: 03EWR020E

Project partners:

• E.ON Energy Solutions GmbH
• AVACON Natur GmbH
• Quartiersgesellschaft Shamrockpark, Quartiersgesellschaft Seestadt mg+, Quartiersgesellschaft Kokerei Hassel and Quartiersgesellschaft Düsselterassen
• Heatbeat engineering GmbH
• Aedifion GmbH
• Catella Project Management GmbH
• RAG Montan Immobilien GmbH
• Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems (ACS) der RWTH Aachen
• Lehrstuhl für Gebäude- und Raumklimatechnik (EBC) der RWTH Aachen
• Fraunhofer ISE

While the decarbonisation of the electricity sector in Germany has seen considerable progress, there is a glaring deficit regarding the progress in the heat sector. At the same time, the heat sector offers a significant untapped potential regarding green house gas emission reduction. One way this potential can be made use of is by employing fifth generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC). As part of the Living Lab TransUrban.NRW, four districts are built which will be supplied with heating and cooling through 5GDHC. A large consortium consisting of project developers, energy utilities and scientists contribute to the planning, construction and operation of the districts. The project’s research focus lies on the contribution 5GDHC-based local energy systems can make to the “Wärmewende”.

  Copyright: © FCN-ESE Figure 1: Research Focus of FCN-ESE in the project TransUrban.NRW

FCN ESE’s focus within the project is threefold:

1. The structured development and evaluation of business models for 5GDHC-based local energy systems
2. Interactions with the national energy systems and effects occurring as a result of a wide-scale implementation of such energy systems
3. Impact of the regulatory framework

The relevance of these questions is underlined by feedback from the project consortium stating that economic efficiency is one of the greatest challenges for 5GDHC. First results suggest that the chosen business model has a significant impact on economic efficiency and that a well-chosen business model can be lucrative for both energy utilities and customers.