Hybrid Heat Pumps, the answer for the future electric grids?

A significant trend towards complete electrification is currently taking place in Europe. The majority of energy consumption in buildings is attributed to heating and domestic hot water. However, this raises concerns about the electric grid’s ability to meet the demand, particularly during high peak periods. In collective households, the implementation of heat pumps can face architectural, HVAC design, and Capex issues.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the flexibility of the French collective housing stock under different solicitations, by comparing two energy transition scenarios: the replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps (HP) and the replacement of gas boilers with hybrid heat pumps (HP-H). The analysis is performed using a bottom-up model, which simulates the buildings stock and the stochastic occupant’s behavior (STROBE tool). In our study, the electric flexibility potential is determined for different operating conditions.

The results show that the replacement of gas boilers by hybrid heat pumps can reduce the electric load by 2-2.5 GW, while improving the systems global performance. The study also highlights the importance of considering the local context and the diversity of the housing stock when designing energy transition policies.