Controlling heat outtake from a heat distribution system

A heat distribution system comprising:

• a district thermal energy distribution grid for a fluid based distribution of heat,
• a plurality of local control units, each local control unit being associated with a local heat distribution system, the local heat distribution system being configured to distribute comfort heating in one or more buildings associated to the local heat distribution system, each local control unit further being configured to control the outtake of heat of the associated local heat distribution system from the district thermal energy distribution grid, and
• a server having a processing unit configured to:
• determine a time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid by local heat distribution systems connected to the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is a time period during which the overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is above a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is a relative threshold based on a relative amount of energy outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid compared with a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the relative threshold is in the range of 75-90% of a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid;
• determine a control signal associated with a respective one of the plurality of local control units, wherein each respective control signal is time resolved and comprises:
• information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period,
• information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period, and
• information pertaining to a temporary decrease in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid during the determined time period,
• wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat, and
• wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat;
• wherein the server further comprises a communication module configured to send the each respective control signal from the server to the respective one of the plurality of local control units,
• wherein the respective local control unit further comprises:
• a communication module configured to receive the respective control signal, and
• a heat extractor configured to regulate the outtake of heat by the associated local heat distribution system from the district thermal energy distribution grid based on the each respective control signal.

A server comprising:

• a processing unit configured to:
• determine a time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from a district thermal energy distribution grid by local heat distribution systems connected to the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is a time period during which the overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is above a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is a relative threshold based on a relative amount of energy outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid compared with a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the relative threshold is in the range of 75-90% of a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid, and
• determine a control signal associated with a respective one of a plurality of local control units, wherein each respective control signal is time resolved and comprises:
• information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period,
• information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period, and
• information pertaining to a temporary decrease in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid during the determined time period,
• wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat, and
• wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat;
• and
• wherein the server further comprises a communication module configured to send the each respective control signal from the server to the respective one of the plurality of local control units to regulate the outtake of heat by an associated local heat distribution system.