能源基金会-基于柔性用电的建筑绿电消费认证机制与虚拟电厂模式研究-17页_1mb

Research Summary

Context

This research explores the collaboration between buildings and power grids for low-carbon development under carbon neutrality goals in China. Funded by the Energy Foundation and conducted by the Shenzhen Institute of Building Research Co., Ltd., it focuses on energy flexible buildings, virtual power plants (VPPs), and green electricity consumption certification mechanisms from October 2021 to October 2022.

Problem Statement

• Buildings: Urban high-density areas limit on-site renewable energy potential, making it difficult for most cities to achieve carbon balance through energy efficiency and rooftop photovoltaics alone.
• Power Grids: Increasedintegration of wind and solar power, coupled with growing load peaks and infrequent power shortages, exacerbates grid peak regulation challenges. Frictional costs from orderly electricity use, including curtailments, highlight the need for flexible resources.

Proposed Solution

The key solution involves flexible electricity consumption, where buildings adjust their energy usage to support grid stability, and grids provide enhanced green power access:

• Buildings can reduce their carbon footprint by better managing energy demand, relying on grid connections for diverse zero-carbon power sources at lower costs than on-site solutions.
• Grid support can enhance renewable energy integration, addressing peak demands and reducing overall costs.

Virtual Power Plant Implementation

• VPPs aggregate flexible building loads, such as HVAC, hot water, and charging piles, to provide grid services like peak regulation and demand response.
• Advantages include large-scale regulation potential from existing building infrastructure, cost savings due to leveraged energy management systems, and comprehensive supporting facilities.
• Current challenges include unclear quantification of load flexibility, high user resistance due to novelty and lack of trust, and Limited profitability in the short term due to uncertainty in regulation economics.

Green Consumption Certification

• Innovations are needed to support flexible electricity within broader policy frameworks. Existing mechanisms like green power certificates do not fully account for carbon reduction benefits from load regulation actions.
• A proposed approach includes short-term certification with notable metrics-based approaches to guide low-carbon building practices, transitionable toward integration with full electricity markets.

Benefits and Recommendations

• Expected Impacts: This work supports national goals by enabling peak reduction capabilities in buildings, improving grid stability, and facilitating market mechanisms for renewable energy.
• ** Path Forward**: Concentrate on pilot projects (e.g., 1 million sq.m. aggregation). Establish green certification standards for load-based low-carbon achievements to incentivize adoption and test long-term market viability.