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This paper identifies the energy system benefits of transitioning district heating infrastructure from current 3rd generation district heating (3GDH) to 4th generation district heating (4GDH) with lower grid temperatures and more integration with other energy sectors. Previous papers have investigated the effect of going from 3GDH to 4GDH on a local perspective. In this paper it is investigated how this transition affects the energy system on a national level, where both the costs and energy effects are evaluated based on national hourly energy systems simulations including all energy sectors in a climate neutral energy system scenario. Moreover, the paper identifies the effects of different cooling solutions in datacentres. The analyses include effects on heat sources as well as the effect on the cost and losses in the district heating grid. This is done for the case of Denmark. In the case of Denmark, it is found that transitioning from 3GDH to 4GDH decreases the system cost by 220 M EUR/year, corresponding to 7 M EUR/TWh delivered heat at the end-user. Increasing the temperature outlet of datacentre waste heat has a value for the system as high as 52–59 M EUR/year, corresponding to 1.7–1.9 M EUR/TWh delivered heating at the end-user. • Evaluates the national energy system effects of 4th generation district heating. • The paper also evaluates the effects of different cooling solutions in datacentres. • The evaluation is done using a carbon neutral scenario for Denmark. • Going to 4th generation district heating reduces the system cost by 220 M EUR/year. • Higher temperature of waste heat from datacentres reduces the energy system cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future renewable energy systems with high shares of variable renewable energy production must also include technologies and measures to balance these production fluctuations. This could be in the form of electricity storage, energy demand adaptation (also known as demand-side management), or sector coupling. Industry electrification couples electricity and industry sectors by replacing the fossil fuel demand with electricity demands, thus enabling further integration of renewable electricity and transitioning the hard-to-abate energy sector. The effects of electrification on 100% renewable energy systems are rarely investigated. When investigated, one 100% renewable energy system scenario is used, which is often created by the same author, actor or organisation and may result in a narrow view of the possibilities for future energy systems. This study quantifies the role of industry electrification in the context of different 100% renewable energy system scenarios created by different relevant actors, to identify how its role may differ based on the scenario investigated. It is found that direct electrification of industrial process heat demands should be favoured over, e.g., a fuel shift to hydrogen-based process systems, even when these provide more flexibility. • Future renewable energy systems must balance variable production fluctuations. • Industry electrification enables integration of renewable electricity. • Industry electrification is analysed in three renewable energy system scenarios. • Direct electrification should be favoured over hydrogen-based process systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent renewable energy sources (RES) are increasingly used in many energy systems. The higher capacity of intermittent RES increases the importance of introducing flexible generation units into the electricity system balancing. Distributed district heating plants with combined heat and power (CHP) can provide this flexibility. However, in electricity systems with a high penetration of intermittent RES, CHP units are currently experiencing decreasing hours of operation, making it likely that existing CHP capacity will be phased out from the energy system. Furthermore, when the plants provide balancing for the electricity system, the complexity of their daily operation planning is increased. This article analyses and discusses how these units can improve their economic feasibility by providing balancing services to the electricity system, benefitting both each individual plant and the system as a whole. This is done by using the case of the Danish district heating plant, Ringkøbing District Heating, which has a relatively high capacity of solar heating installed and is located in an area with a high penetration of wind power. It is found that the plant can increase the economic feasibility of the CHP unit by participating in the electricity balancing tasks; however, it is uncertain whether the benefits are substantial enough to keep the distributed CHP capacity in operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In most countries markets for electricity are divided into wholesale markets on which electricity is traded before the operation hour, and real-time balancing markets to handle the deviations from the wholesale trading. So far, wind power has been sold only on the wholesale market and has been known to increase the need for balancing. This article analyses whether wind turbines in the future should participate in the balancing markets and thereby play a proactive role. The analysis is based on a real-life test of proactive participation of a wind farm in West Denmark. It is found that the wind farm is able to play a proactive role regarding downward regulation and thereby increase profits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a strategy for achieving a fully decarbonized Danish energy system (including transport and industry) in 2045. The strategy could also be relevant for most countries at a global level. The energy system analysis includes hour-by-hour computer simulations leading to the design of a Smart Energy System with the ability to balance all sectors of the complete energy system. In the analysis, issues such as international shipping and aviation, the sustainable use of biomass, and the exchange of electricity and gas with neighbouring countries are all considered. Moreover, the energy system is coordinated with other sectors to achieve a fully decarbonized society. Finally, the size of the employment impact of investing in decarbonizing the Danish economy is discussed. • A strategy for a fully decarbonized Danish society in 2045. • The inclusion of international shipping and aviation in a country strategy. • A Smart Energy Systems approach modelled by EnergyPLAN. • Detailed calculations of different elements of the strategy in 2030 and 2045. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving towards carbon-neutral societies, both nuclear and renewable energy can potentially supply CO 2 -free electricity. While the cost of renewable energy has decreased significantly, the cost of nuclear has, however, increased in the past decades and now in general exceeds the cost of renewables. However, one cannot compare directly the per unit cost of electricity since temporal behavior in the electricity production differs substantially between the two groups of technologies. Nuclear power inherently aims to provide a constant base load supply of electricity, while renewables generally depend on weather patterns. Thus, the two have different requirements and impact the overall system costs differently regarding flexibility and system design. Focusing on the case of Denmark, this article investigates a future fully sector-coupled energy system in a carbon-neutral society and compares the operation and costs of renewables and nuclear-based energy systems. The study finds that investments in flexibility in the electricity supply are needed in both systems due to the constant production pattern of nuclear and the variability of renewable energy sources. However, the scenario with high nuclear implementation is 1.2 billion EUR more expensive annually compared to a scenario only based on renewables, with all systems completely balancing supply and demand across all energy sectors in every hour. For nuclear power to be cost competitive with renewables an investment cost of 1.55 MEUR/MW must be achieved, which is substantially below any cost projection for nuclear power. • Both renewable energy and nuclear power benefits from sector coupling. • Hourly modelling is required to capture system effects. • Nuclear systems require less flexibility capacity than renewable only systems. • A renewable energy system is cheaper than a nuclear based system. • Lower flexibility costs do not offset the high investment costs in nuclear energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]