---
_id: '65757'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Electrifying the heating sector is essential for achieving global climate
    targets like the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 °C goal. In Germany, where 80  % of household
    energy goes to space heating and hot water, shifting to low-carbon solutions is
    crucial. Fossil-fuelled district heating networks can incorporate renewable energy
    via heat pumps, improving efficiency. Although heat pump design typically favours
    minimal temperature lifts, higher lifts can be economically viable with low electricity
    prices and abundant renewables. Adding thermal energy storage boosts operational
    flexibility. This study explores a flexible heat pump operation incorporating
    part load behaviour with a thermal energy storage in a German city’s district
    heating system to minimise costs and carbon dioxide emissions. Using a mixed-integer
    linear programming model, it examines the impact of temperature adjustments and
    storage on system efficiency. The results show that the integration of a heat
    pump in a district heating system reduces operating costs. Compared to a supply
    without a heat pump, with levelised cost of heating of 9.98 cent/kWhth and a fixed
    operating mode with costs between 9.96 cent/kWhth and 11.49 cent/kWhth, the flexible
    use results in lowest costs of 9.85 cent/kWhth, while also reducing overall CO2
    emissions. Using a full factorial sensitivity analysis, the levelised cost of
    heating ranged between 9.15 cent/kWhth in the best case and 10.37 cent/kWhth in
    the worst case for the selected configuration.
article_number: '121714'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Henning Christoph
  full_name: Rahlf, Henning Christoph
  id: '56955'
  last_name: Rahlf
  orcid: 0009-0006-8106-2132
- first_name: Denis
  full_name: Divkovic, Denis
  id: '89059'
  last_name: Divkovic
- first_name: Lukas
  full_name: Knorr, Lukas
  id: '90391'
  last_name: Knorr
  orcid: 0009-0005-4727-7511
- first_name: Florian
  full_name: Schlosser, Florian
  id: '88614'
  last_name: Schlosser
- first_name: Henning
  full_name: Meschede, Henning
  id: '86954'
  last_name: Meschede
  orcid: 0000-0002-1538-089X
citation:
  ama: Rahlf HC, Divkovic D, Knorr L, Schlosser F, Meschede H. Flexible operation
    strategies for heat pumps in district heating systems using dynamic electricity
    prices. <i>Energy Conversion and Management</i>. 2026;364. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>
  apa: Rahlf, H. C., Divkovic, D., Knorr, L., Schlosser, F., &#38; Meschede, H. (2026).
    Flexible operation strategies for heat pumps in district heating systems using
    dynamic electricity prices. <i>Energy Conversion and Management</i>, <i>364</i>,
    Article 121714. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>
  bibtex: '@article{Rahlf_Divkovic_Knorr_Schlosser_Meschede_2026, title={Flexible
    operation strategies for heat pumps in district heating systems using dynamic
    electricity prices}, volume={364}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>},
    number={121714}, journal={Energy Conversion and Management}, publisher={Elsevier
    BV}, author={Rahlf, Henning Christoph and Divkovic, Denis and Knorr, Lukas and
    Schlosser, Florian and Meschede, Henning}, year={2026} }'
  chicago: Rahlf, Henning Christoph, Denis Divkovic, Lukas Knorr, Florian Schlosser,
    and Henning Meschede. “Flexible Operation Strategies for Heat Pumps in District
    Heating Systems Using Dynamic Electricity Prices.” <i>Energy Conversion and Management</i>
    364 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>.
  ieee: 'H. C. Rahlf, D. Divkovic, L. Knorr, F. Schlosser, and H. Meschede, “Flexible
    operation strategies for heat pumps in district heating systems using dynamic
    electricity prices,” <i>Energy Conversion and Management</i>, vol. 364, Art. no.
