Test objective name

Author / organization

Short description

Present use / development status

Test objective

characterization

Description incl. justification

The TIMES Belgium model is a technology rich, bottom up model representing all sectors of the energy system in Belgium. By separating the residential sector and introducing new commodity flows it is possible to test under what conditions (e.g. demand profiles, market prices) the self-consumption of locally generated electricity is economically viable. Also, it allows to assess the impacts of enhanced local self-consumption on centralized production needs and overall energy system costs.

System configuration

Limited residential sector model, based on the techno-economic parameters and demand profiles of the residential sector in the TIMES Belgium model (see deliverable D2-3, Appendix G). Demand profiles have been disaggregated to allow for a better representation of different types of end-use demands.

Use case

UC18 – National scale case

Self-consumption of locally generated electricity via energy exchanges behind the meter serves to enhance the uptake of variable renewable resources and reduce energy system costs.

System Under Test

The entire set of technologies satisfying the energy (heat and electricity) demands in the residential sector. In comparison to the status quo in the TIMES BE model (Figure G.1) the following changes are implemented in the partial residential sector model (Figure G.2):

• direct electrify flow from the PV installation to the installed demand and storage technologies (ELCPV to ELCRES);
• electrical storage technologies connected to the electricity system in the house (and no longer to the PV technology system);
• thermal storage technology directly connected to the natural gas-based technologies (e.g. boilers as in the status quo) and electricity-based technologies (e.g. heat or ground heat pumps).

Object Under Investigation

The main components to be characterized are (all energy flows in PJ):

• Transformer for electricity flow from PV to ELCRES, without flow through the low voltage grid (ELCLOW)
• Utilisation of electrical storage technology (Elc Storage): inflow of ELCRES in one time slice and outflow in subsequent time slice(s)
• Utilisation of Thermal Storage: inflow of electricity or thermal power in one time slice and outflow of thermal energy in subsequent time slice(s)

Function Under Investigation

• Electricity flow from ELCLOW to ELCRES
• Electricity flow from ELCPV to ELCRES
• Electricity in- and outflow for technology ‘Elc Storage’
• Electricity flow in technology ‘Thermal Storage’
• Thermal energy outflow technology ‘Thermal Storage’

On the system level we characterize:

•  The uptake of renewable energy technologies in the energy system
• Total energy system cost

Model Validation

Objective Function / Target Metrics

Acceptable test result

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