Integration of solar thermal systems in existing district heating systems

Journal article, 2017

The integration of large solar heating systems in district heating (DH) networks with large combined heat and power (CHP) plants is rarely considered. This is often due to low costs for heat but also due to subsidies for the electricity by CHP plants. Possible changes in subsidies and requirements in the reduction of fossil fuel based CO2 emissions raise an awareness of improving the operational flexibility of fossil fuelled CHP plants. This article provides a rather simple but detailed methodology of including large solar heating systems in an existing district heating system, where heat is supplied by a large CHP plant.