SunHorizon focuses on these three main research pillars, which interact with each other to achieve the project objectives and the demonstration and replication of the identified Technology Packages (TPs):
- Optimised design, engineering and manufacturing of SunHorizon technologies
- Smart monitoring systems for Heating & Cooling (H&C)
- Key performance indicator (KPI) driven management and demonstration
1. OPTIMIsED DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING OF SUNHORIZON TECHNOLOGIES
The project aims to optimise the design and engineering of SunHorizon technologies to optimise cost and performance and combine them in a mutually beneficial way. Appropriate technical R&D activities, validation activities in the industrial laboratory and the SunHorizon pilot demonstration will be crucial to achieve the expected goals. Moreover, corresponding targets have been set up per each technology.
2. SMART MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR H&C
As part of the project, Schneider Electric SPA is promoting Building Energy Management System activities to its customers. Scheider Electric SPA aims to promote an optimised sensor and monitoring platform to save equipment costs. In addition, a tool will be responsible for collecting data from local sensors and systems on site, which will be securely transferred to a cloud-based database. The partners of the project will have access to it.
The monitored data is crucial for the development of an engineering tool to reduce the capital expenditure (CAPEX) of the technologies. But also for the development of appropriate control and predictive maintenance strategies to reduce operational expenditure (OPEX).
3. KPI DRIVEN MANAGEMENT AND DEMONSTRATION
Nowadays, the smart operation of heating and cooling systems is gaining importance in order to manage the energy systems efficiently. These intelligent systems provide a high level of comfort as a prerequisite for operation. They also balance energy resources with the aim of meeting electricity, H&C needs. The combination of energy technologies and the development of integrated control systems are key aspects for the smart operation of H&C systems and the decentralised energy resources.
To achieve these goals, an integrated control system is proposed that combines monitoring, decision-making strategies, predictive techniques, self-learning, surveillance algorithms and end-user interaction. At the hearth of this integrated control system are the advanced decision-making strategies and prediction techniques that enable a new concept of multi-objective control.
