Performance of a reversible heat pump / organic Rankine cycle unit coupled with a passive house to get a Positive Energy building

This paper presents an innovative technology that can be used to deliver more renewable electricity production than the total electrical consumption of a building while covering the heat demand on a yearly basis. The technology concept uses a heat pump (HP), slightly modified to revert its cycle and generate electricity, coupled to a solar thermal collector roof. This reversible HP/organic Rankine cycle unit presents three operating modes: direct heating, HP and organic Rankine cycle. This work focuses on describing the dynamic model of the multi-component system followed by a techno-economic analysis of the system under different operational conditions. Sensitivity studies include: building envelope, climate, appliances, lighting and heat demand profiles. It is concluded that the HP/ORC unit can turn a single-family house into a PEB under certain weather conditions (electrical production of 3012 kWh/year and total electrical consumption of 2318 kWh/year) with a 138.8 m2 solar roof in Denmark.