Project reference: 696174

Innovative Technology for District Heating and Cooling

  • Funded under: H2020-EU.3.3.1. - Reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint by smart and sustainable
  • From 2016-06-01 to 2019-02-28, ongoing project
  • Total cost: EUR 1 992 726,25
  • EU contribution: EUR 1 992 726,25
  • Coordinated in: United Kingdom
  • Topic: EE-13-2015 - Technology for district heating and cooling
  • Call for proposal: H2020-EE-2015-2-RIA
  • Funding scheme: RIA - Research and Innovation action

Project scope
InDeal  is an innovative project focused on development of energy efficient, eco-friendly and cost effective solution for district heating and cooling system (DHCS). The project’s goal is to lower energy demand for DHC and improve systems’ efficiency by creating the tool for better system monitoring what can lower energy losses and give smaller bills for the consumers.
 
Project objectives
The scientific, technical and operational objectives of the project are presented here.    

Concept and approach

The existing District Heating and Cooling Systems (DHCS) must undergo a radical change into low temperature district networks interacting with low energy buildings as well as becoming an integrated part of smart energy systems. The development of future district heating and cooling systems and technologies involves energy savings and conservation measures as an important part of the technology.

The target of InDeal is to automate current District Heating and Cooling Systems in order to achieve increase of the overall energy efficiency of the system and fairly distribution of heating and cooling based on energy demand of each building and their energy efficiency level by prioritizing the distribution of heating or cooling to buildings with low energy efficiency and maximum energy demand.

The following figure presents the InDeal concept overview. InDeal offers a holistic solution!


Figure 1. InDeal concept overview

 

Work plan
 
To accomplish its objectives, the project has been structured into eight work packages, six of which address specific technical objectives (WP1-WP6), one of them is devoted to dissemination and exploitation issues (WP7) and the last one to management activities (WP8).
 
The work is divided into two stages: the 1st stage includes the selection of the enabling technologies and the 2nd stage includes the validation, integration and evaluation studies.
 
The 1st stage deals with the development of the enabling technologies related to the formulation of: (i) innovative solutions for avoiding heat losses, like innovative and efficient insulation materials for pipes and pipe design, (ii) artificial intelligent meters for near real time data gathering and monitoring, (iii) stochastic, statistical mathematical models and artificial neural networks methodologies for supporting the development of prediction tools, like weather and energy demand prediction tools, (iv) artificial intelligent techniques and artificial neural networks for developing the decision support system and, (v) wireless network communication and (vi) application and software development. The whole development is based on a series of pilot, lab scale validation experiments, small scale prototypes and large scale prototypes, while the work spreads throughout the first months of the project duration and is divided into four interdependent work packages:
  • WP1:  Specification of the energy policies, the EDP tool, the DSS, the pilot, lab-scale experiments and the full scale demonstration.
  • WP2:  Development of innovative solutions for minimizing heat losses in DHCS. The target of this WP is the investigation and development of efficient pipe design via fluid dynamics and insulation materials for a DHCS optimum design.
  • WP3:  Development of the monitoring tools, where artificial intelligent meters and SM tool will be used, and data processing techniques will be developed and evaluated. Energy Harvesting solutions to make intelligent meters' sensors autonomous will also be developed.
  • WP4:  Development of the prediction tools, where the WP tool and EDP tool will be developed for near real time forecasting of short term weather and heating and cooling demand.
The 2nd stage deals with the integration of the enabling technologies, the development of a small scale prototype for lab trials and a large scale prototype for field trials. The work covers the second half project duration. It is divided in three work packages:
  • WP5:  Integration of the individual systems (prediction, monitoring and control systems) and the formulation of the final methodology.
  • WP6:  Demonstration of the developed systems through the use of prototypes in lad and real case studies, the final assessment of the system and life cycle analysis.
  • WP7:  This WP is devoted to the performance evaluation study taking into account technical, economic, cultural and ecological issues for the assessment of the steps required for wider industrial implementation, alongside dissemination activities and exploitation planning.
Finally, WP8 is meant to cover the overall legal, contractual, financial and administrative management of the project and to establish a reliable contact with the EC throughout the Project duration. Moreover, this work package will ensure that the work is carried out in a timely and cost effective manner and will supervise the preparation and the overall quality of deliverables
 
Expected impacts and results
 

The InDeal project is expected to contribute to the key objectives of the European energy research policy by promoting sustainable development, ensuring security and diversity of energy supply, improving energy efficiency and increasing industrial competitiveness.

By achieving its objectives the project will be in line with the following European Commission targets for the reduction of greenhouse gases.

↑ Efficiency of DHCS by up to 60%
↑ Self-sufficiency of cities on energy
↑ Adoption of DHCS
↑ Economy and prosperity of cities
↑ Access to heating for low income

↓ Energy consumption
↓ Heat and power losses by 20%
↓ Greenhouse gases
↓ Air pollution
↓ Consumption households by 50%
↓ Consumption industry by 40-60%