    121714, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>.'
  mla: Rahlf, Henning Christoph, et al. “Flexible Operation Strategies for Heat Pumps
    in District Heating Systems Using Dynamic Electricity Prices.” <i>Energy Conversion
    and Management</i>, vol. 364, 121714, Elsevier BV, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714">10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714</a>.
  short: H.C. Rahlf, D. Divkovic, L. Knorr, F. Schlosser, H. Meschede, Energy Conversion
    and Management 364 (2026).
date_created: 2026-06-03T06:34:27Z
date_updated: 2026-06-03T06:44:31Z
department:
- _id: '644'
- _id: '534'
doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121714
intvolume: '       364'
keyword:
- Heat transition
- Optimisation
- Temperature flexibility
- Decarbonisation
- Multi energy
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890426006837
oa: '1'
project:
- _id: '1495'
  name: FlexLabQuartier
publication: Energy Conversion and Management
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 0196-8904
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier BV
status: public
title: Flexible operation strategies for heat pumps in district heating systems using
  dynamic electricity prices
type: journal_article
user_id: '56955'
volume: 364
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '63838'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "Industrial electrification is increasing to reduce fossil fuel dependence,
    alongside a growing share of volatile renewables.\r\nA secure and reliable energy
    supply is crucial for industry, leading to a shift from centralised to decentralised
    grid structures.\r\nDC microgrids becoming increasingly popular in industry, since
    they enable energy recuperation from braking, reduce components and cables, and
    integrate storage and local generation to manage supply interruptions or peak
    loads.\r\nEVs add further synergies by serving as mobile storage units, helping
    to store and redistribute locally generated renewable energy.\r\nThis paper analyses
    how EV integration in droop-controlled DC grids can contribute to a more stable,
    low-emission and peak-reduced load profile to the supply grid through load shifting
    and bridge interruptions.\r\nA droop-controlled DC grid model has been developed,
    incorporating an EV charging park based on probability functions.\r\nScalable
    scenarios allow for diverse condition analysis using an energy management system
    that utilises fuzzy logic and sequential MILP optimisation.\r\nIt has been shown
    that a 7% improvement of coefficient represented grid-serving behaviour is possible
    by load shifting.\r\nIt has also been demonstrated that an optimised EMS can reduce
    the demand-based CO2 emissions by 41kg for a representative day compared to a
    fuzzy logic EMS.\r\nAt the same time peak load is decreased yielding a more constant
    residual load.\r\nThese results highlight the potential of a controlled bidirectional
    charging infrastructure in DC grids and underscore the need to explicitly consider
    charging processes to ensure a residual load as constant as possible."
article_number: '100227'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Henning Christoph
  full_name: Rahlf, Henning Christoph
  id: '56955'
  last_name: Rahlf
  orcid: 0009-0006-8106-2132
- first_name: Lukas
  full_name: Knorr, Lukas
  id: '90391'
  last_name: Knorr
  orcid: 0009-0005-4727-7511
- first_name: Simon
  full_name: Althoff, Simon
  last_name: Althoff
- first_name: Henning
  full_name: Meschede, Henning
  id: '86954'
  last_name: Meschede
  orcid: 0000-0002-1538-089X
citation:
  ama: Rahlf HC, Knorr L, Althoff S, Meschede H. Analysis of bidirectional EV charging
    infrastructures within industrial DC grids. <i>Smart Energy</i>. Published online
    2026. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>
  apa: Rahlf, H. C., Knorr, L., Althoff, S., &#38; Meschede, H. (2026). Analysis of
    bidirectional EV charging infrastructures within industrial DC grids. <i>Smart
    Energy</i>, Article 100227. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>
  bibtex: '@article{Rahlf_Knorr_Althoff_Meschede_2026, title={Analysis of bidirectional
    EV charging infrastructures within industrial DC grids}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>},
    number={100227}, journal={Smart Energy}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Rahlf,
    Henning Christoph and Knorr, Lukas and Althoff, Simon and Meschede, Henning},
    year={2026} }'
  chicago: Rahlf, Henning Christoph, Lukas Knorr, Simon Althoff, and Henning Meschede.
    “Analysis of Bidirectional EV Charging Infrastructures within Industrial DC Grids.”
    <i>Smart Energy</i>, 2026. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>.
  ieee: 'H. C. Rahlf, L. Knorr, S. Althoff, and H. Meschede, “Analysis of bidirectional
    EV charging infrastructures within industrial DC grids,” <i>Smart Energy</i>,
    Art. no. 100227, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>.'
  mla: Rahlf, Henning Christoph, et al. “Analysis of Bidirectional EV Charging Infrastructures
    within Industrial DC Grids.” <i>Smart Energy</i>, 100227, Elsevier BV, 2026, doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227">10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227</a>.
  short: H.C. Rahlf, L. Knorr, S. Althoff, H. Meschede, Smart Energy (2026).
