Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO076: Turning Grid Limits into Opportunities: A Win(d)–Win situation via Wind‑to‑Heat Electrification
Nicklas Pedersen, Energy Systems Engineer, EMD International A/S
Abstract
Grid connection capacity is increasingly a bottleneck for new renewable projects. A planned wind farm in Denmark faces a connection with an export cap that would lead to significant curtailment, and the cost of reinforcing the transmission connection is prohibitive. At the same time, a nearby district heating (DH) plant is expanding with electrified units (electric boiler, heat pump) and thermal storage. This creates an opportunity for cooperation: instead of reinforcing the grid, the wind farm connects locally to the DH system. When the grid export limit binds or when electricity prices are low, surplus wind power is converted into heat and stored for later demand. Otherwise, the wind farm exports to the grid. We model this arrangement using real market data, operational constraints, and technical characteristics of both systems to evaluate its feasibility. The analysis considers alternative pricing agreements between the parties, different storage capacities, efficiencies, and export-cap severities. Results show that coordinated wind-to-heat operation reduces curtailment, stabilises revenues for the wind farm, and delivers competitive heat costs for the DH utility. Importantly, this bilateral solution can make the wind farm financially feasible earlier while deferring expensive grid reinforcement. The case demonstrates how local sector coupling can address grid bottlenecks and improve overall system efficiency.
