Project - OPSYS 2.0

OPSYS 2.0.

Project start March 2019. Expected to end May 2022.

Background

Heat pumps are intended to play a major role in the transition of the Danish energy system from mainly fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This is possible due to heat pumps' high efficiency, which can reduce the energy consumption for warming significantly, and at the same time contribute to the necessary electrification and switch-over of the Danish energy system. Moreover, heat pumps can be controlled towards using more electricity during periods with high production from renewable energy resources and less electricity during periods with a low amount of renewable energy resources in the energy system. This will help stabilize the electric grid and thereby allow for the integration of more renewable energy in the Danish energy system

A recent survey carried out by Danish Technological Institute for the Danish Energy Agency showed that even though the nominal COP (measured in standard tests) of heat pumps is generally high, only around 16 % of Danish heat pump installations have a sufficient efficiency. The main reasons for the poor performance was found to be a too high forward temperature from the heat pumps due to wrongly balanced flow rates in the different heating circuits/heat emitters, that the heat generator system was not suited for for the operation of a heat pump and also that the heating curve (ambient temperature compensation) of the heat pump was set too high in order to avoid complaints.

The OPSYS concept proposes that the flow rates through the heat emitters and the forward temperature from the heat pump are continuously optimized. This will not only lead to more efficient future heat pump installations but also facilitate an upgrade of poor heat pump installations.

Purpose

The aim of the project is:

• to increase the efficiency of both existing and new heat pump installations by developing a control kit that can optimize the forward temperature from the heat pump and the flow rate through the heat emitting system
• based on the above, to develop a control system capable of creating flexibility services for the stabilization of the electricity grid and optimizing the self-consumption of PV generated electricity in private houses and/or avoid curtailment

The OPSYS concept may help the transition of the Danish energy system from being mainly fossil fuel based to mainly being based on renewable energy resources, as the utilization of the OPSYS concept will decrease the demand for primary energy for heating of houses with heat pumps, may provide energy flexibility services to the electricity grid, may increase self-consumption of PV generated electricity and decrease curtailment of PV electricity.

Activities

The work of the project will be carried out in three interlinked work packages:

• WP1: development of a control kit for the optimization of the performance of heat pump installations in single-family houses
• WP2: development of control strategies for providing services for stabilizing of power grids with a large share of renewable energy sources and for optimization of self-consumption of local PV electricity
• WP3: tests in the test rig developed in the OPSYSv1 project, EnergyFlexHouse, and in a few family houses with heat pump and PV

Participants

Søren Østergaard Jensen from Danish Technological Institute is project leader and WP3 leader.

Henrik Lund Stæremose from Neogrid is WP1 leader.

Jan Dimon Bendtsen from AAU is WP2 leader.

Wavin

Bosch

Grants

The project is supported by Det Energiteknologiske Udviklings- og Demonstrationsprogram (EUDP).