O.2.3.1 Market driven vs. grid supporting heat pump operation in low voltage distribution grids with high heat pump penetration – an Austrian case study
The rising share of heat pumps in residential heating and cooling provokes increasing demands on future electrical power distribution networks. High penetration of heat pumps in low voltage grids might lead to network congestions and subsequent to the necessity of reinforcing a significant share of our existing grids in future. To use the existing infrastructure efficiently, some distribution system operators already offer special grid tariffs to customers that operate their heat pump grid friendly by avoiding operation during peak hours. On the other hand, in future customers may want to operate their heat pump marked driven to save energy costs. Especially a market driven operation of heat pumps might lead to high coincidence factors in energy consumption in low voltage grids with high heat pump penetrations. This paper compares different heat pump operation strategies based on electrical power flow simulations coordinated with simulations of heat pump operation and the resulting impact on the customers comfort zones (room and hot water temperature). These operation strategies are applied in different penetration scenarios on three Austrian low voltage grids and simulated for typical days in winter with high heating demand. The resulting grid loading, voltages and the impact on the operational coincidence factor of heat pumps will be compared, and the pros and cons of the different operational strategies are discussed.