Software tools for district heating and network planning
In most cases, municipal heating planning identifies both areas that are to be supplied centrally (e.g. by district heating networks) and areas with decentralised supply, in which the property owners themselves are responsible for their own heating supply (e.g. an individual heat pump solution as an individual supply).
For the areas to be supplied centrally, a distribution network must be designed from the generation site to all connection users. This detailed infrastructure planning is, in short, grid planning.
Grid planning tools are used in the early stages of deciding between centralised and decentralised solutions to enable well-founded considerations to be made. If a centralised supply is chosen, network planning also deals with the technical design in detail in later planning phases.Powerful digital tools are required to manage both tasks efficiently. These enable the detailed analysis of energy requirements, the planning and optimisation of heating networks and the integration of renewable energies.
From the wide range of possible software tools, we present our favourites here:
ENEKA.Energieplanung
ENEKA supports planners and local authorities in the development and evaluation of heat supply concepts with its toolbox. It offers a comprehensive needs assessment, enables various supply scenarios to be analysed and helps to identify optimal transformation paths for a climate-friendly heat supply. The software toolbox presents energy potential, energy consumption, costs and emissions - scalable from individual buildings and neighbourhoods to cities or regions throughout Germany.
- Balancing of heat and electricity - separate or coupled, balancing according to BISKO standard
- Web-based toolbox with interactive maps for clear preparation and support of municipal decision-making processes
- Overviews of central key figures in dashboards, reporting functions
- Ongoing further developments for the integration of network planning functions
- Mapping of energy costs and costs of CO₂ taxation
- Information exchange via geo web services
QGIS
QGIS is a powerful tool for geodata analysis and visualisation. It enables the spatial visualisation of heat requirements, the estimation of renewable energy sources and the planning of supply structures. Universally applicable with a wide range of applications, we use it specifically for municipal heat planning. However, QGIS benefits from further developments from the entire range of geo-based fields of activity, such as transport planning or environmental sciences. The possibilities for using this software therefore extend far beyond our area of application and can be used for many areas based on geo-based data.
- Can be extended using a wide range of plugins
- Python and the QGIS API (PyQGIS) enable user-defined scripts for automation or the development of specific analysis tools
- User-defined map layouts with detailed customisation of legends and labels
- Enables heat network planning to be prepared in an understandable way, even for non-specialist stakeholders
Case study: Identifying potential grid expansion areas in a major German city
Based on existing geo-based data (available via the local geoportal), it was possible to generate and visualise initial key figures for the suitability of grid expansion areas. The combination of standard functions and own analysis scripts and an efficient import and export for the integration of external data made QGIS in combination with VICUS DISTRICTS a suitable methodological toolbox for this project.
Software tools for grid planning
Network planning deals with the technical implementation and optimisation of heating networks in order to ensure efficient, economical and sustainable energy distribution. Both the redesign of heating networks and the transformation of existing infrastructures are key tasks.
VICUS DISTRICTS
VICUS DISTRICTS enables the simulation and analysis of heating networks. We can use the tool to optimise existing networks, plan new heating networks and compare different operating scenarios. This makes it easier to design a future-proof energy infrastructure. The continuous further development of the features close to the needs of a future heat supply with 5gdhc networks (5th generation district heating and cooling) by the experienced development team at Vicus Software (a spin-off of the Chair of Building Climatology at TU Dresden) makes it a valuable tool.
- Low barrier to entry: Network planning tool with intuitive familiarisation and user-friendly interfaces
- Import/export interfaces via GeoJSON (GIS) for a smooth process flow from municipal heat planning to network planning in focus areas
- Automatic pipe design incl. simultaneity and pump suggestions from database
- Pressure loss calculation with bad point analysis
- Optimum design using annual simulation with hourly resolution
- Realistic heat losses via a coupled ground model, especially for cold local heating
Case study: Heating network in historic town centre
A multi-source system with a length of 4 kilometres was planned for the historic old town. The challenges were the construction in the existing historic buildings and the existing infrastructure, which was only partially covered.
With VICUS DISTRICTS, we were able to plan the network perfectly at height and thus avoid collisions with the existing cables and pipes. The operating states of the network were successfully simulated with the software.
nPro
nPro is a powerful, web-based tool for system design and demand simulation of heating networks. It helps with the exact dimensioning of networks, the calculation of load profiles and the integration of renewable energy sources in order to ensure an economical and resource-saving heat supply.
- Demand simulation: broad load profile library, including based on real measurements
- Sector coupling: space heating, domestic hot water, air conditioning, user electricity and electromobility in one model
- System design: also for complex energy systems with renewable energies, heat pumps, hydrogen and seasonal storage
- Heating networks: pipe dimensioning and calculation of heat losses/gains
- Geodata and csv imports with self-learning import interface and cartographic views
- Output of investment and operating costs, CO2 emissions and primary energy consumption
Case study: Feasibility study for a new development area
For a new development area, we used QGIS and nPro to analyse the potential of the sources and also pre-dimensioned the heating network. QGIS made it possible to map the new development area quickly and precisely. The most important data on the buildings was stored. The various functions made it possible to visualise the different sources and provide precise information on the number or spacing of geothermal probes, for example, to determine the available surface area of geothermal collectors or to define the number and spacing of well drillings. The GIS data from QGIS can be easily imported into nPro in order to design the network there.
Challenge: Interfaces of the software tools
When the individual software tools interact, data transfer at the interface usually presents a particular challenge. Not all programmes are compatible, not all data outputs can be read by all programmes and the software solutions often work with different data bases. This does not always make processes more efficient or smoother.
Fortunately, new and further developments of software solutions continuously offer new potential, to which we also dynamically adapt our own workflow.
The overlaps in functionalities, restrictions in free user input and data formats can become complex, especially as the depth of planning increases. Last but not least: With project durations of several years, we have to weigh things up again and again: Do we simulate the project again and again with an updated tool or is the additional effort for a method switch/expensive update justified?
Why are these network planning tools indispensable for us?
Precise planning and simulation is essential in order to minimise energy losses, reduce operating costs and optimally integrate renewable energies. With this methodological toolkit, we can
- Record and analyse energy and heating requirements in detail
- Develop municipal supply strategies that are locally adapted and future-proof
- Efficiently design heating networks and plan transformations based on data
- Integrate renewable energies in a targeted manner to replace fossil fuels
The combination of these powerful tools enables both strategic heating planning at municipal level and technically optimised network planning. Both approaches make a decisive contribution to the decarbonisation of the heat supply and drive forward the energy transition at municipal and regional level.