Electrification plays a key role in the energy transition, mainly due to its significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonise energy supply chains. However, electrification poses significant challenges, such as the expansion of power grids capacity and flexibility to accommodate the growing demand. The transition towards greater electrification will also require a corresponding increase in renewable energy generation to meet growing demand. However, the inherent variability of renewable energy sources, due to their dependence on climatic conditions and, in the case of solar power, the time of day, may pose a challenge to maintain a constant and balanced energy supply. This will require not only the modernisation of electricity grids, but also the implementation of appropriate energy storage systems to manage fluctuations in both supply and demand. In this sense, it is essential to understand the patterns of energy demand, especially in terms of seasonality, and to estimate the impact of potential shifts to electricity.

This contribution analyses the impact on the demand load curve of a complete shift of the residential sector to electric heating in Escaldes-Engordany (Principality of Andorra), located in the Pyrenees. For this purpose, an Urban Building Energy Model (UBEM) has been used to characterise the energy demand of the residential building stock. It quantifies the hourly heating demand and allows the identification of the heating demand peaks, which are compared with the current electricity demand and grid capacity. In addition to quantify the benefits in terms of emissions reductions, the results of this study show the capacity of the current grid to accommodate the growing demand for electric heating, one of the main energy uses in mountain areas. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of the technological choice of electric heating systems in ensuring an environmentally effective electrification of heating demand.