Abstract
Hybrid renewable systems, made up of a PV unit and a micro-Combined Heat and Power technology can help to cope with the intermittency of solar energy, reducing the stress on the distribution electricity grid, while reducing the emissions of the building sector. However, the introduction of such technologies seeks an optimal approach in order to maximise their competitiveness with respect to fossil fuel generation. The present paper focuses on the use of water storage tanks to enhance the economy of hybrid renewable systems through the analysis of the influence of the main design parameters on its optimal size, such as: i) natural gas prices, ii) electricity prices, iii) capital costs. For micro-generation applications in the residential sector, results show as the positive contribution of TES is evident in case of a higher operational flexibility, such as with a Time of Use electricity Tariff. The outcome suggests as a higher flexibility in the energy tariff system can help the economy of micro-generation systems.