Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios
Abstract Heat pumps play a major role in decreasing fossil fuel use in heating. They increase electricity demand, but could also foster the system integration of variable renewable energy sources. We analyze three scenarios for expanding decentralized heat pumps in Germany by 2030, focusing on the r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01861-2 |
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| _version_ | 1846158174276550656 |
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| author | Alexander Roth Carlos Gaete-Morales Dana Kirchem Wolf-Peter Schill |
| author_facet | Alexander Roth Carlos Gaete-Morales Dana Kirchem Wolf-Peter Schill |
| author_sort | Alexander Roth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Heat pumps play a major role in decreasing fossil fuel use in heating. They increase electricity demand, but could also foster the system integration of variable renewable energy sources. We analyze three scenarios for expanding decentralized heat pumps in Germany by 2030, focusing on the role of buffer heat storage. Using an open-source power sector model, we assess costs, capacity investments, and emissions effects. We find that investments in solar photovoltaics can cost-effectively accompany the roll-out of heat pumps in case wind power expansion potentials are limited. Results further show that short-duration heat storage substantially reduces the need for firm capacity and battery storage. Larger heat storage sizes do not substantially change the results. Increasing the number of heat pumps from 1.7 to 10 million units could annually save more than half of Germany’s private and commercial natural gas consumption and around half of households’ building-related CO2 emissions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-75ca62dd06c542e595aefa07264b1e34 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-75ca62dd06c542e595aefa07264b1e342024-11-24T12:44:13ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-11-015111210.1038/s43247-024-01861-2Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenariosAlexander Roth0Carlos Gaete-Morales1Dana Kirchem2Wolf-Peter Schill3German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)Abstract Heat pumps play a major role in decreasing fossil fuel use in heating. They increase electricity demand, but could also foster the system integration of variable renewable energy sources. We analyze three scenarios for expanding decentralized heat pumps in Germany by 2030, focusing on the role of buffer heat storage. Using an open-source power sector model, we assess costs, capacity investments, and emissions effects. We find that investments in solar photovoltaics can cost-effectively accompany the roll-out of heat pumps in case wind power expansion potentials are limited. Results further show that short-duration heat storage substantially reduces the need for firm capacity and battery storage. Larger heat storage sizes do not substantially change the results. Increasing the number of heat pumps from 1.7 to 10 million units could annually save more than half of Germany’s private and commercial natural gas consumption and around half of households’ building-related CO2 emissions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01861-2 |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Roth Carlos Gaete-Morales Dana Kirchem Wolf-Peter Schill Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| title_full | Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| title_fullStr | Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| title_full_unstemmed | Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| title_short | Power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| title_sort | power sector benefits of flexible heat pumps in 2030 scenarios |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01861-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexanderroth powersectorbenefitsofflexibleheatpumpsin2030scenarios AT carlosgaetemorales powersectorbenefitsofflexibleheatpumpsin2030scenarios AT danakirchem powersectorbenefitsofflexibleheatpumpsin2030scenarios AT wolfpeterschill powersectorbenefitsofflexibleheatpumpsin2030scenarios |