A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of aquifer thermal energy storage in Expeditionary Campaign Infrastructure

A comparative study was undertaken to predict the energy savings associated with the employment of aquifer thermal energy storage in combination with a commercial water to air heat pump when used in Expeditionary Campaign Infrastructure against the climatic demands of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Energy usage was predicted using EnergyPlus and the thermal response of the aquifer modelled using Processing SHEMAT based on predicted energy usage. The resulting analysis suggests a 22% reduction in fuel usage against an existing air to air heat pump with a CO2 reduction of 39 tonnes per annum. Although thermal stability of the aquifer could not be ensured without mitigation measures being undertaken, financially the analysis predicts a £335,000 per annum fuel saving assuming that the fully burdened cost of fuel is $11.98 per litre thus offering a payback period of less than 2 years operation.