Optimization methodology for simultaneous district heating source selection, capacity sizing, energy transmission and management: Heat-only SMR vs. conventional plants

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F46747885%3A24210%2F26%3A00014616" target="_blank" >RIV/46747885:24210/26:00014616 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2026.140562" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2026.140562</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2026.140562" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.energy.2026.140562</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Optimization methodology for simultaneous district heating source selection, capacity sizing, energy transmission and management: Heat-only SMR vs. conventional plants

Original language description

Feasible decarbonization of district heating systems requires a methodology for evaluating and optimizing the integration of diverse heat sources, such as biomass and gas boilers, heat-only small modular reactors (SMRs), heat recovery, and heat storage, which is proposed in this study. The method simultaneously identifies optimal source selection and sizing, including hourly energy management, and determines the sizes of the necessary heat transmission pipelines. The methodology is examined for a typical heat demand profile with a peak of 400 MWt, and several sensitivity analyses are conducted based on variations in key factors, including electricity prices, demand scales, and fuel prices. The results indicate that the optimal mix of heat sources depends on multiple trade-offs, including demand scale, SMR capacity, alternative energy prices, and source distance. However, heat-only SMRs demonstrated strong feasibility compared to other sources in many scenarios, e.g., outperforming gas boilers at a natural gas price of €20/MWth. The biomass boiler represents a competitive alternative to gas boilers for base-load operation. Waste heat recovery using absorption heat pumps is among the most economical options, while compression heat pumps and CHP are more suitable for markets with low electricity prices.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

20704 - Energy and fuels

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2026

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Energy>

ISSN

1873-6785

e-ISSN

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Volume of the periodical

348

Issue of the periodical within the volume

APR 1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

16

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001709666100001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

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