CHP, heat pumps & renewable energy sources: Designing hybrid energy centres reliably for the district heating network transformation

By wdo, 11 September, 2026

Samuel Gähwiler, Managing Director Polysun (Vela Solaris AG)

The decarbonisation of existing district heating networks and the development of new neighbourhood-based solutions require flexible energy centres that go far beyond monovalent generation models. The combined heat and power (CHP) plant plays a dual role in this context: not only does it supply highly efficient heat, but as a local electricity generator it ideally meets the demand of integrated heat pump cascades. But how can this interaction be made economically and technically robust?

This presentation demonstrates how hybrid energy centres can be precisely planned using Polysun’s hourly-resolution 8,760-hour annual simulation – drawing on project experience from current schemes involving the integration of CHP units with heat pump systems up to the megawatt range.

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Sprecher

Samuel Gähwiler

By wdo, 11 September, 2026

Samuel Gähwiler ist Geschäftsführer der Vela Solaris AG in Winterthur, Hersteller der dynamischen Energiesimulationssoftware Polysun. Er ist ausgewiesener Experte für die simulationsgestützte Planung komplexer Energiesysteme. 

Die Experten von Polysun begleiten seit mehreren Jahren Planungsprojekte für Wärmenetze, Wärmepumpenkaskaden und Sektorenkopplung im DACH-Raum und arbeitet eng mit Ingenieurbüros, Stadtwerken und Energieversorgern zusammen. Der Fokus liegt auf der simulationsgestützten Auslegung von Energiezentralen für Quartiere und Nahwärmenetze, einschliesslich der Integration erneuerbarer Wärmequellen wie Erdsonden, Abwärme und PVT.

Samuel Gaehwiler_Polysun by Vela Solaris AG
Polysun by Vela Solaris AG
Beschreibung_en

Samuel Gähwiler is the managing director of Vela Solaris AG in Winterthur, the manufacturer of the dynamic energy simulation software Polysun. He is a recognised expert in the simulation-based design of complex energy systems.

For several years, the experts at Polysun have been supporting planning projects for district heating networks, heat pump cascades and sector coupling in the DACH region, working closely with engineering firms, municipal utilities and energy suppliers. The focus is on the simulation-based design of energy centres for neighbourhoods and local heating networks, including the integration of renewable heat sources such as geothermal probes, waste heat and PVT.