System Evaluation of Heat Pumps Operated in Both Heating and Air Conditioning Modes

This paper demonstrates the development and application of total system methods for the evaluation of the impacts of heat pumps used in both heating and cooling modes in terms of time-dependent system demand, primary fuel requirements and central electric generating capacity requirements over a generation planning period. A model which breaks down cooling energy requirements into its weather sensitive components is presented. The model is then applied to the 1977 New York State electric power system in order to evaluate the impacts that various penetration levels of heat pumps would have had if they were installed on the system. The longer range impacts of the heat pumps is then evaluated in a set of cases which gradually introduce the heat pumps over a 1981 to 2000 electric power system planning period. Evaluations are made in terms of installed thermal generating capacity, operating strategy and primary fuel requirements.