INTEGRATION OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES INTO DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEMS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

• Datum: 2026
• 1. Verfasser: Ivanenko, Nataliia
• Format: Artikel
• Sprache: Ukrainisch
• Veröffentlicht: General Energy Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026
• Schlagworte: district heating; boiler plant reconstruction; renewable heat sources; biomass; large-scale heat pump; decarbonization; CO2 emission reduction; economic assessment; calculation model.
• Online Zugang: https://systemre.org/index.php/journal/article/view/953
• Назва журналу: System Research in Energy

The paper examines the reconstruction of district heating boiler plants in Ukraine in the context of post-war infrastructure recovery, strengthening energy security, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with national climate commitments. The aim of the study is to develop a universal calculation model for assessing the economic and environmental effects of integrating alternative heat sources at the level of individual boiler plants, with results presented per 1 MW of installed thermal capacity. The methodology is based on an energy balance approach to fossil fuel substitution using seasonal efficiency coefficients of equipment, lower heating values of fuels, and standard emission factors in accordance with internationally recognized greenhouse gas and air pollutant inventory guidelines. Three typical reconstruction options are analyzed: installation of a biomass boiler, implementation of a large-scale heat pump, and a combined scheme with an alternative base-load source and a gas-fired peak/reserve unit. The calculations show that full substitution of natural gas by an alternative heat source at 1 MW capacity can reduce gas consumption by approximately 0.44 million m³ per year and decrease CO₂ emissions by up to 875 t/year depending on the applied technology. Biomass provides the highest immediate climate mitigation effect, while heat pumps demonstrate increasing environmental benefits as the electricity sector gradually decarbonizes. The proposed approach enables a consistent comparison of technological options using a unified set of energy, economic, and environmental indicators and can serve as a decision-support tool for planning boiler plant reconstruction or new construction projects.