Assessment of integrated urban energy options
Name
MIT-EL-79-021-06611805.pdf
Size
7.93 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
b063a5d1c8fd5d505e29962659c0504c
Author(s)
Pine, Gerald Dean
Date Issued
February 1979
Publisher
MIT Energy Laboratory
Series/Report no.
MIT-EL
79-021
Abstract
An initial comparison is carried out for the following residential
space and water heating options: electric resistance heating, electrically-
driven heat pumps, distribution of condenser temperature water combined
with heat pumps to extract heat at the point of use, district heating
via hot water from a combined heat-electric utility energy source, and
individual gas furnaces. This comparison indicates that district heating
is potentially competitive with conventional technologies for new urban
areas.
A more detailed analysis of the district heating option is undertaken
to clarify its economics. Base case urban models, economic assumptions
and distribution networks are defined and a computer program is developed
to select optimum pipe sizes for the networks and to calculate life cycle
costs. Cost optimization is carried out by considering thermal energy
production costs as well as thermal conveyance costs.
Because of the large number of variables entering into the cost
determination, sensitivity analyses are performed to examine the effects
of variations from base case assumptions. Variations in the installed
pipe cost, interest rate, maintenance costs and degree of market penetra-
tion are shown to have the greatest effect on energy cost. Pumping power
and heat loss are found to be relatively insignificant cost items.
Proper phasing of system inplementation with urban growth is shown to
be very important. Initial use of temporary heat sources located near the
loads coupled with implementation of only local piping networks is
advantageous for present gas and oil prices if the urban growth occurs
over a period of 15-30 years. There is shown to be an economically
optimum time for conversion to a large centralized thermal energy source.
Several potential institutional barriers to district heating system
implementation are identified. These barriers will be more difficult to
overcome than any technical or economic barriers, and success in over-
coming them will determine the national significance of district heating.
Given positive government efforts to overcome the institutional barriers,
district heating can play a major role in the U.S.
Description
Originally presented as the author's thesis, Ph.D. in the M.I.T. Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1978
Subjects
Heating from central stations
Total energy systems (On-site electric power production)
Electric power production
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