Applying Solar PV to Heat Pump and Storage Technologies in Australian Houses

Innovative mechanical services coupled with renewable energy systems are crucial for achieving a net zero energy goal for houses. Conventional systems tend to be vastly oversized because they lack the means to buffer energy flows and are based on peak loads. This paper presents an approach to achiev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnergies (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 17; p. 5480
Main Authors Simko, Tom, Luther, Mark B., Li, Hong Xian, Horan, Peter
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2021
Subjects
Alternative energy sources
Batteries
Case studies
Control algorithms
Cooling
Design
Electricity
Electricity distribution
Emission standards
Emissions
Energy flow
Energy storage
Feasibility studies
Green buildings
Heat
Heat exchangers
Heat pumps
Houses
HVAC
Optimization
Peak load
Photovoltaics
Radiant heating
self-consumption
Solar energy
solar photovoltaics
space cooling
Space cooling (buildings)
Space heating
Storage batteries
Tariffs
Thermal batteries
thermal storage
Australia
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Summary:Innovative mechanical services coupled with renewable energy systems are crucial for achieving a net zero energy goal for houses. Conventional systems tend to be vastly oversized because they lack the means to buffer energy flows and are based on peak loads. This paper presents an approach to achieve a net zero energy goal for houses by using a solar PV system, heat pumps, and thermal and electrical storage batteries, all off-the-shelf. Constraining one part of the system and then showing how to manage energy storage and flow is a paradigm shift in sizing. The design is for a modest-sized house built in Melbourne, Australia. The output of a solar photovoltaic array drives a small-scale heat pump to heat water, buffering its energy in a thermal battery to energise a radiant space heating system. Space cooling is provided by a separate heat pump. Through energy storage in electrical and thermal batteries, it is possible to meet the electricity, heating and cooling needs of the house for the Melbourne climate with a heat pump that draws less than 1 kW. The design methodology is detailed in an appendix and can be applied to similar projects. This paper contributes to similar work worldwide that aims to reinforce innovative renewable energy driven service design.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en14175480