In the Netherlands the Government has stimulated several energy systems: Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and District Heating District Heating with Combined Cycle Plants (in Dutch STEG) Electrical Heat Pumps (EHP’s) In most cases the energy saving of these systems was exaggerated by using the false reference or choosing the wrong system boundary. In this presentation I try to find the truth. And I present the Smart Boiler Room System (SBR)

1. Energy-options, savings and
infrastructure
Martin van der Jagt; 24 jan 2014
(Translation of a Dutch presentation)

2. I prepared this presentation first in Dutch.
In the Netherlands the Government has stimulated several energy systems:
• Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in combination with District Heating
• District Heating with Combined Cycle Plants (in Dutch STEG)
• Electrical Heat Pumps (EHP’s)
In most cases the energy saving of these systems was exaggerated by
using the false reference or choosing the wrong system boundary.
In this presentation I try to find the truth. And I present the Smart Boiler
Room System (SBR)
If you have remarks or questions you can mail me:
martin.vd.jagt@gmail.com
Martin F.G. Van der Jagt
Apeldoorn, 9 feb 2015
Netherlands

3. Subjects
1. Possible options when the “Slochteren”gas was
discovered
2. The effect of the chosen System boundaries
3. Manipulation by choosing a reference
4. Effect of H/P ratio of the demand side
5. Why is CHP a bad option
6. Why are electrical heatpumps a bad option:
Problems at “De Teuge Zutphen ”
7. The “Not More Than Gas principle”
8. What is good: The Smart Boiler Room Concept
9. Conclusions

4. Gas
Gas
380 kV
Extreme options for the use of Slochteren Gas
for E-production

5. None of the presented options was
chosen, WHY?
Electricity production in Slochteren only was not
possible at that time: The E-GRID was not
engineered for that possibility.
The second option was not possible, while
decentralized E-production in a dwelling was not
possible at that time.
Nevertheless is it strange that in the Netherlands
never is tried to find optimal Energy
Infrastructures with Operation Research

6. Producing more electricity than the
consumption in the district
In the next slide a STEG is used for district heating in a new city
area of Utrecht(UTR): Leidsche Rijn(LR). For the consumption
of the over production of electricity 3 dwellings with a gas boiler
are needed.
So for the calculation of the real energy saving you have to
include the dwellings with the gas boilers!
So the real primary energy use for 1 dwelling is; 20.9 / 4 = 5.2
The false reproach calculates only 3.4 primary energy use!

7. Choice of System Boundary
E= Electricity
W = Heat

8. STEG with district heating and separated
generation

9. Electrical Heat pumps Gas Heat pumps

10. Systems Primary Energy Saving [%]
STEG +Districtheating
REMU
3.4 41
STEG +Districtheating
NOVEM
1.7 71
STEG +Districtheating
GCN
5.2 10(good calculated
value!)
Separated Production 5.8 0
STEG + EHP’s 4.7 19
GAS HP’s 4.7 19

11. Choice of Reference
When calculating the savings of CHP:
Where is CHP a sustitute for?;
• A Coal fired Powerstation
• Windturbines
• PV
• A Gasfired STEG With 60% efficiency

12. Effect of the H/P ratio from the demand
side

13. Savings of EHP’s Powerstation
efficiency = 51 %(W/K=H/P)

14. Savings of CHP and CHP with EHP’s

15. Why is CHP a suboptimal choice?
1. CHP ⇒ There is still need for nearly the
same number of Central Powerstations
2. Only little CO2
reduction
3. Increase NOx
emission
4. CH4
emission
5. Financial result very dependant of
electricity prices: Heat Demand Controlled

16. Disadvantages of Electrical Heat
Pumps
● Expensive Grid
● Expensive installation in the building: extra heating surface.
● Expensive heatsource
● Peakinstallation is a problem
In the next slide a summary of the differences in costs:
EHP<>Gas Boiler; Then some slides in Dutch with more
detailed numbers.

17. Problems with Electrical Heat Pumps in
Zutphen (Netherlands)
•High electricity notes
•A lot glitches
•No CO2
reduction: 39 % more than gas boiler heating!
•It took years to solve the problems!
Difference in Costs:
Gas Boiler Heatpump
Costs
Gas
Costs
HP Gas/HP
m3/year kWh/year kwh/year
kwh/year
HP €/y €/y [-]
Overall 1.304 3.380 7.970 4.590 835 1.102 32%

18. Bron: presentatie Alliander (site: http://deteuge2.nl/rapporten-
alliander/)

19. Bron: presentatie Alliander (site: http://deteuge2.nl/rapporten-
alliander/)

20. Bron: presentatie Alliander (site: http://deteuge2.nl/rapporten-
alliander/)

21. The Not More Than Gas Principle
● This is promised to users of
districtheating
● Is Not Maintained by The Government
● Conflicts residents>energy company:
○ Houten Zuid: Foundation
GIGAJoule<>Eneco
○ Almere: Community<>NUON
(Eneco and NUON are Energy Distribution
Companies)

22. Smart Boiler Room System
WK = CHP, EWP= Electrical Heat Pump, CV= Gas Boiler,
Buffer= Heat Storage

23. Advantages SBR-Concept(1)
•Gas > Heat
•Gas > Electricity
•Electricity > Heat
So based on energy market prices you
choose the production method!

24. Heat demand driven systems will have problems with extreme
electricity prices.
CHP’s must run when there is heat demand and the market price for
electricity is low.
EHP’s must run when the market price for electricity is high.
The SBR can make the choice “Make or Buy”.
In a SBR the CHP’s are electrical balanced with the EHP’s. So when the
electricity prices are normal the electricity of the CHP’s is used to drive
the EHP’s.
When electricity is cheap (during nights) you can buy an amount of
electricity for the EHP’s and storage the produced heat.
When the electricity price is high you can sell the CHP’s electricity on
the market.
This is to complex for the Dutch Government!

25. Advantages of SBR-Concept(2)
● Reasonable CO2
reduction
● The price of electricity is not dominant
● Technology is available
● Suitable for portfolio management
● Positive influence on Central Power
Stations
● Cheaper electricity grids than CHP and
EHP’s

26. 19 timber frame dwellings Veenendaal
with SBR constructed in 1998

27. In 2011still in operation

28. Conclusions:
Important for the calculation of savings:
•Choice of system boundary
•Choice of reference system
CHP’s and EHP’s: suboptimal choice
It’s a pity that SBR is rarely applied
People have right on maintenance of the
“Not More Than Gas Principle”
Privatization has prevented optimization of
the energy infrastructure in the Netherlands