Application of seasonal borehole thermal energy storages into solar hybrid heating and cooling networks serving residential buildings in the Campania region of Italy: impact of meteorological data and underground characteristics

In this paper, 5 different case studies of solar hybrid heating and cooling networks satisfying thermal, cooling, electric and domestic hot water demands of 5 different small residential districts located into the 5 different provinces of the Campania region (southern Italy) have been modelled, dynamically simulated and analysed by means of the software TRNSYS over a 5-year period. Specific meteorological data files have been developed for each city based on 1-year in-situ hourly measurements in order to accurately take into account the influence of meteorological conditions on system performance; the effects of thermo-physical properties of underground have also been taken into consideration depending on location and according to measured data available in the scientific literature. The proposed plants have been compared with conventional Italian heating and cooling systems assumed as reference from energy, environmental and economic points of view in order to assess the potential savings, highlight the effects of both meteorological data and properties of underground as well as promote the diffusion of solar applications.