We are proud to announce that one of our PhD students has been distinguished with the 12th International DHC+ Student Award from Euroheat & Power. This award recognizes the student’s significant contribution to the field with his research paper, ‘Can the Digitalisation of Substations Boost the German Transformation of District Heating Networks? - A Bottom-Up-Based Simulation Approach’.
The research provides an analytical perspective on the techno-economic impact of digitalising district heating substations, highlighting how it can improve operational efficiency by reducing energy consumption and enhancing pressure maintenance. However, it also notes that the cost-effectiveness of digitalisation diminishes as smaller substations are incorporated, indicating a rise in incremental costs.
The student reflects on this honour, stating, “It was a great honour to receive one of the 12th International DHC+ Student Awards from Euroheat & Power! This recognition is for my research paper, which focuses on the techno-economic impact of digitalising district heating substations to enhance operational efficiency.”
The core findings from Yichen's research are:
- Digitalisation increases operational efficiency for DHN operators by reducing energy consumption and improving pressure maintenance.
- The cost-effectiveness of digitalisation decreases in the later stages when smaller substations are included, leading to higher incremental costs.
- The economic impact of optimising substation control is significant and warrants careful consideration by DHN operators.
For those interested in the detailed insights of this award-winning work, a concise version is available here.
