Fambri, G., Badami, M., Tsagkrasoulis, D., Katsiki, V., Giannakis, G., & Papanikolaou, A. (2020).

Demand Flexibility Enabled by Virtual Energy Storage to Improve Renewable Energy

Penetration. ENERGIES, 13(19), 5128. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13195128

The purpose of this article is to determine how Power-to-Heat (P2H) technologies can be
used to mitigate some of the main problems associated with renewable energy sources (RES) like
high volatility and low predictability. P2H systems in large buildings are able to take RES, which
normally would go to waste since it can not be stored for long periods of time, and turn it into a
form of thermal energy that can be used in virtual energy storage (VES). However, all of these
findings are based off of a simulation run by PLANET (PLAnning and operational tools for
optimizing energy flows and synergies between energy NETworks) H2020 European project
using a decision support system (DSS). Through this system they are able to use multiple types
of energy to create an optimal system in terms of the potential of renewables, energy balances,
and storage technologies. The methodology used in this article was an advanced computer tool
that can be used to model multi-energy systems. The data collected from this modeling tool was
then analyzed to find the most efficient types of virtual energy storage.
The key takeaways from this article are that commercial and residential buildings both
have the potential to be able to use flexible P2H systems up to a certain size. However, in order
for these systems to actually be functional many factors need to be measured and considered. For
example, the ambient temperature profile, climate patterns, and distance above sea level among a
number of other factors. However, if a P2H system is implemented correctly there are an
immense amount of benefits like demand flexibility, self-balancing, and maximum usage of
RES’s.
However, the shortcomings revealed in this article are that this is a highly complex
process, so it is not something that would be able to be mass produced or implemented any time
soon. Also, in most of the simulations run through this experiment there was almost always a
reverse power flow issue, meaning that power begins to flow from the lower voltage side of the
transformer to the higher voltage side. This is not an ideal situation though because then the
lower voltage side continues to be depleted and the balance is gone. Reverse power flow can also
lead to unideal temperatures in buildings, which makes them uncomfortable for people to be in,
and this is obviously not something that should be happening.
This article is very helpful when addressing the researchable question because it is a very
innovative system for using and storing renewable energy. This system has the potential to do
something very practical, heat buildings, while using extremely advanced technology to do it.
This article was slightly challenging to decipher though because there are a lot of complex
mathematical equations used and simulation jargon. So, some of the deeper concepts and impacts
are hard to fully understand as a reader with limited background knowledge on P2H systems.