Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 4961: Optimising Sustainable Home Energy Systems Amid Evolving Energy Market Landscape
Energies doi: 10.3390/en18184961
Authors:
Tomasz Siewierski
Andrzej Wędzik
Michał Szypowski
The paper presents a linear optimisation model aimed at improving the design and operational efficiency of home energy systems (HESs). It focuses on integrating photovoltaic (PV) installations, hybrid heating systems, and emerging energy storage systems (ESSs). Driven by the EU climate policy and the evolution of the Polish electricity market, which have caused price volatility, the model examines the economic and technical feasibility of shifting detached and semi-detached houses towards low-emission or zero-emission energy self-sufficiency. The model simultaneously optimises the sizing and hourly operation of electricity and heat storage systems, using real-world data from PV output, electricity and gas consumption, and weather conditions. The key contributions include optimisation based on large data samples, evaluation of the synergy between a hybrid heating system with a gas boiler (GB) and a heat pump (HP), analysis of the impact of demand-side management (DSM), storage capacity decline, and comparison of commercial and emerging storage technologies such as lithium-ion batteries, redox flow batteries, and high-temperature thermal storage (HTS). Analysis of multiple scenarios based on three consecutive heating seasons and projected future conditions demonstrates that integrated PV and storage systems, when properly designed and optimally controlled, significantly lower energy costs for prosumers, enhance energy autonomy, and decrease CO2 emissions. The results indicate that under current market conditions, Li-ion batteries and HTS provide the most economically viable storage options.