Page 36 - ZEB Final Report 2009-2017

36 | ZEB Zero Emission Buildings | Final Report 2017

Karen Byskov Lindberg
Senior Researcher, NVE (PhD ZEB)

Large Scale Introduction of ZEBs in Norway:
Will Reduce Electricity Prices

This study investigates the effects of a large deployment of
Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) in Norway on the utilization of

hydropower in 2030.

A ZEB is a building with low energy demand, which generates, Sweden, and Finland.
on an annual basis, as much renewable energy as it consumes, The findings show that ZEBs influence the optimal operation
and is considered to be one of the key elements in reaching EUs of the power system in two ways:
20-20-20 goals. Introduction of a large number of ZEBs will
significantly change the way buildings are integrated in the 1) Through lower electricity demand in winter.
power system, and system operators must consequently prepare 2) Through on-site solar energy generation in summer.
for changes in load profiles.
However, knowledge on the aggregated impact of ZEBs is so Hydropower contributes to 50 % of the total energy
far limited because the actual number of such buildings is still generation in the Nordic countries. Because solar electricity
very small. This work contributes to filling the knowledge gap generation increases in March-April, just before the spring
by estimating the effect on the aggregated national load profile floods, power producers lower levels in hydro reservoirs, thus
of a large deployment of ZEBs in Norway. reducing the spillage of water, which increases hydro power
The operation of the Nordic power system in 2030 has been production by 0,5 %. Further, the introduction of ZEBs leads
investigated assuming that 50 % of the building stock in Norway to reduced coal power production, reduced electricity prices,
is replaced with ZEBs. The simulations use a detailed power and increased electricity export from the Nordic countries to
market model of the Nordic countries, i.e. Denmark, Norway, Europe.

Nordic electricity production
week 25 mix in a summer week in 2030,
60 nuclear with 50 % of the building stock
coal in Norway being ZEBs heated
40 lignite by heat pumps. Nordic total.
GWh/h.
GWh/h peat
gas
20
bio
wind
0 PV
0 24 48 72 96 120 144 hydro
Hour of the week