Initial assessment of a 5th generation district energy network in central London

© 2019 ASHRAE. The paper introduces a concept design for the UK's first large-scale fifth generation (5G) smart energy network using an area in central London as a case study. The proposed system will incorporate a range of different renewables and secondary energy sources that will supply a large proportion of the energy demand of the overall district network capacity. The network will operate at close to ambient temperature, approximately 15-25°C (59-77°F) as a single loop system, with individual heat pumps for each end user or building connected to the network. The system also integrates thermal and electrical storage to create additional flexibility for the network and smart control for demand-side management. The paper describes the proposed 5G network concept and details the selected components of the system, in particular urban location. Key outcomes of the study presented in this paper provide understanding of the relative performance of individual technologies in a complex system using a techno-economic modelling approach