Techno-economic performance and optimization of a large solar district heating system with pit storage under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions

Qinglu Zeng; Luyao Li; Xie Chen; Zhiyong Tian; Hongzhi Mao; Yongqiang Luo; Chaohui Zhou; Jianhua Fan

doi:10.1016/j.energy.2025.134449

Techno-economic performance and optimization of a large solar district heating system with pit storage under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions

Qinglu Zeng
, Luyao Li
, Xie Chen
, Zhiyong Tian^*
, Hongzhi Mao
, Yongqiang Luo
, Chaohui Zhou
, Jianhua Fan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Huazhong University of Science and Technology
China Three Gorges Corporation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The Tibet Plateau is one of the regions with the most abundant solar energy in the world. Effectively harnessing solar energy is of significant importance for energy conservation and emission reduction. However, solar energy has a significant mismatch with energy demand, for which a pit for seasonal thermal storage is utilized by the large solar district heating system proposed in this paper to solve the time-discrepancy problem of solar energy utilization. Based on the GenOpt-TRNSYS model, a hybrid optimization algorithm is used to optimize the levelized cost of heat (LCoH)under different solar fractions (SF). The optimal configuration of the system under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions is obtained, with a solar collector field area of 13502 m² and a pit volume of 119350 m³. The levelized cost of the heat substituted by the solar part (LCoH_solar) and levelized cost of the heat generated by the boilers (LCoH_boiler) are compared from two aspects of changing natural gas price and initial investment cost, so as to evaluate the economy of the system comprehensively.

Original language	English
Article number	134449
Journal	Energy
Volume	315
Number of pages	12
ISSN	0360-5442
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134449
Publication status	Published - 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13 Climate Action

Keywords

Economic analysis
GenOpt-TRNSYS model
Levelized cost of heat
Life cycle assessment
Solar district heating system with pit storage

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@article{cd47db5190964bcd9bf583222c908b84,

title = "Techno-economic performance and optimization of a large solar district heating system with pit storage under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions",

abstract = "The Tibet Plateau is one of the regions with the most abundant solar energy in the world. Effectively harnessing solar energy is of significant importance for energy conservation and emission reduction. However, solar energy has a significant mismatch with energy demand, for which a pit for seasonal thermal storage is utilized by the large solar district heating system proposed in this paper to solve the time-discrepancy problem of solar energy utilization. Based on the GenOpt-TRNSYS model, a hybrid optimization algorithm is used to optimize the levelized cost of heat (LCoH)under different solar fractions (SF). The optimal configuration of the system under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions is obtained, with a solar collector field area of 13502 m2 and a pit volume of 119350 m3. The levelized cost of the heat substituted by the solar part (LCoHsolar) and levelized cost of the heat generated by the boilers (LCoHboiler) are compared from two aspects of changing natural gas price and initial investment cost, so as to evaluate the economy of the system comprehensively.",

keywords = "Economic analysis, GenOpt-TRNSYS model, Levelized cost of heat, Life cycle assessment, Solar district heating system with pit storage",

author = "Qinglu Zeng and Luyao Li and Xie Chen and Zhiyong Tian and Hongzhi Mao and Yongqiang Luo and Chaohui Zhou and Jianhua Fan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1016/j.energy.2025.134449",

language = "English",

volume = "315",

journal = "Energy",

issn = "0360-5442",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Techno-economic performance and optimization of a large solar district heating system with pit storage under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions

AU - Zeng, Qinglu

AU - Li, Luyao

AU - Chen, Xie

AU - Tian, Zhiyong

AU - Mao, Hongzhi

AU - Luo, Yongqiang

AU - Zhou, Chaohui

AU - Fan, Jianhua

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - The Tibet Plateau is one of the regions with the most abundant solar energy in the world. Effectively harnessing solar energy is of significant importance for energy conservation and emission reduction. However, solar energy has a significant mismatch with energy demand, for which a pit for seasonal thermal storage is utilized by the large solar district heating system proposed in this paper to solve the time-discrepancy problem of solar energy utilization. Based on the GenOpt-TRNSYS model, a hybrid optimization algorithm is used to optimize the levelized cost of heat (LCoH)under different solar fractions (SF). The optimal configuration of the system under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions is obtained, with a solar collector field area of 13502 m2 and a pit volume of 119350 m3. The levelized cost of the heat substituted by the solar part (LCoHsolar) and levelized cost of the heat generated by the boilers (LCoHboiler) are compared from two aspects of changing natural gas price and initial investment cost, so as to evaluate the economy of the system comprehensively.

AB - The Tibet Plateau is one of the regions with the most abundant solar energy in the world. Effectively harnessing solar energy is of significant importance for energy conservation and emission reduction. However, solar energy has a significant mismatch with energy demand, for which a pit for seasonal thermal storage is utilized by the large solar district heating system proposed in this paper to solve the time-discrepancy problem of solar energy utilization. Based on the GenOpt-TRNSYS model, a hybrid optimization algorithm is used to optimize the levelized cost of heat (LCoH)under different solar fractions (SF). The optimal configuration of the system under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions is obtained, with a solar collector field area of 13502 m2 and a pit volume of 119350 m3. The levelized cost of the heat substituted by the solar part (LCoHsolar) and levelized cost of the heat generated by the boilers (LCoHboiler) are compared from two aspects of changing natural gas price and initial investment cost, so as to evaluate the economy of the system comprehensively.

KW - Economic analysis

KW - GenOpt-TRNSYS model

KW - Levelized cost of heat

KW - Life cycle assessment

KW - Solar district heating system with pit storage

U2 - 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134449

DO - 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134449

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85214484024

SN - 0360-5442

VL - 315

JO - Energy

JF - Energy

M1 - 134449

ER -

Techno-economic performance and optimization of a large solar district heating system with pit storage under Tibetan Plateau climate conditions

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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