Search Results (329)

The building sector accounts for nearly 30% of global energy use and 28% of CO₂ emissions, with residential buildings in Canada contributing about 17% of national energy demand. In cold regions such as Labrador, approximately 82% of this consumption is associated with space heating and domestic hot water, making heating the dominant residential load, while fossil-fuel furnaces and electric baseboard heaters remain common. These conditions highlight the need for efficient and sustainable heating alternatives for cold-climate residential buildings. This study examines the design and performance of a hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and geothermal heat pump (GTHP) system for a typical detached home in L’Anse-au-Loup, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (51.52° N, 56.84° W), with the goal of improving energy efficiency and reducing dependence on the electrical grid. Heating and cooling loads were developed using the Hourly Analysis Program (HAP 6.1), while system operation and economic performance were assessed through the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER Pro 3.18.3). The proposed design combines a rooftop PV array, a ground-source heat pump, and second-life lithium-ion batteries repurposed from retired electric vehicles to lower costs and support short-term energy storage. The system is modelled under grid-connected conditions to reflect realistic operation for northern households. Results show that the hybrid system can meet annual electrical and thermal needs while reducing grid consumption by more than half. Annual carbon emissions decrease by roughly 4–5 tonnes, and repurposed batteries offer a cost-effective alternative to new storage. Overall, the study demonstrates that PV–GTHP systems can provide reliable, efficient, and practical energy solutions for cold-climate homes. Full article

The synergistic utilization of post-mining spaces and geothermal energy through underground seasonal thermal energy storage (USTES) provides a promising pathway for sustainable heating and the low-carbon redevelopment of mining regions. To advance the thermal management and reveal the thermo-hydraulic evolution patterns within these repurposed environments, this study proposes an integrated approach that utilizes post-mining roadways as heat storage reservoirs, within the scope of a single idealized case study. A comprehensive USTES heating system model was established to systematically evaluate operational characteristics and environmental impacts under diverse conditions assuming homogeneous rock properties and idealized thermal boundaries. Results demonstrate that the surrounding ground temperature and the low thermal conductivity of the rock mass contribute to limiting heat dissipation and maintaining stable seasonal storage performance. For a roadway with a 20,000 m³ water storage capacity and an optimal 3900 m² solar collector area, the system successfully satisfies the thermal demand of 30,000 m² of building area. The configuration achieves 1239 MWh of cumulative heat storage over a 245-day cycle, maintaining a direct heating-to-heat-pump-upgraded heating ratio of 1.02. Furthermore, the implementation of variable-frequency thermal management strategies demonstrates remarkable economic and environmental superiority, yielding a 35.8% cost reduction compared to coal-fired heating, an overall energy saving rate of 77.5% relative to electric heating systems and a 13.5% decrease in CO₂ emissions relative to gas-fired systems. This research provides fundamental design parameters for the synergistic exploitation of mineral and geothermal resources, advancing the development of green heating and the sustainable utilization of post-mining spaces. Full article

Traditional inter-station crude oil heating processes rely heavily on fossil fuels, leading to high energy consumption and environmental pollution. To address this issue, this paper develops a dynamic thermal simulation model for a novel pipeline heating system that couples geothermal and solar energy. The model synergistically utilizes abundant solar energy and abandoned geothermal well resources in the Jilin region, and is applied to analyze the thermal performance of the Xinmiao Station on the Qingtie Fourth Line pipeline. The results show that the system achieves approximate thermal stabilization during long-term operation: the produced water temperature stabilizes at approximately 30.85 °C, and the average coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump remains above 4.79, demonstrating good stability. Solar energy contributes about 23.5% of the total annual heat supply (7.0 × 10⁶ kWh) over 1600 effective hours, significantly reducing the annual electricity consumption of the heat pump and water pumps. The integration of solar energy effectively mitigates the decline in the average soil temperature; after 25 years, the soil temperature remains at approximately 54.43 °C. Through optimized configuration, the system reduces its life-cycle cost and levelized cost of heat (annual cost reduced by about 4.35%), showing excellent economic performance. Comprehensive analysis indicates that the coupled system exhibits outstanding energy efficiency and sustainability, providing technical support for the optimized design and engineering application of clean heating systems for crude oil pipelines. This paper contributes four novelties: first application of a coupled geothermal–solar system to a crude oil pipeline (Xinmiao Station, Qingtie Fourth Line); reuse of abandoned deep oil wells as geothermal boreholes to cut drilling costs; a 25-year dynamic simulation quantifying long-term soil temperature evolution and proving sustainability gains over a standalone geothermal system; and multi-scenario economic optimization identifying the optimal collector area under site land constraints. Based on these, a dynamic thermal simulation model is developed and its synergistic operation strategy is investigated, aiming to provide theoretical and technical support for clean-energy-driven crude oil heating. Full article

