Comparison of two approaches for modeling the thermal domain of multi-energy networks

Sector coupling of power and heat has been identified as an important enabler for a transition towards a more sustainable energy system. However, even though the enabling technologies are well understood on the component level, their effects on the system level are still subject of investigations. Within this context, this work focuses on two approaches for assessing the effects of power-to-heat technologies on electrical distribution grids and district heating networks. By applying different methods for modeling the thermal sector, both approaches are able to simulate and analyze the dynamics of the overall system and produce comparable results. Based on the comparison of the general features and their application to a specific test case, the advantages and challenges of both approaches are highlighted.