Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TREASURE (Demonstrating large pit thermal energy storages and improving their components, processes and procedures for an accelerated realisation of 100% sustainable district heating networks in Europe.)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-01-01 al 2025-06-30
TREASURE enables the realization of seven Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) demonstrators in five different countries as well as having a constant interchange with a group of 17 satellite initiatives, collecting its experiences and feeding these with knowledge and experiences from TREASURE. The projects` aim is to use synergies to improve cost effectiveness through the targeted development of improved components and the collective improvement of design and building processes. Monitoring data from already operating PTES systems and the seven demonstrators will be used to improve and validate numerical simulation tools which in turn can be used to evaluate the performance of future system integration concepts. Through the participation of market-oriented partners, viable solutions for the financing, permitting and social challenges associated with the realization of large PTES projects will be mapped and discussed with a broad group of stakeholders. The experience with the operation, maintenance, and refurbishment of Danish PTES systems, with which most experience has been made, is used to improve the design and operation of the demonstrators, satellite initiatives as well as future PTES. The project consortium is composed of partners from the complete value chain; component suppliers, building companies, engineering companies, research and developments institutes, contractors, energy service providers, district heating utilities, municipalities, and professional organizations. TREASURE generates the necessary knowledge and experience for the accelerated take-up of large PTES in Europe. TREASURE aims to go beyond the state of the art of existing PTES systems in the field by establishing a close cooperation and exchange between 7 international demonstrators - each of which will present unique technical and social challenges and benefits for their respective cities. Its results will be publicly available and subsequently used by the demonstrator cities in a first step, by the satellite initiatives in a second step and lastly, serve as a valuable set of guidelines for other future initiatives, towards the roll-out of more than 1500 large PTES required in Europe.
In the past period, work has been done on the further planning of the 7 demonstrators, on the development of components, processes and numerical simulations and on the assessment of pit thermal energy storage (PTES) regarding economy, environment and social acceptance.
Demonstrator
Like all PTES developments, the TREASURE demonstrators have met delays in the past 18 months. The delays are caused by challenges in the acquiring of land, in the permitting processes or in completing the financing of the project, or in combinations of these. In internal workshops, the group has addressed the challenges in the screening phase and in the planning/permitting phase. Possible solutions to the challenges were presented and discussed and will be used by the demonstrator owners to clear barriers. Also, a workshop was held with the 17 satellite PTES initiatives to exchange the status of the developments and to discuss challenges and barriers.
Components
The first design of a prototype cover, consisting of glass foam in a metal sheet encasement was made. The design is aimed at withstanding higher storage water temperatures, up to 100 degrees Celsius, and to be water vapour tight at these temperatures. An inventory was made of the methods to reinforce the sloped side walls of the PTES, to arrive at steeper walls, creating the advantage of a smaller top cover area, leading to possible cost reductions. For soil mechanics, a literature study has been performed, a test plan for physical and mechanical characterisation of soil samples was made, and a measurement set-up was developed to determine soil characteristics at higher temperatures.
Processes and simulations
Different fault detection methods, based on Artificial Intelligence, were investigated. Two basic geometries of PTES were defined in an adapted BIM (Building Information Model) to serve as test objects for the development of the dedicated Storage-BIM (S-BIM) environment. Monitoring data from the Høje Taastrup storage operation in 2024 has been quality controlled and published in an open-access journal. For the system simulation including PTES, a workflow, tools and KPIs to accurately model and evaluate the PTES behaviour have been established, resulting in three public deliverables. The European and national subsidy schemes for funding the investment and/or operation of PTES have been investigated and the results will be made available in a coming publication.
Economic, environmental and social acceptance assessment
Life cycle assessment (LCA) models were developed for a tank thermal storage in Linz, not in the project, and the Høje-Taastrup monitoring demonstrator. These models serve to test and validate the models for the demonstration cases. Regarding social acceptance, a literature review was conducted to identify existing research and theoretical frameworks relevant to our application field, and an initial internal workshop was conducted that served to introduce the scope of social acceptance within the project and initiate stakeholder engagement.