Integrated energy systems (IES) are widely recognized as a key pathway toward carbon neutrality, enabling the coupling and coordinated optimization of electricity, heat, gas, and cooling. This review provides a structured, technology-oriented overview of IES based on a unified five-subsystem framework (production, conversion, transmission, storage, and consumption). It systematically covers: (1) renewable energy utilization—solar, wind, and geothermal—supported by a global spatial distribution map and representative top-performing commercial products; (2) energy cascade utilization, where combined heat and power/combined cooling, heating and power (CHP/CCHP) raises overall efficiency from approximately 35–40% to 70–90%; (3) multi-form energy storage—electrical, electrochemical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical—distinguishing short-term balancing (e.g., lithium-ion (Li-ion), flywheels, supercapacitors, with 85–95% round-trip efficiency) from long-duration and seasonal applications (e.g., pumped hydro, hydrogen/power-to-gas (P2G), redox flow batteries); and (4) forecasting, collaborative optimization, and the bidirectional integration of IES with smart grids and grid modernization. A strategic strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats–Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, and Environmental (SWOT–PESTLE) analysis is further presented to position IES within the global energy transition. The review highlights that IES and grid innovation are mutually enabling, and that realizing the full carbon-neutrality potential of IES requires coordinated progress in standardization, digitalization, long-duration storage, and cross-sector policy alignment. Full article

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems, while energy-efficient, often face persistent soil thermal imbalance in heating-dominated severe cold regions, which undermines their long-term performance and sustainability. This study proposes a TRNSYS-GenOpt framework for the life-cycle cost optimization of hybrid GSHP systems integrating electric boilers and geothermal regulation towers. A transient model for a 5650 m² fire station in Changchun was developed, employing the Hooke–Jeeves algorithm to co-optimize boiler capacity, borehole depth, and geothermal regulation tower airflow under constraints on heating supply temperature and soil thermal balance. Time-of-use electricity pricing was incorporated for realistic operational economics. The optimized configuration (148 m, 864.8 kW, 290,400 m³/h) achieved a minimum 20-year life-cycle cost of CNY 1.13 million. Sensitivity analysis revealed “rigid design, flexible cost” characteristics: optimal parameters remained invariant across discount rate variations (3.5–7.5%) and equipment costs (±20%), while life-cycle cost showed the highest sensitivity to electricity pricing and discount rates. The long-term simulation confirmed compliance with all physical constraints. This methodology demonstrates that thermodynamic constraints supersede economic trade-offs in severe cold climates, providing engineers with a reliable tool for sustainable hybrid geothermal system design. Full article

Internal thermal load fluctuations and variations in occupant density affect the performance of Hybrid Geothermal Heat Pump (HGHP) systems. Traditional control strategies cannot provide the rapid adjustments needed to operate efficiently in real time and can be inefficient, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced thermal comfort. A data-driven fuzzy logic control framework is developed in this paper to dynamically adjust the performance of an HGHP system in real time as a function of occupancy and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity differences). The controller analyzes input data related to real-time outdoor ambient conditions like temperature, humidity and occupied spaces; a real-time flow sensor attached to the occupants of the building (a count of the number of occupants currently in each occupied space); and the coefficient of performance (COP) of the HGHP system, and uses the analysis to generate a “smart” control decision for the following device types: variable speed drive (VSD), fan number, operating modes, system control and valve positions. The controller also controls the overall system. The model was developed and simulated in MATLAB Simulink^®, with realistic system parameters, and validated and calibrated using operational data from an HGHP system at a university, based on operating conditions. The simulation results indicate that our fuzzy controller achieves higher energy efficiency for thermal comfort than traditional thermostat-based controls, with COP improvements ranging from 7.36% to 11.76% and power consumption reductions between 4.13% and 8.55% across various occupancy scenarios. The improved COP also demonstrates the device’s responsiveness and effectiveness, even under frequent changes in occupancy patterns (dynamic occupancy), making it suitable for use in automated climate control systems in modern buildings. Full article

