| Abstract | This study evaluates the annual space heating energy costs, associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and overall system energy factors (EF) of a restaurant archetype in Toronto, Ontario, Canada utilizing hybrid space heating system consisting of electric cold climate air-source heat pumps (ccASHP) and natural gas furnaces (NGF). Different switching scenarios for the hybrid space heating, i.e., Smart Dual-Fuel Switching System (SDFSS) and fixed temperature switching methods, were considered for this study and the results were compared against traditional NGF-only space heating method. For the ccASHP configurations of 4 to 6 units combined and NGF efficiencies of 80%, 85%, and 90%, the SDFSS governed hybrid heating systems were found to be consistently more effective than various fixed-temperature switching and NGF-only heating in terms of energy cost reduction. The SDFSS hybrid space heating resulted in an annual cost reduction ranging from 3.37% to 12.91% for the current carbon price (CP) rate of $65/tonne of CO₂. Moreover, the SDFSS contributed to a significant reduction in annual GHG emissions, ranging from 25.30% to 72.78% compared to NGF-only heating under the current carbon price settings. The study includes a sensitivity analysis, crucial in the context of evolving environmental policies. As carbon price rates increase from $65 to $170 per tonne of CO₂ by 2030 in Canada, the SDFSS hybrid space heating system yields higher reductions in terms of costs and GHG emissions compared to NGF-only heating. This analysis underscores the SDFSS governed hybrid system’s robustness in adapting to changes in economics and environmental aspects of space heating. |
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