e-methane
In order to store fluctuating electricity supply from offshore wind parks, conversion into e-methane is forseen. This gas can be stored in existing Dutch gas storage facilities such as Gasopslag Bergermeer. In periods of so-called ‘Dunkelflaute’ (no wind, no sun), our e-methane is converted back into electricity to be supplied to the grid. In this way, a fully closed cycle is obtained. This research is in collaboration with the EMMET Foundation (www.emmetenergy.com)
heat battery
Low temperature space heating and domestic water heating consume most of the energy in the built environment. In the Netherlands, this energy is almost exclusively supplied by conventional gas-fired boilers. Replacing these by all-electric heat pumps can only be part of the solution due to limited capacity of the electricity grid which already has to adapt to the large-scale introduction of intermittant renawables (solar and wind). Moreover, traditional air-water heat pumps are noisy which makes them a less intuitive choice for densily populated district areas. So why not use the heat of the sun directly? Solar energy on a diurnal and seasonal basis is a potential gamechanger indeed. To mitigate the intermittent nature of solar energy availability, thermal storage is of paramount importantance.
smart energy products
We also work on the design, development and production of components for smart energy grids such as Building Integrated PV (BIPV). This program is carried out in an EU framework.
Within our group, students have carried out research projects in collaboration with Conico Valves bv, to help develop the Direct Multi-Pass (DMP) Solar System, using the unique Thermo-Differential Valve technology. Follow the link below to find out more about this system, and the demonstration systems that have been installed in various locations. Conico – Demonstration systems (conico-renewables.nl)
inpath-tes
The ETFD group is partner of INPATH-TES. This is a unique worldwide PhD programme on thermal energy storage and consists of a total of 14 online courses. These courses are composed of different smaller independent modules called lessons. PhD students can take entire courses or individual lessons. More information can be found on the INPATH-TES website: www.inpathtes.eu.
the Build-In Thermal collector (BIT)
In recent years, SolarTech started the development of a cheap thermal collector, the Building-Integrated Thermal collector, the BIT-exchanger or BIT for short, which can be applied in or behind building components such as roof tiles and other roof coverings, facades, roof terraces and solar panels. It is crucial in this respect that such a BIT-exchanger seamlessly connects to these building components and can be linked to other energy systems, including heat pumps and thermal storages. The BIT-exchanger should be unique for its simplicity and wide applicability, meaning that it can be made at a low price. Besides, the BIT-exchanger should be capable of achieving excellent returns even at lower temperatures and should become a simple and cheap plug-and-play solution for the consumer. The aim of the BIT-project consortium as a whole is to develop a robust, simple and inexpensive building element, the BIT-exchanger.
More information: https://energiedak.nl/bit-de-build-in-thermal-collector/