This article analyses the impact of ground-source heat pumps on the energy efficiency and environmental impact of a residential building, depending on the temperature of the ground source, the flow temperature of the heating system, and the domestic hot water temperature. In the section on heating, the best results were obtained for the 35/28 °C system at a ground temperature of 1 °C, for which the SCOP was 4.81, the system efficiency was 3.90, the final energy was 5.6 kWh/m²yr, and the primary energy was 13.9 kWh/m²yr. The least favourable heat pump heating option was recorded for the 55/48 °C system and a ground temperature of −1 °C, with a SCOP of 3.31 and a primary energy of 17.4 kWh/m²yr. For domestic hot water, the best results were achieved at a temperature of 47 °C and a ground temperature of 1 °C, for which the SCOP reached 3.88, and the primary energy was 23.6 kWh/m²yr, whereas the least favourable variant (55 °C/−1 °C) was characterised by a SCOP of 3.31 and primary energy of 27.5 kWh/m²yr. It was demonstrated that lowering the temperature on the upper-source side improves the system’s energy performance to a greater extent than changes in ground temperature. At the same time, improvements in energy efficiency reduced pollutant emissions and lowered the equivalent emission ZrSO₂ index. The results confirm that the actual energy and environmental potential of ground-source heat pumps depend primarily on their integration with low-temperature systems. Full article

Thermal conductivity is a key input parameter in geotechnical and shallow geothermal engineering, directly influencing the design, efficiency, and long-term performance of ground heat exchangers, energy piles, and ground-source heat pump systems. Reliable parameterisation of this property in sandy soils remains challenging due to nonlinear interactions between water content, bulk density, and soil structure. This study develops a machine-learning-based workflow for robust parameterisation of thermal conductivity in quartz-rich sands using a large, internally consistent laboratory dataset comprising 1716 samples, including 1455 moist measurements used for modelling, obtained from nationwide site investigations. Air-dry specimens were identified as laboratory-induced drying states and excluded to restrict the analysis to hydro-mechanical conditions representative of typical shallow subsurface environments. Several regression algorithms representing different modelling strategies were evaluated within a unified and reproducible framework and benchmarked against selected classical empirical formulations. Model performance was assessed using standard accuracy metrics together with diagnostics describing the functional stability of predicted thermal-conductivity surfaces. The results reveal a systematic trade-off between predictive accuracy and functional consistency, indicating that models optimised for accuracy may produce functionally unstable and less suitable parameterisations for engineering applications. Accuracy-optimised models frequently produce locally irregular parameter fields, whereas more strongly regularised models yield smoother and physically more coherent response surfaces. The proposed workflow supports reliable thermal-property parameterisation for geotechnical design and shallow geothermal modelling. Full article

