Heat pumps and energy storage - The challenges of implementation

The wider implementation of variable renewable energy sources such as wind across the UK and Ireland will demand interconnection, energy storage and more dynamic energy systems to maintain a stable energy system that makes full use of one of our best renewable energy resources. However large scale energy storage e.g. pumped storage may be economically challenging. Therefore can thermal energy storage deployed domestically fulfil an element of such an energy storage role? Current electricity pricing is based on a 1/2 hourly timeframe which will be demonstrated to have some benefits for hot water heating from electrical water heaters in the first instance. However heat pumps linked to energy storage can displace fossil fuel heating systems and therefore the question is whether a renewable tariff based on excess wind for example is sufficient to operate heat pumps. An initial analysis of this scenario will be presented and its potential role in challenging aspects of fuel poverty. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.