Techno-economic assessment of pit thermal energy storage in low-temperature district heating systems: a case study of the Athena-Lauzelle project in Louvain-La-Neuve

Details

Supervisors

Jeanmart, Hervé

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil électromécanicien, à finalité spécialisée: énergie

Abstract

Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) has emerged as the most promising large-scale storage solution, driven by increased knowledge and proven efficiency in existing implementations. Enhancing the thermal efficiency of buildings to limit carbon emissions and reduce primary energy consumption encourages the design of low-temperature and renewably powered district heating networks. This thesis, conducted in collaboration with Resolia, assesses the relevance of PTES in low-temperature district heating systems through a real-life case study: the Athena-Lauzelle project in Louvain-La-Neuve. A two-step method is developed to understand the technical and economic dynamics of PTES integration at the system level and to analyze factors such as size, operating strategy, stratification, and interactions with the local environment at the component level. Results indicate that for the case study and its associated load pattern, PTES fails to deliver the significant impact expected from such a large-scale installation due to its poor utilization rate and negligible economic gains. However, the study confirms the benefit of incorporating a smaller energy storage buffer, such as a tank storage, within the system.