Image: Absolicon
PhD project within the Industrial Doctoral School at Umeå University
This project in collaboration with Absolicon aims to evaluate the potential for integration of solar thermal power in the Swedish district heating grid. Solar district heating is an increasingly common concept in Europe with several commissioned installations in i.e. Germany, Denmark and Austria. During the 70’s Sweden had a leading role in solar thermal research but has currently very few installations in operation. As part of the district heating sectors goal to decarbonize district heating production, the project aims to evaluate the potential for solar district heating at higher latitudes.
Fossil-free Sweden has drawn up a roadmap where all fossil fuels for heating must be replaced by 2030. A 2021 report from the Energy Agency clearly shows that Sweden has a potential for 6 TWh of solar district heating in the country and, among other things, contributes to the partial goal of security of supply. Solar heating can help reduce the burning of fossil fuels. Solar heating also increases diversification in the fuel mix and reduces dependence on fuel prices.
Currently, Sweden is far behind in the development of solar district heating in relation to the rest of Europe. In neighboring Denmark, a number of solar district heating plants have been set up in combination with thermal storage, where studies show good reliability and synergies with, for example, biofuel boilers.
A significant obstacle to the implementation of solar district heating in Sweden is the difference in heat demand and solar heat production. The difference becomes more noticeable at northern latitudes, where solar radiation and sun height decrease drastically during the winter months. Currently, there are very few studies done on the implementation of solar district heating at northern latitudes. It is therefore necessary to do case studies on existing installations of solar district heating in northern climates.
The benefit of solar district heating is strongly dependent on the current fuel mix, where, for example, profitability and carbon dioxide emissions strongly depend on which fuel source is replaced by solar heating. The planned project can bring insights into Swedish energy supply that, among other things, enable a faster path to the 2030 goals of a fossil-free district heating sector and at the same time contribute to the Swedish and European energy and climate goals.
