Evaluation of the social impact of an energy system for residential heating applications based on a novel seasonal thermal energy storage

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a key player in the energy transition to support the integration of renewable sources and reduce the energy demand supplied by fossil fuels. The EU-funded project SWS-Heating aims to develop a novel seasonal thermal energy storage based on selective water sorbents for domestic heating to increase the share of renewables. Although the main performance indicator of new technologies is energy efficiency optimization, social impact of TES is an overlooked aspect representing a strong barrier to market deployment of novel technologies. Therefore, this study uses social life-cycle assessment (S-LCA) techniques to evaluate the social impact of the proposed systems described above. The inventory developed in this study is based on qualitative data from industrial companies involved in the different stages of the system life cycle. Results showed that the system has a medium-high social impact with great potential for improvement especially in the manufacturing and end-of-life stages. In particular, to increase the value of social impact more effort should be put by companies to strengthen the engagement with local communities and support sustainability with value chain actors.