In response to growing concerns over global warming and energy sustainability, transitioning from fossil-fuel-based heating systems to renewable alternatives is essential. This study evaluates the economic and environmental performance of geothermal heat pumps for building heating and compares it with conventional coal-fired boilers, natural-gas boilers, and diesel furnaces. Using the heating degree-day (HDD) method, heating energy demand was analyzed for four U.S. cities—Anchorage (AK), San Francisco (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), and Las Vegas (NV)—representing diverse climatic zones. The analysis integrates thermodynamic and economic parameters, including the coefficient of performance (COP = 2–5) and annual fuel-utilization efficiency (AFUE = 80–97%), to evaluate heating-system performance and operational cost across different climatic regions. Sensitivity analysis with ±10% variations in fuel and electricity prices and system efficiencies demonstrates that geothermal heating remains the most stable and emission-efficient option under all scenarios. Results indicate that geothermal systems, despite higher reported initial investment, achieve lower operational and emissions-related costs and offer a robust and sustainable solution for decarbonizing building-heating systems. For example, the estimated seasonal geothermal heating cost is $370.59 in Anchorage compared with $646.48 for coal heating and $3375.65 for diesel systems. Furthermore, policy evaluation indicates that federal and state incentives, such as investment tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act and rebate programs, can reduce installation costs by 25–40%, improving economic feasibility, particularly in colder regions. The analysis focuses exclusively on energy and emissions-related costs and does not explicitly model capital investment or levelized cost metrics. Full article

Heat pumps are an essential part of decarbonization of buildings, providing efficient and sustainable heat. Analyzing the future contribution of decentralized heat pumps requires an estimation of the potential of local environmental heat sources at high spatial resolution. These heat sources are mainly ambient heat and shallow geothermal heat, and the analysis needs to account for the space available around the building, noise immissions due to the heat pump, and heat exchange rate with the ground. So far, no consistent analysis of available heat sources for both residential and non-residential buildings is publicly available. In this study, we present a GIS-based methodology developed for estimating the maximum achievable heating capacities with heat pumps and publish them at building level. It can be shown that buildings in rural areas have a median air-source heat pump potential of 30 to 85 kW, while the median in urban areas is roughly 100 kW, with quieter options up to 300 kW. This shows that even in big cities, heat pumps have potential. In most regions, the potential for air-source heat pumps is higher than ground-source heat pumps. This study lays the foundation for investigating the competitiveness of heat pumps compared to other heating options. Full article

Decarbonisation of urban areas is essential to reaching climate neutrality, as cities house half the global population and account for over 70% of carbon emissions. However, applying innovative approaches, such as establishing positive energy districts (PEDs), remains challenging due to stakeholder engagement and funding constraints, largely driven by knowledge gaps and a lack of best practices. This study examines barriers, facilitators and lessons learnt from six case studies in Europe, Canada and Singapore through a mixed-methods approach, including stakeholder interviews, grey literature analysis and a semi-structured review. Findings highlight district heating networks, heat pumps and photovoltaics as key technologies, with regional variations. While Mediterranean regions prioritise solar energy, northern climates employ a diverse range of solutions, including geothermal and seasonal storage. Political commitment and funding enable progress, whereas regulatory gaps and stakeholder misalignment hinder it. The study underscores the need for sharing best practices to enable PED implementation. Full article

The accelerating global demand for renewable heating, cooling and electricity, driven by climate change and rising living standards, presents both a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable energy transitions. This paper introduces the Initial-Aid Cashback (IAC) model, an innovative business model designed to finance renewable energy solutions, with a focus on space cooling, by leveraging citizen participation and collaborative financing mechanisms. The model incentivizes private investors through discounted energy prices, while system operators benefit from reduced upfront capital requirements and minimised financial risk. Through two case studies, an office building in Romania (small-scale case) and the application of the REGEN-BY-2 technology in a mixed housing–office area (large-scale case), the paper demonstrates the model’s potential to accelerate the adoption of renewable cooling technologies, enhance profitability for operators, and provide attractive returns for investors. The findings highlight the model’s adaptability to diverse stakeholder needs, its scalability, and its role in fostering the clean energy transition (CET). However, challenges such as the need for a minimum number of investors, legal complexities, and trust-building among stakeholders are identified as critical barriers to implementation. The paper concludes that the IAC model offers a promising pathway to integrate citizens and small investors into the CET, while emphasising the importance of supportive policies, clear governance structures, and practical testing to ensure its success. Full article

