Power-to-gas leverage effect on power-to-heat application for urban renewable thermal energy systems

High Renewable Energy Sources (RES) share in energy systems entails environmental advantages in its use but drawbacks in its distribution, management and effectiveness. The interconnection between electricity, heat and transport sector seems to be a comprehensive answer. Its actual link is on-going and, currently, involves electricity and heat. Indeed, Power to Heat (P2H) is the strategy of meeting the heating demand by supplying electricity to feed Heat Pump (HP). Their higher efficiency compared to fossil fuel boilers requires a further check in the quality of the heating demand to meet, i.e. the temperature levels. Great part of current building stock calls for High Temperature (HT) Heat which is not affordable by HP maintaining their Coefficient of Performance. To face this issue, RES can be used to produce synthetic fuels for feeding existing energy systems, the so-called Power-to-Gas option. In this way, greening the fuel supply can be seen as the best option for meeting HT heating demand while, Medium and Low Temperature are met by HP. Therefore, two technological scenarios, P2H and its combination with P2G, are presented and assessed in three reference Urban Energy Systems. The authors investigated on the impact of RES share increase from 25% up to 50% in the electricity mix with the objective function of Primary Energy Consumption (PEC). The outcomes of twenty-four energy scenarios, eight for each Reference City were assessed also through the value of delivered Renewable Heat. Finally, the leverage effect of P2G on the system is evaluated in terms of renewable heat contribution. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.