Techno-Economic Analysis for the Addition of a Thermal Energy Storage System to a Central Plant

Journal Article · Fri Jul 11 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4069026· OSTI ID:2583614

Woldekidan, Korbaga ^[1]; Bianchi, Carlo ^[1]; Fallahi, Zahra ^[1]; LaClair, Tim J. ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Increasing energy demand and rising peak loads present significant challenges for energy management in commercial and institutional settings. As climate change drives greater cooling needs, central plants must navigate the complex tradeoffs between operational efficiency, cost control, and grid stability. Thermal energy storage (TES) systems offer a viable solution by shifting energy consumption from peak to off-peak periods, thereby reducing peak demand, lowering utility expenses, and improving grid resilience. However, the success of TES implementation hinges on appropriate system sizing, effective control strategies, and alignment with local utility rate structures. This article presents a techno-economic analysis of integrating a chilled water TES system into the central plant at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Drawing on historical load profiles and utility tariffs, we assess three TES sizing approaches and their corresponding control strategies from both energy and economic perspectives. This article utilizes a model-based approach to assess the impact of TES sizing and control strategies on the techno-economic feasibility of integrating TES into an existing central plant. The models employed for this analysis were calibrated using 4 years of historical data. Here, the results demonstrated that utility tariffs and the campus's operational profiles dictate the most feasible sizing and control methods. The findings offer valuable insights for institutions and commercial building managers exploring sustainable energy solutions. By demonstrating how optimized TES strategies can improve operational efficiency while achieving financial savings, this study highlights the potential for TES to align performance with cost effectiveness in real-world applications.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 2583614
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA--5500-91687
• Journal Information: Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities, Journal Name: Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 6; ISSN 2642-6625; ISSN 2642-6641
• Publisher: AMSE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
air conditioning
building
central plant
control systems
cooling
cooling loads
demand response
economics
interactive buildings
load shifting
storage
stress
thermal energy storage