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Reducing electricity demand and enhancing heat supply flexibility through energy efficiency and district heating

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  • Kauko, Hanne
  • Delgado, Benjamín Manrique
  • Backe, Stian
  • Sartori, Igor

Abstract

Electrification is the main approach for decarbonizing buildings’ heating supply, which is still dominated by the use of fossil fuels. However, electrification using inefficient heating technologies and without improvements in buildings’ energy efficiency can considerably increase the strain on the power grid and limit the decarbonization of other sectors, such as transport and industry. This study focuses on Norway, where direct electric heating is the dominant heating technology, leading to high peak electricity demands in the winter and little flexible heat supply. The study looks at the combination of improved energy efficiency standards for buildings together with increased use of waterborne heating systems with district heating and heat pumps, and demonstrates potential reductions in total and peak demands for electricity. In the most ambitious scenarios, combining high energy efficiency standards with maximal use of district heating in urban areas and heat pumps in rural areas could allow 26% reduction in total electricity demand, and up to 35% reduction in the peak electricity demand for buildings within 2050 compared to 2020 level. This corresponds to a reduction of 17% in total electricity demand and 38% in peak power demand in 2050 compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

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  • Kauko, Hanne & Delgado, Benjamín Manrique & Backe, Stian & Sartori, Igor, 2025. "Reducing electricity demand and enhancing heat supply flexibility through energy efficiency and district heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:322:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225009521
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135310
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