Specific Challenge:

Optimised storage solutions for thermal and electric energy are needed in order to better synchronise the overall supply and demand, at residential, district and urban level. Efficient management of the peak loads would reduce the overall operational costs of the installations.

The main challenge is to demonstrate integrated thermal storage systems. The current mature technologies for thermal storage are mostly based on water. In order to increase the storage density, it is needed to further develop other systems such as the Thermochemical materials. The next wave of developments needs to be tackled in order to propose attractive equipment with a significant increase in storage capacity efficiency. The combination of renewable energy with storage is key to support the next generation of very low or plus energy houses. Such storage equipment will be exploited first and mostly in the residential buildings (existing and new ones).

Scope:

Proposals should develop advanced solutions including all of the following elements:

• Reach improved heat exchange in and between storage material and heat carrier as well as high performing storage reactor over time;
• With respect to the entire storage system, advanced energy management is needed, Not only regarding the building needs but also taking in account external conditions such as grid constraints and price signals;
• The overall system should be easy to maintain with low cost associated to this activity;
• The demonstration should include several prototypes operating in three different climatic conditions (with compactness as a crucial boundary condition).

Proposals submitted under this topic should include actions designed to facilitate cooperation with other projects; to enhance user involvement; and to ensure the accessibility and reusability of data produced in the course of the project.

Expected Impact:

• Demonstrate solutions that have a stable, reliable long term performance in multi-cyclic seasonal and use of at least 20 years;
• Deliver compact systems with the potential to fit in the limited space available in a single building in the existing housing stock or new buildings. The storage material volume per dwelling should not exceed 1 m³;
• Solutions should demonstrate a potential to reduce the net energy consumption of a building by at least 25% and a have return-on-investment period below 10 years;
• Use of high energy density storage materials allowing storage densities up to 10 times higher than water (based on overall system efficiency).

Relevant indicators and metrics, with baseline values, should be clearly stated in the proposal.