Interest in energy storage is currently high. Fluctuations in the power grid need stabilization, and those capable of absorbing energy during periods of overproduction can receive substantial compensation. Now, heat pump manufacturer Qvantum and Varberg Energi aim to offer this earning opportunity to heat pump owners.
As the energy mix increasingly incorporates electricity from solar and wind sources, we experience greater volatility in electricity production. It’s well-known that electricity prices can vary hourly; this reflects market signals indicating imbalances between production and consumption. However, the grid must remain stable at all times. Even minor fluctuations, occurring in fractions of a second, can adversely affect the grid. Consequently, a market has emerged for customers who can swiftly adjust their energy usage.
“You could say that electricity needs expansion vessels where the surplus can go to prevent the system from overheating,” says Maria Malm Skarin of heat pump manufacturer Qvantum.
Thermal Batteries
Currently, batteries are primarily used for this purpose, but Swedish company Qvantum has developed a new technology for frequency balancing using heat pumps. They use the term “flex-ready” and refer to the heat pumps as “thermal batteries.”
“Thanks to our patented solution, we can heat the water in our tanks to 90 degrees while maintaining the correct temperature for tap water. This allows us to absorb surplus energy from the grid and store it as heat for later use,” explains Malm Skarin.
New Pilot Project
For Svenska Kraftnät (the Swedish National Grid) to accept this service, it must be coordinated according to numerous specifications and sold by an approved operator. Varberg Energi and Qvantum have been working on this for a long time and are now ready to test the functionality with Varberg Energi’s electricity customers in a so-called pre-qualification phase for the frequency market.
“This is a world-unique pilot project,” says Patrik Björklund at Varberg Energi.
“We are currently looking for 60 households in electricity zone 3 that have or plan to acquire a heat pump from Qvantum.”
“We estimate that the potential earnings could amount to several thousand kronor per year per heat pump, based on the current market.”
During the pilot project, all functions and systems will be tested without connecting to the real frequency market as an initial step. Therefore, all participants will receive a guaranteed bonus of 5,000 kronor and priority access when the service becomes available on the market.
“We believe we are the first in the world to frequency-balance the power grid using thermal batteries in a network,” says Maria Malm Skarin.
“This is going to be big, and this is the first step.”
