PhD Theses using EnergyPLAN

This thesis focuses mostly on the integration of variable renewables using power-to-heat technologies in district heating systems. This thesis studies the quantification and validation of heat demand distribution within a small municipality using a newly developed Bottom-up and Top-down heat mapping method.

This thesis is a feasibility study that sets the scene on the role of renewable fuels in future energy systems for both stationary and transport applications.

This PhD thesis defines the role of islands in the field of sustainable energy planning by looking into how islands may contribute. It critically reflects on the work done with islands and their models and on the benefits for both energy planners and islanders, supports the transition towards 100% renewable energy share.

Focusing on Nicaragua as a representative developing country, this thesis examines the role of renewable energy in a country’s path to sustainable development. Key drivers and challenges for a transition to low-carbon economies are identified and recommendations to aid a swift, just and democratic transformation of the Nicaraguan energy system are provided.

This PhD project focuses on the local energy planning paradigm towards sustainable energy (decarbonisation) in cities. Specifically, the project focuses on the complex decarbonised energy system as a concept and design demonstrated through scenarios. The research investigates what this means for the local energy planning paradigm asking the research question: “How can sustainable energy scenarios facilitate the local energy planning paradigm?”

The thesis proposes a complete generalized framework for automatically identifying energy scenarios (a complete set of parameters describing a system) to optimize multiple objectives. The framework is developed by coupling a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm and EnergyPLAN. The results show that the tool can handle multiple energy sectors together, moreover, a number of optimized trade-off scenarios are identified. The framework opens a door for policymakers to optimize corresponding energy systems in terms of multiple objectives and choose the appropriate one for his/her respective region.

The thesis defines the concept of smart city energy systems. The thesis emphasises the need to investigate the smart city energy system and two contextual aspects. The system integration context and the geographical context.

Denmark is the first country to make a commitment to become a fossil fuel-free country by 2050 and announce various 2050 energy plans for the commitment. This PhD thesis explores the perspectives of uncertain and necessary subjects like biomass availability and flexible demand within the 2050 future Denmark scenario.

The fluctuating and only partly predictable nature of wind challenges an effective integration of large wind power penetrations. This PhD thesis investigates to which extent heat pumps, heat storages, and electric vehicles can support the integration of wind power. Considering the gaps in existing research, main focus is put on individual heat pumps in the residential sector and the possibilities for flexible operation. Extensive model development is performed that significantly improves the possibilities for analysing individual heat pumps and heat storages in an energy system context. System effects are analysed with use of mainly the Balmorel model. The EnergyPLAN model is also applied in one of the six papers.

This PhD thesis focuses on identifying suitable transport technologies and strategies based on renewable energy and evaluating such technologies from the perspective of overall renewable energy system integration. The developed methodologies have been applied to the case of China.

Fuel cells and electrolysers have the potential for supplying three main energy services to the end-users: electricity, heat and transport; and can replace existing less efficient or more polluting technologies. The challenge is to identify in which applications these technologies should be used for. In the future energy systems, the key technologies are intermittent energy resources, such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal and wave power, as well as more efficient energy conversion technologies, such as CHP and energy savings in demand. In the thesis, different applications of fuel cells and electrolysers in future energy systems have been analyzed.