Energy Systems and Technologies for the Coming Century ...

iomass CHP, heat pumps, electric boilers and large thermal storages in accordance withthe fluctuating wind and the market prices for electricity.We can say that the district heating system can become – and to some extend already is -an intelligent electricity consumer. It can utilize the existing power grid and offer:to consume huge quantities of electricity when the price is very lowto avoid consumption or even to produce electricity for longer periods (evenweeks) when the electricity price is high andto regulate the consumption and production of electricity with short noticeThe plan also underlines that it is important to promote the cost effective energy savingmeasures in the building sector and that the long-term optimal measures are basically thesame for district heating and individual heat pumps. That is:an optimal building envelopean integrated low temperature heating system with low return temperature anda modest demand for maximal supply temperatureIt is in particular important for new individual heat pumps that these investments in thebuilding envelope and the heating installations as well as the capacity of the heat pumpare optimized from day 1. For district heating it is more important to connect allconsumers from day 1 and then gradually improve the energy performance of thebuildings along with building renovations.We can conclude that district heating and individual heat pumps have major similaritiesand same response to the building: if the building can accept low temperature heating,this thermal energy can be provided at a rather low variable cost.Therefore, once there is invested in an efficient urban heating infrastructure in the cityand in heat pumps in individual buildings outside the urban areas, the investments in thebuildings shall be balanced between optimal modest insulation and a low temperatureheating system, e.g. floor heating. One more advantage is that floor heating can be usedfor cooing in the summer.Heat Plan Denmark provides specific recommendations to the central administration,local authorities and district heating companies on how to implement the policy, e.g.:that the government should establish an inter ministerial task force forimplementing the energy policy to ensure coordination between ministries inline with the EU directive on strategic environmental assessmentthat the local authorities should give high priority to strategic energy planningwith the aim to minimize the total costs for the society for providing energyservices taking into account all sectors and regional aspectsthat the district heating companies should undertake and implement businessplanning to identify the best strategies to meet the objectives of providing theend-users with thermal comfort at the lowest costs, including to help consumersto improve the energy performance of the buildingsRisø International Energy Conference 2011 Proceedings Page 200