In the global wave of energy transition, ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems are widely adopted for their ability to efficiently provide space heating and cooling. By utilizing stable shallow geothermal energy, these systems significantly reduce operational energy consumption in buildings, playing a crucial role in enhancing building energy efficiency and achieving low-carbon strategies. However, large-scale ground heat exchanger (GHE) clusters with non-identical circuits often face hydraulic and thermal imbalances, leading to degraded system performance. This study investigates the hydraulic and thermal behavior of a large-scale GHE system in Shandong Province, China. Hydraulic and thermal models are first developed based on Kirchhoff’s laws and the principle of energy conservation, and then used to simulate and analyze the influence of the number and depth of boreholes on hydraulic and thermal conditions. The results indicate that the flow imbalance rate and pipe length ratio follows a power-law relationship, δ_f = a (L_v/h)^{^b} + d, with fitted coefficients, a = 0.0677–0.1294, b = −0.7086 to −1.0805, d = 0.0036–0.0921, while the heat exchange imbalance rate follows a linear relationship, δ_q = kδ_f + o, with k = 0.0906–0.265 and o = 0.0028–0.0039. Increasing the number of boreholes or decreasing depth exacerbates flow imbalance (10–58%), but soil thermal resistance dominates, limiting the increase in the heat exchange imbalance rate (2.2–9%). The formula and the quantitative relationship proposed in this paper aim to provide guidance for the engineering design of large-scale non-identical circuit GHE clusters. Full article

District heating systems are central to Europe’s decarbonisation strategy and its 2050 climate-neutrality objective. However, district heating is deeply embedded in the socio-economic system and the built environment. This makes compliance with policy targets at the local level particularly challenging. The issues are attributable to two factors. Firstly, the process is characterised by a high degree of complexity and multidimensionality. Secondly, there is a scarcity of local resources (e.g., land, surface waters, waste heat, etc.). In Bucharest, Romania, the largest district heating system in the European Union, the process of decarbonisation represents a particularly complex challenge. The system is characterised by large physical dimensions, high technical wear, heavy dependence on natural gas, significant heat losses and complex governance structures. This paper presents a strategic planning exercise for aligning the Bucharest system with the Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791. Drawing on system data, investment modelling, and local resource mapping from the LIFE22-CET-SET_HEAT project, the study evaluates scenarios for 2028 and 2035 that shift heat generation from natural gas to renewable, waste heat, and high-efficiency sources. The central objective is the identification of opportunities and issues. Options include large-scale heat pumps, waste-to-energy, geothermal and solar heat. Heat demand profiles and electricity price dynamics are used to evaluate economic feasibility and operational flexibility. The findings show that the decarbonisation heat supply in Bucharest is technically possible, but financial viability hinges on phased investments, interinstitutional coordination, regulatory reforms and access to EU funding. The study concludes with recommendations for staged implementation, coordinated governance and socio-economic measures to safeguard heat affordability and system reliability. Full article

This study presents a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and cost analysis of next-generation low-temperature district heating networks based on water-condensed electric booster heat pumps. The research, conducted within the ENEA Portici Research Center framework, evaluates multiple case studies to assess environmental and economic sustainability. The system boundaries include heat generators (geothermal heat pump, solar thermal, and photovoltaic–thermal hybrid), network configurations (tree vs. ring), supply temperatures (25 °C vs. 45 °C), and renewable electricity shares (0–100%). Environmental impacts were quantified using the Environmental Footprint 3.1 method, focusing on key indicators such as climate change, resource use, and human toxicity. The results show that supply temperature is a critical factor: 45 °C scenarios lead to notably higher impacts, while network configuration has only marginal effects. Among generation technologies, the photovoltaic–thermal system proved the most sustainable, despite higher investment costs, whereas the solar thermal system displayed the largest environmental burden but lower costs. Geothermal systems showed intermediate performance, with notable impacts from mineral resource use. Renewable electricity integration consistently improved environmental outcomes, reducing climate change impacts by up to 10%. Storage system comparison revealed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries as the most advantageous solution for electrical storage, and phase-change materials (PCM), particularly Rubitherm15, as the most environmentally favorable option for thermal storage, although traditional water tanks remain more cost-effective. Overall, the study highlights the crucial role of renewable integration and temperature optimization in enhancing the eco-efficiency of low-temperature district heating networks, providing guidelines for future sustainable design and deployment. Full article