Demonstrator
Like all PTES developments, the TREASURE demonstrators have met delays in the past 18 months. The delays are caused by challenges in the acquiring of land, in the permitting processes or in completing the financing of the project, or in combinations of these. In internal workshops, the group has addressed the challenges in the screening phase and in the planning/permitting phase. Possible solutions to the challenges were presented and discussed and will be used by the demonstrator owners to clear barriers. Also, a workshop was held with the 17 satellite PTES initiatives to exchange the status of the developments and to discuss challenges and barriers.
Components
The first design of a prototype cover, consisting of glass foam in a metal sheet encasement was made. The design is aimed at withstanding higher storage water temperatures, up to 100 degrees Celsius, and to be water vapour tight at these temperatures. An inventory was made of the methods to reinforce the sloped side walls of the PTES, to arrive at steeper walls, creating the advantage of a smaller top cover area, leading to possible cost reductions. For soil mechanics, a literature study has been performed, a test plan for physical and mechanical characterisation of soil samples was made, and a measurement set-up was developed to determine soil characteristics at higher temperatures.
Processes and simulations
Different fault detection methods, based on Artificial Intelligence, were investigated. Two basic geometries of PTES were defined in an adapted BIM (Building Information Model) to serve as test objects for the development of the dedicated Storage-BIM (S-BIM) environment. Monitoring data from the Høje Taastrup storage operation in 2024 has been quality controlled and published in an open-access journal. For the system simulation including PTES, a workflow, tools and KPIs to accurately model and evaluate the PTES behaviour have been established, resulting in three public deliverables. The European and national subsidy schemes for funding the investment and/or operation of PTES have been investigated and the results will be made available in a coming publication.
Economic, environmental and social acceptance assessment
Life cycle assessment (LCA) models were developed for a tank thermal storage in Linz, not in the project, and the Høje-Taastrup monitoring demonstrator. These models serve to test and validate the models for the demonstration cases. Regarding social acceptance, a literature review was conducted to identify existing research and theoretical frameworks relevant to our application field, and an initial internal workshop was conducted that served to introduce the scope of social acceptance within the project and initiate stakeholder engagement.
Initial steps in the development of a PTES are the screening and the permitting. With screening, suited locations for the PTES are systematically inventoried and assessed. A report has been published on the screening experiences from the demonstrators that could serve as a guide for future projects. A second publication gives a description of possible permits and permission processes that authorities prescribe with the planning and realising of PTES systems.
One of the TREASURE objectives is establishing a workflow, tools and KPIs to accurately model and evaluate the behaviour of a PTES integrated into a larger district heating system. The work towards this objective produce three publications: a document with guidelines on modelling and simulation that gives recommendations for system analysis of PTES integration concepts by means of modelling and simulation; a document on input data and sources, describing the various information and data needed for system simulation; and a document regarding importance of KPIs (key performance indicators) and KDPs (key design parameters) in view of the demonstrator systems.
A refined estimated of the market potential for PTES systems in Europa has been made. Data from present DH systems showed that about 10% of the annual heat sales will need to be stored, instead of the previously assumed 30%. The expected DH final energy consumption in 2050 is estimated at 1784 TWh, resulting in a required PTES storage capacity of 77,000 GWh. This is equivalent to more than 4000 PTES with a volume of 500,000 m3.
One of the TREASURE objectives is establishing a workflow, tools and KPIs to accurately model and evaluate the behaviour of a PTES integrated into a larger district heating system. The work towards this objective produce three publications: a document with guidelines on modelling and simulation that gives recommendations for system analysis of PTES integration concepts by means of modelling and simulation; a document on input data and sources, describing the various information and data needed for system simulation; and a document regarding importance of KPIs (key performance indicators) and KDPs (key design parameters) in view of the demonstrator systems.
A refined estimated of the market potential for PTES systems in Europa has been made. Data from present DH systems showed that about 10% of the annual heat sales will need to be stored, instead of the previously assumed 30%. The expected DH final energy consumption in 2050 is estimated at 1784 TWh, resulting in a required PTES storage capacity of 77,000 GWh. This is equivalent to more than 4000 PTES with a volume of 500,000 m3.