Investigating the use cases of a novel heat battery in Dutch residential buildings

Recent advances in thermochemical storage technology have introduced a novel closed-loop thermal energy storage (TES) system, known as the heat battery (HB), which is believed to have great potential for aiding the energy transition in the built environment because of its higher energy density and neglectable storage loss compared to conventional TES systems. In order to investigate the potential use cases of the HB and provide practical feedback for its further development, this research employs a simulation-based approach to analyze its influence on building performance in various use cases within Dutch residential buildings. Stakeholders including the homeowner, distribution system operator, and district heating system operator are identified, and a preliminary list of use cases is defined based on relevant literature and input from the HB developer. The simulation approach is conducted to predict key performance indicators for each stakeholder. The Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to sort and scrutinize the simulation outcomes and discern the significance of each use case element. The findings demonstrated that the HB holds the potential to diminish both the operational energy cost by up to 30% for the homeowners and the peak heating load transmitted from the building to the district heating system.