An Exploration of Load-shifting Potential in real in-situ Heat-pump/gas-boiler Hybrid Systems

Monitoring data from two hybrid air-source heat-pump/gas-boiler systems was used to explore the systems’ potential for energy flexibility, i.e. the potential for shifting electrical load in response to grid requirements while maintaining acceptable performance in the overall hybrid system. In both cases a significant proportion of the heat pump load could potentially be shifted to the gas-boiler with only a modest increase in the overall energy consumption, provided certain operational conditions were met. Furthermore, under these operational conditions it is possible to estimate this additional energy consumption for a given system from simple heat output, and gas and electricity consumption data. This provides a potential basis for groups of similar systems equipped with smart technology to offer flexibility to the grid, while minimising the resulting energy penalty by choosing to use the most appropriate systems at any given time with respect to their operating conditions at that time. In addition, this type of flexibility means that the thermal comfort within the dwelling remains unaffected since overall heating requirement is met at all times by one of the two heating sub-systems.