date_created: 2026-02-02T14:45:17Z
date_updated: 2026-06-03T06:42:54Z
department:
- _id: '644'
doi: 10.1016/j.segy.2026.100227
keyword:
- DC-grid
- Droop control
- Grid-serving behaviour
- Grid stability
- Bidirectional charging
- Sequential decision
- MILP optimisation
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266695522600002X
oa: '1'
publication: Smart Energy
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 2666-9552
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier BV
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Analysis of bidirectional EV charging infrastructures within industrial DC
  grids
type: journal_article
user_id: '56955'
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '66001'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Expanding renewable energy sources is essential for a sustainable energy supply
    but challenges grid stability, as the volatility of solar and wind causes periods
    of over- and undersupply. Private households are central to this transition, combining
    dynamic consumption with decentralised generation. This paper presents a multi-agent
    microgrid simulation built on the Mesa framework, focusing on the heterogeneous
    objectives and technological capabilities of residential participants. Households
    are modelled as autonomous agents with individual strategies, while a dedicated
    “grid agent” represents the distribution system operator and regulates the microgrid
    in a grid-supportive manner. The emission factor serves as the key indicator for
    grid-friendly behaviour. Results show that in summer, unmanaged PV feed-in from
    heterogeneous households causes substantial grid stress and balancing effort for
    the distribution system operator. Dynamic electricity prices can incentivise grid-friendly
    dispatch, but their effectiveness depends on the correlation between price signals
    and renewable availability and cannot guarantee grid-supportive behaviour alone.
    The grid agent reliably improves the grid-supportive coefficient, yet its operating
    strategy, for instance additional peak-reduction objectives, can interfere with
    price-based incentives. Effective demand-side management therefore requires careful
    analysis of stakeholder interactions. Building on this insight, thepaper provides
    a basic framework for the design, implementation, and assessment of both integrated
    and individual energy management strategies within a microgrid environment. By
    simulating the dynamic interactions among system participants and strategies,
    it enables comprehensive evaluation of their collective impact on the grid, supporting
    the development of robust solutions for future electricity networks.
author:
- first_name: Kevin
  full_name: Henne, Kevin
  id: '56918'
  last_name: Henne
- first_name: Henning Christoph
  full_name: Rahlf, Henning Christoph
  id: '56955'
  last_name: Rahlf
  orcid: 0009-0006-8106-2132
- first_name: Marius
  full_name: Naumann, Marius
  id: '94950'
  last_name: Naumann
- first_name: Henning
  full_name: Meschede, Henning
  id: '86954'
  last_name: Meschede
  orcid: 0000-0002-1538-089X
citation:
  ama: 'Henne K, Rahlf HC, Naumann M, Meschede H. Towards Stakeholder-Aware Demand-Side
    management assessment in heterogeneous residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent approach.
    <i>Energy Conversion and Management: X</i>. 2026;31:102030. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>'
  apa: 'Henne, K., Rahlf, H. C., Naumann, M., &#38; Meschede, H. (2026). Towards Stakeholder-Aware
    Demand-Side management assessment in heterogeneous residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent
    approach. <i>Energy Conversion and Management: X</i>, <i>31</i>, 102030. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>'
  bibtex: '@article{Henne_Rahlf_Naumann_Meschede_2026, title={Towards Stakeholder-Aware
    Demand-Side management assessment in heterogeneous residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent
    approach}, volume={31}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>},
    journal={Energy Conversion and Management: X}, publisher={Elsevier}, author={Henne,
    Kevin and Rahlf, Henning Christoph and Naumann, Marius and Meschede, Henning},
    year={2026}, pages={102030} }'
  chicago: 'Henne, Kevin, Henning Christoph Rahlf, Marius Naumann, and Henning Meschede.
    “Towards Stakeholder-Aware Demand-Side Management Assessment in Heterogeneous
    Residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent Approach.” <i>Energy Conversion and Management:
    X</i> 31 (2026): 102030. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>.'
  ieee: 'K. Henne, H. C. Rahlf, M. Naumann, and H. Meschede, “Towards Stakeholder-Aware
    Demand-Side management assessment in heterogeneous residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent
    approach,” <i>Energy Conversion and Management: X</i>, vol. 31, p. 102030, 2026,
    doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>.'
  mla: 'Henne, Kevin, et al. “Towards Stakeholder-Aware Demand-Side Management Assessment
    in Heterogeneous Residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent Approach.” <i>Energy Conversion
    and Management: X</i>, vol. 31, Elsevier, 2026, p. 102030, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030</a>.'
