LAUSR

Abstract Solar district heating systems are a promising solution to facilitate the adoption of large-scale, solar energy-based technologies. Thermal energy storage devices could also play an instrumental role to manage the mismatch between solar energy resources and community heating loads; however, controlling such systems is no easy task. In this paper, a novel heuristic reactive control strategy is developed to properly manage the thermal energy storage capacity, at both the short-term and the long-term, in a Canadian solar district heating system (the Drake Landing Solar Community). This strategy targets the optimization of: (a) the temperature difference across solar collectors and (b) the flow rate modulation of the variable speed pump linking the short-term and the seasonal thermal energy storage devices. A simulation is used to compare this new control approach with the conventional control strategy currently in place. Results are assessed for the year 2017–18 in terms of energy, cost and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite a 10% increase in natural gas consumption, electricity use was decreased by 43%; reductions of 34% and 29% were respectively achieved in terms of energy cost and GHG emissions.