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‘True’ or ‘traditional’ heat networks can be very large. They will normally consist of various building types, residential, commercial etc. connected by a large network of pipes. There can be a number of energy centres, storage facilities and waste heat capture stations connected to a single network.
This variety of buildings has the effect of smoothing the peaks and troughs of demand, creating a more stable and higher base load that allows for the improved utilisation of renewable sources. The waste heat sources and the renewable energy takes a greater share of the load and if any higher carbon emitting sources are used, their use is minimised and only operated at times when the combination of the energy from waste, renewable sources and the stored energy cannot meet the short term peak demands.
As we start to think in terms of sector coupling, these large networks can be thought of as large energy stores that can facilitate the energy flow into and out of buildings (consumers and prosumers) and also allow for energy to be transferred to and from the district heating and cooling networks via bridging facilities such as datacentres, large scale heat pumps/absorption heat pumps (heat to cool, cool to heat).
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