  short: 'K. Henne, H.C. Rahlf, M. Naumann, H. Meschede, Energy Conversion and Management:
    X 31 (2026) 102030.'
conference:
  end_date: 2025-10-10
  location: Dubrovnik
  name: 20th SDEWES conference
  start_date: 2025-10-05
date_created: 2026-06-19T12:27:48Z
date_updated: 2026-06-19T12:41:33Z
department:
- _id: '644'
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.102030
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        31'
keyword:
- Microgrid
- Decentralised Energy Systems
- Multi-Agent System
- Residential Demand-Side Management
- Optimisation
language:
- iso: eng
page: '102030'
publication: 'Energy Conversion and Management: X'
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 2590-1745
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier
status: public
title: 'Towards Stakeholder-Aware Demand-Side management assessment in heterogeneous
  residential Microgrids: A Multi-Agent approach'
type: journal_article
user_id: '56918'
volume: 31
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '60086'
author:
- first_name: Denis
  full_name: Divkovic, Denis
  id: '89059'
  last_name: Divkovic
- first_name: Julia
  full_name: Kirschbaum, Julia
  id: '98813'
  last_name: Kirschbaum
- first_name: Henning Christoph
  full_name: Rahlf, Henning Christoph
  id: '56955'
  last_name: Rahlf
  orcid: 0009-0006-8106-2132
- first_name: Lukas
  full_name: Knorr, Lukas
  id: '90391'
  last_name: Knorr
- first_name: Henning
  full_name: Meschede, Henning
  id: '86954'
  last_name: Meschede
  orcid: 0000-0002-1538-089X
citation:
  ama: 'Divkovic D, Kirschbaum J, Rahlf HC, Knorr L, Meschede H. <i>Optimising Heat
    Planning: Cost Effective Heat Planning for Low Carbon District Heating</i>. International
    Conference on Smart Energy Systems; 2024.'
  apa: 'Divkovic, D., Kirschbaum, J., Rahlf, H. C., Knorr, L., &#38; Meschede, H.
    (2024). <i>Optimising Heat Planning: Cost effective heat planning for low carbon
    district heating</i>. International Conference on Smart Energy Systems.'
  bibtex: '@book{Divkovic_Kirschbaum_Rahlf_Knorr_Meschede_2024, place={Aalborg}, title={Optimising
    Heat Planning: Cost effective heat planning for low carbon district heating},
    publisher={International Conference on Smart Energy Systems}, author={Divkovic,
    Denis and Kirschbaum, Julia and Rahlf, Henning Christoph and Knorr, Lukas and
    Meschede, Henning}, year={2024} }'
  chicago: 'Divkovic, Denis, Julia Kirschbaum, Henning Christoph Rahlf, Lukas Knorr,
    and Henning Meschede. <i>Optimising Heat Planning: Cost Effective Heat Planning
    for Low Carbon District Heating</i>. Aalborg: International Conference on Smart
    Energy Systems, 2024.'
  ieee: 'D. Divkovic, J. Kirschbaum, H. C. Rahlf, L. Knorr, and H. Meschede, <i>Optimising
    Heat Planning: Cost effective heat planning for low carbon district heating</i>.
    Aalborg: International Conference on Smart Energy Systems, 2024.'
  mla: 'Divkovic, Denis, et al. <i>Optimising Heat Planning: Cost Effective Heat Planning
    for Low Carbon District Heating</i>. International Conference on Smart Energy
    Systems, 2024.'
  short: 'D. Divkovic, J. Kirschbaum, H.C. Rahlf, L. Knorr, H. Meschede, Optimising
    Heat Planning: Cost Effective Heat Planning for Low Carbon District Heating, International
    Conference on Smart Energy Systems, Aalborg, 2024.'
date_created: 2025-06-02T08:16:09Z
date_updated: 2025-06-02T08:16:17Z
language:
- iso: eng
place: Aalborg
publisher: International Conference on Smart Energy Systems
status: public
supervisor:
- first_name: Henning
  full_name: Meschede, Henning
  id: '86954'
  last_name: Meschede
  orcid: 0000-0002-1538-089X
title: 'Optimising Heat Planning: Cost effective heat planning for low carbon district
  heating'
type: misc
user_id: '89059'
year: '2024'
...