Work

Control and Techno-Economic Analysis of Cross-Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage: A Multi-Scenario Assessment

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Under the global energy transition and the decarbonisation of building heating, cross-seasonal thermal energy storage has emerged as a crucial technology to address the seasonal mismatch between renewable energy supply and demand. This study proposes and evaluates a modular composite thermal storage system that integrates thermochemical and phase change storage modulars. An intelligent control strategy is adopted to achieve functional decoupling and coordinated operation. Taking a residential district in Beijing, China, as a case study, three system scenarios are constructed: a full thermal storage system, a hybrid storage system supplemented with off-peak electricity, and a fully electric system. The results show that the hybrid system maintains the same annual solar energy utilisation as the full storage system while reducing the levelised cost of heat by 33%. The modular strategy reduces the scale of the storage system and enhances operational flexibility. Among the three scenarios, the hybrid system achieves the best balance in terms of storage efficiency, grid interaction, and cost-effectiveness. This study provides strategic insights and design references for the engineering application of cross-seasonal thermal storage systems, contributing positively to the decarbonisation of district heating.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en19112602

Authors: Fangyu Chen, Bo Dong, Eleanor Gunnarsson, Huaning Wang, Yumeng Miao, Qian Wang

Institutions: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, State Power Investment Corporation (China), Politecnico di Milano

Language: English

Topic: Integrated Energy Systems Optimization

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137