Question: Could you describe the topic of your WP?
Answer Prof. Stefan Bertsch: Over decades we have been using fossil systems to provide heating for residential and industrial applications and optimized the system integration for these. Current and emerging systems with much lower carbon emissions often require more elaborate integration concepts. While these are successfully in place for residential heat pumps and solar thermal systems, there is a lack of understanding in large-scale or high-temperature applications of renewable systems. Therefore, Work Package 5 (WP05) is developing and showcasing systems solutions for heating at medium and high temperatures as well as for cooling systems. The aim is to propose concepts and guidelines for integrating different kinds of renewable energy sources considering demand profiles, peak load management, simultaneous heating and cooling, control strategies, etc.
Question: How does it relate to DeCarbCH?
S. Bertsch: In order to achieve a quick energy transition, there is a need for easily implementable systems with optimized cost and efficiency while at the same time featuring high reliability. WP05 proposes systems solutions to integrate the technologies employed in WP01. It also presents solutions for industrial sites, which leads to a close collaboration with WP04. In the medium term, we will also be able to help optimize energy system models by providing measurement data from various sites and validated component models. The bottom-up approach of WP05 complements the holistic methods of most other work packages very well and can contribute innovative ideas to the case studies. There are pilot and demonstration projects anticipated to showcase solutions.
Question: What are the main objectives?
S. Bertsch: There are several closely interrelated objectives. One is to give an easily accessible overview of different solutions for heating and cooling. Based on these technologies, systems solutions will be developed and optimized from a technical and socio-economic standpoint. Concepts for digitalization will be used to optimize control and determine the optimal integration levels. This will lead to the acceleration of market penetration of new and emerging concepts. Storage solutions, especially for longer terms, are also considered to reduce the effects of the winter gap in the energy supply. The main objective of WP05 is to help planners, manufacturers, and customers better understand and accept heating and cooling systems with low carbon emissions, which will lead to an increased pace of the energy transition.
Question: What are the main research questions and outcomes?
S. Bertsch: The main questions are on a systems-level: What technologies are best combined to reach medium and high temperatures/powers? How can carbon-free process heat and steam be created, stored, and distributed in an optimal way? How can issues such as temporal or spatial discrepancies be overcome? How can the integration of renewable system solutions be accelerated? The answers will be given in the form of guidelines and showcases wherever feasible. For easy applicability, a tool will be developed to choose optimal solutions based on location, supply options, temperature, and power requirements supporting planners and consultants.
Question: Could you provide some examples to illustrate the specialty of your WP?
S. Bertsch: At the moment, several industrial partners are planning to decarbonize their processes using heat recovery and integrating a high share of renewable energy. While suppliers for technologies such as industrial and high-temperature heat pumps are on the market, there is big uncertainty with respect to dimensioning, integration, and control. Industrial customers are very hesitant to introduce new technologies into their processes, which have not been proven in the field for many years. Questions mostly concern the optimal design, initial operating costs, and reliability. Operators want to see successful installations before implementation in their own company. Therefore, the uptake of new technologies is very slow. By developing guidelines, demonstration, and monitoring of real systems this hurdle will be tackled for several emerging technologies.
Question: A final word for our readers?
S. Bertsch: The best time to work on the energy transition is now. There are many affordable technologies already available.
