EHP in low voltage networks: Understanding the effects of heat emitters and room temperatures

The adoption of Electric Heat Pumps (EHPs) at residential level can support the decarbonization of domestic heating. However, these new loads can produce technical problems in low voltage (LV) distribution networks. This work studies the EHP technical impacts in LV feeders, analyzing potential actions to minimize them. Particularly, two cases are investigated: the utilization of different heat emitters and the selection of different indoor temperatures. These cases are explored by using a Monte Carlo approach to cater for the uncertainty of LV demand. Daily one-minute resolution profiles are adopted for the domestic energy consumption in each of the sensitivities considered. The methodology is applied on three real UK LV networks. Results show that the decrease in the set temperature leads to a small reduction in the likelihood of technical impacts, whereas the utilization of underfloor heating can significantly reduce the likelihood of such impacts, resulting in a higher EHP penetration.