Deployment of novel GEOthermal systems, technologies and tools for energy efficient building retroFITting.

Project Information

GeoFit

Grant agreement ID: 792210

DOI

10.3030/792210

Project closed

EC signature date 30 April 2018

Start date 1 May 2018

End date 31 October 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 9 792 648,88

EU contribution

€ 7 896 940,14

Coordinated by

R2M SOLUTION SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - GeoFit (Deployment of novel GEOthermal systems, technologies and tools for energy efficient building retroFITting.)

Reporting period: 2020-11-01 to 2022-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

GEOFIT is an integrated industrially driven action aimed at deployment of cost effective enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) on energy efficient building retrofitting. This entails the development of innovative EGS and its components: non-standard heat exchanger configurations, a novel hybrid heat pump and electrically driven compression heat pump systems and suite of heating and cooling components to be integrated with the novel GSHP concepts. To make viable the novel EGS in energy efficient building retrofitting, a suite of tools and technologies is developed: low invasive risk assessment technologies, site-inspection and worksite building monitoring techniques, control systems for cost-effective and optimized EGS in operation phase and novel GEOBIM platform for management of geothermal based retrofitting works. Furthermore, the project is commited with the application of novel drilling techniques as the improved low invasive vertical drilling and trenchless technologies.
GEOFIT brings these technical developments within a new management framework based on Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions for the geothermal retrofitting process, using the Geo-BIM platform. By using the 5 demonstration sites as open case studies in 4 countries and climates, featuring different representative technical scenarios/business models, GEOFIT will leverage its key exploitable results, adapted business models and market oriented dissemination for maximizing impact and wide adoption of these novel geothermal technologies and approaches.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

STO1 is at an advanced stage, since WP1 is completed. The IDDS methodology has been adapted to geothermal retrofitting, explained in dedicate workshops and is currently being applied to all pilots. ICT tools for ground research (GPR ) and worksite monitoring (UAV, accelerometers, GBInSAR) are being prepared for application to selected pilots. Information Delivery Manual (IDM) has been conceived specifically for Drilling Processes. BIM activities (WP6) are ongoing (BEP plan and cloud-based platform specifications have been provided ; BIM library for the components designed in WP4 have been set-up and first GEOBIM models for some pilot sites have been created.

STO2 is being tackled in WP2, WP3 and WP4. Task 2.3 already investigated main damaging mechanisms acting in drilling tools, establishing the base to properly recommend solutions in materials selection. Methods to calculate the thermal response of ground heat exchangers have been investigated and the overall design process for novel ground (slinky/earth basket) type shallow heat exchangers has been described, providing information and procedures for data collection and evaluation.
WP4 studied heating and cooling needs of 2 pilots based on modelling software, suggesting LTH and HTC systems and simulating their performance, evaluating it against comparable alternatives. The main heat pumps configurations (both electrically and thermally driven) and their design and control through numerical models have been investigated and optimal solutions have been identified.

STO3 is mainly addressed in WP5. At present, monitoring devices have been installed at pilots. To do so, different degrees of integration in the existing BEM have been applied. Based on the final configuration of devices to be installed in pilots (Heat Pumps and their control systems; LTH/HTC technologies and their control systems), a high level control strategies, robust and cloud-based, will be developed and applied, enabling for testing of flexibility services capabilities.

STO4 is to be reached by demonstrating GEOFIT’s innovative results to pilots. At present, the IDDS process is being applied to pre-design and design phases (Design and pre-intervention monitoring). Successive phases of IDDS, such as installation, commissioning and operation, will be faced as soon as pilots construction starts.

STO5 is transversal to the entire project. At present, IDDS methodology is being showcased and dissemination and exploitation activities will from now on establish it in the daily business of construction and engineering companies working on geothermal based retrofitting.
Guidelines have already been issued in WP1 and WP3. Implementation Procedures and Installers Manual has been drafted and will be delivered in Month 20.
Communication activities (WP10) have started early in the project and have delivered high-quality material in a regular way (logo, website, poster, brochure, video, interviews). News on the GEOFIT website are being published regularly, at least once a month.
Basis for full deployment and exploitation of EGS has been created with Market Watch activities and Market Analysis and with the Exploitable Results Table.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

GEOFIT Key Impact 1 - Unlock geothermal potential of areas traditionally not considered as viable
The successful implementation of IDDS framework in the five geothermal pilots, each with very different needs and constraints, is a strong basis for the application of this process to future sites. GEOFIT is showing that geothermal is applicable, given that all key stakeholders are involved, on public and private buildings, residential and service users, recent and ancient buildings.

GEOFIT Key Impact 2 - GEOFIT will increase GSHP competitiveness with market dominating technologies
At the end of RP1 the GEOFIT consortium can state that IDDS is a suitable process to reduce time and cost (related to errors) in geothermal installation, which is likely to make GSHP more competitive.
First results of WP2 also seem positive, in terms of optimised drilling materials and of advanced radar technologies for ground inspection, which are also expected to make GSHP more competitive.

GEOFIT Key Impact 3 - GEOFIT solution will be ready to penetrate the market within 3 years after project end
Give the state of advancement of demonstration equipment, it is too early to state whether this objective will be reached for sure, but technology providers participating in the project seem to be at an advanced stage:
• UPONOR’s heating and cooling technologies are advanced, but already commercial and the work done in WP4 will provide standard solutions for internal heating/cooling systems suitable for GSHP.
• FAHRENHEIT and OCHSNER are at an advanced stage of development of the HP to be used in the demo sites.
• Activities related to generating an optimised framework for GSHP design and installation (simulations, BIM models, design support tools, structural health monitoring technologies etc) are ongoing and did not encounter major obstacles so far.

GEOFIT Key Impact 4 - GEOFIT will significantly reduce GHG impact of the EU building sector
Evidence of building energy consumption and greenhouse gases will be finalized after the installation of the demo sites and once completed the post-intervention monitoring for a whole year (WP7).

GEOFIT Key Impact 5 - GEOFIT BEMS will unlock flexibility services for residential and tertiary sector
Flexibility-related results are still to come, but the tools for monitoring comfort conditions revealed to be simple and user friendly.
Energy consumption is more complicated to monitor, which has to be taken into account timely when starting a project. This is though common to any energy saving/renewable energy technology, not only to GSHP.

The GEOFIT approach to geothermal retrofitting

GEOFIT technologies_1

GEOFIT technologies_2