Thermal Energy Storage for On-demand Solar Trigeneration (TES4Trig)

Priority topic: 
Thermal energy storage
Call: 
1st Joint Call (Closed)
Project summary: 

The main goal of the TES4TRIG project was to develop an innovative solution for generating heat, cold and electricity using solar energy. The core component of the system is the thermal energy storage (TES) solution, spearheaded by CADE. The project explored various materials and designs to enhance storage efficiency and reduce costs, along with a management tool to effectively integrate the system components.

During the project, NTUA developed a combined cooling heating and power system based on an innovative combination of an Organic Rankine Cycle with an Ejector Cooling Cycle (ORC-ECC) based on an ultra-low GWP, non-flammable working fluid. Meanwhile, CADE successfully completed tests on the TES prototype, proving that it can store energy as heat and reach the required temperatures. Thermal improvements have been made to the TES demo, to be installed in Greece. Finally, Protarget designed and manufactured the solar field of parabolic trough collectors reaching a temperature of up to 400℃.

Additional activities of the project that were not related to the operation of the demonstrator have been carried out. More specifically, MESE carried out dynamic building energy simulations, a techno-economic analysis, cost-optimality assessment and market analysis of the TES4Trig technology, and a scale-up feasibility study of the TES4Trig concept, while SIJ developed detailed simulation models of the system, as well as conducting technical scale-up studies and supporting MESE by techno-economic calculations.

As of October 2024, the Consortium is still in the process of finalization of permitting from state authorities in order to install the prototype technologies and integrate them at the aforementioned site. The remaining task is to confirm all the developments and results obtained from the models and the experimental tests of the TES prototype in the TES demo (Greece).

The partners have agreed to continue project activities to ensure the accomplishment of objectives.

More infomation here.

Consortium: 
National Technical University of Athens
"DEMOKRITOS" National Center for Scientific Research Solar & other Energy Systems Laboratory
Aachen University of Applied Sciences Solar-Institut Jülich
CADE Soluciones de Ingeniería, S.L.
Protarget AG
MES ENERGY S.A.