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Thermal energy storage solUtions to optimally Manage BuildingS and Unlock their grid balancing and flexibility Potential

Project description

Integrating innovative thermal energy storage solutions for smart buildings

Thermal energy storage (TES) makes it possible to store energy for use days or months later. TES technology stocks thermal energy by heating or cooling a storage medium. The EU funded THUMBS UP project will develop and demonstrate daily and weekly TES for EU buildings. By innovating at different levels, from modelling to materials and enhancing heat exchanger solutions, the project will design high-performance TES solutions in line with EU sustainable economy goals. Specifically, it will create bio-based phase change materials from raw materials currently wasted in the EU food industry and thermochemical materials relying on non-hazardous materials. The project will set up three demo sites in Spain and Sweden – in different EU climates and energy market contexts.

Objective

THUMBS UP aims to develop and demonstrate thermal energy storage (TES) at daily (based on environmental friendly PCM) and weekly level (based on TCM sorption technology) solutions to be easily integrated in EU buildings (both connected and not-connected to DHN) to increase their energy efficiency as well as to exploit Power-to-Heat (PtH) approaches also to make EU Buildings as grid flexibility actors. THUMBS UP wants to overcome all the limits of state-of-the-art building-integrated PCM and TCM TES technologies, increasing TES energy density and reducing CAPEX. THUMBS UP innovates at different levels, from modelling to materials and enhance heat exchanger solutions, targeting demonstration at TRL 7. High-performance TES solutions part of an EU sustainable economy is a factor at the core of THUMBS UP. The project develops truly i) bio-based PCMs from raw materials currently wasted in the EU food industry, turning them into valuable TES materials and ii) TCMs relying exclusively on non-hazardous materials and on water as working fluid. THUMBS UP TES will be demonstrated in 3 demosites (a single-family building in Spain and 2 multi-family buildings in Sweden/Spain) in different EU climates and energy market contexts also to assess THUMBS UP replication potential in two replication sites (ITA, NL). Via its demonstration and replication campaign, THUMBS UP promotes TES role as key enabling technology to optimize thermal comfort and energy efficiency in buildings as well as to promote PtH as facilitator of RES grid integration in a sector coupling approach, to be studied via innovative modelling tools. THUMBS UP gives specific attention to how to fully integrate TES solutions into buildings and wider smart energy networks by combining the technology advancements with TES-tailored digital innovations. THUMBS UP widens the capability to control, monitor and forecasts how to operate building-integrated TES systems to provide services toward both the H&C and power sector.

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-01

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Coordinator

VEOLIA SERVICIOS LECAM SOCIEDAD ANONIMA UNIPERSONAL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 559 212,50
Address
CALLE TORRELAGUNA 60
28043 Madrid
Spain

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Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 798 875,00

Participants (19)

Partners (1)

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