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Discover more about our demo sites in Germany

 Discover more about our demo sites in Germany 1024 768 SunHorizon Project

Interview to Steven Paupe from BoostHEAT.

Demo site ID: 

Location: Berlin and Nuremberg (Germany)

Type of building:  

Nuremberg : 4 family residential housing (320m²), built in 1897 with limestone and brick
Berlin : 220m² house constituted of 2 apartments

Climate: temperate

Technologies and partners involved in this demo site: 

Nuremberg : Thermal CO2 heat pump (BoostHEAT), hybrid PV/T panels (DualSun), stratified thermal storage tank (Ratiotherm), monitoring (Schneider Electric), data collection (Checkwatt), modelling of the system (CEA)

Berlin : Thermal CO2 heat pump (BoostHEAT), High-Vacuum Flat Solar Thermal Panels (TVP solar), stratified thermal storage tank (Ratiotherm), monitoring (Schneider Electric), data collection (Checkwatt), modelling of the system (CEA)

Date of the demo site visit: 18 & 19 February 2019

Presentation of the demo site:

Two demo sites have been identified by BOOSTHEAT in order to implement SUNHORIZON’s technologies package in Germany : 

  • One in Berlin in a multifamily residential housing of 220m²
  • Another one in Nuremberg in a 4 family residential housing of 320m²

In Berlin, the house is composed of 2 apartments, near the city centre. From the visit, we didn’t identify any incompatibility with the future technologies integration and installation in the site. 
The narrow access to the basement can be an obstacle, but the technology partners already foresaw solutions on how to get in and set-up their technologies.

In Nuremberg, the house is constituted of 4 equal apartments (one per floor level), located near the city centre. The integration of all the technologies looks well established, but first we have to evaluate the structural integrity of the roof, in order to define the maximal weigh for the solar panels. 

What are the energy challenges of your demo site?

The two projects have high ambition in term of reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions reduction, while increasing the comfort level from centralized heat and DHW. The installation of the technologies in the two demo sites (DualSun, BOOSTHEAT, Ratiotherm, TVP solar…) have to be firmly fixed and easy to maintain, in order to have fewer and cheaper maintenance activities. 

Do you see any policy obstacles referred to SunHorizon technologies application, specifically related to the local/national regulations where the demo site is located and, more in general, at EU level?  

No specific policy obstacles have been identified regarding the application of SunHorizon technologies, but we will have to pay attention to the chimney and its maintenance at commissioning (common)while designing the installation/integration of these new technologies.

What is your motivation to participate in the project and which is your role?

BOOSTHEAT is very motivated to play a role in in these 2 demos, in order to demonstrate the use of its technology in Germany, as we can learn for the application of our system solutions in future German projects and make good reference for future German’s projects and demonstrate the benefits of using different renewable energy systems and covering the energy demand with RES. 

We decided to take part in the SunHorizon project to explore these opportunities with other companies located all around Europe, which makes this a unique opportunity on technological and professional level.

Which are the expected benefits your company aims to demonstrate in the SUNHORIZON project?

BOOSTHEAT aims at demonstrating that thermal CO2 heat pumps can cover the entire energy demand of a house, with the best energy efficiency as possible. 

Pictures from the demo sites

Berlin (Germany)

Nuremberg (Germany)

SunHorizon @SustainablePlaces – 06 June 2019

 SunHorizon @SustainablePlaces – 06 June 2019 1024 768 SunHorizon Project

“Solar and Thermal energy: Europe’s precious energy sources for efficient industries and buildings” workshop

Projects involved: HYCOOL, SHIP2FAIR, THERMOSS, SUNHORIZON and HYBUILD
06thof June, 14:00 – 15:30, Room Cala Mariolu in LAZZARETTO, @SUSTAINABLE PLACES, Cagliari (Italy)

On the 06th of June 2019SUNHORIZON within other four innovative H2020 projects HYCOOL, SHIP2FAIR, THERMOSS,  and HYBUILD, organised a joint workshop “Solar and Thermal energy: Europe’s precious energy sources for efficient industries and buildings” in the fr.

These projects are implementing the most social acceptance renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps, for both the residential and the industrial sectors, by reducing the energy consumption and increasing the thermal comfort and high performances in industrial processes.

During the workshop, the projects’ coordinators first presented the goals and the applications of the projects, and then an interactive session between the panel and the audience started, in which we presented the different projects’ approaches and solutions.

The debate followed the below questions:

What is the highest technological challenge of your project? 

How digitalization and monitoring data can facilitate the promotion of the technologies of your project?

How to increase social acceptance of your project technologies? And what are non-technological barriers?

How are you targeting the cost reduction of your technologies?

Presentations available here:

HYCOOL – Mr Andrea Frazzica (CNR ITAE) – download available here

SHIP2FAIR – Mr Stefano Barberis (RINA)- download available here

SUNHORIZON – Ms Alessandra Cuneo (RINA)- download available here

THERMOSS – Ms Federica Fuligni (EXERGY)- download available here

HYBUILD – Mr Sergio Valentino Costa (COMSA)- download available here

Some pictures of the event below:

SunHorizon @EUSEW19, on the 19th of June

 SunHorizon @EUSEW19, on the 19th of June 1024 342 SunHorizon Project

SunHorizon at the Networking Village @EUSEW19

on the 19th of June, from 14:00 – 18:00, at Charlemagne building, Brussels
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 SAVE THE DATE: 19th of June, from 14:00 to 18:00, in Charlemagne building – in the framework of the NETWORKING VILLAGE @EUSEW19, SunHorizon project will be presented at the  “Heat Pump innovation center”.

Come to meet us and discover more about our project, what we are implementing and our technologies.

Register to EUSEW19 here. 

SunHorizon @HPForum2019, what happened

 SunHorizon @HPForum2019, what happened 150 150 SunHorizon Project

Heat Pump Forum 2019 – 15th of May 2019, Brussels

On the 15th May 2019, SunHorizon project was presented at the Heat Pump Forum 2019 in Brussels.

The HPForum gathered more than 200 people from the heat pump and policy sectors.
This was an extremely interesting opportunity to present the project’s goals and technologies in front of heat pump manufacturers, stakeholders and policymakers.

Stefano Barberis (from RINA spa) presented our project, he explained the combined systems/technologies that will be installed in the demo sites and which are their innovative aspects. The project is in its early stage (since we are only on M8), but we are really excited for the feedback and the interest we are receiving from the stakeholders and external audience.

The promotion of the project’s innovative tools and technologies, in front of a technical audience, produced a fruitful exchange between the consortium and the participants.

Presentation available here.

Pictures of the event below:

SunHorizon @SustainablePlaces, on the 06 June 2019

 SunHorizon @SustainablePlaces, on the 06 June 2019 1024 512 SunHorizon Project

Joint Workshop “Solar and Thermal energy: Europe’s precious energy sources for efficient industries and buildings”

On the 06th of June 2019, Room Cala Mariolu in Lazzaretto, @SustainablePlaces, in Cagliari (Italy)

Register here

We kindly invite you to our “Solar and Thermal energy: Europe’s precious energy sources for efficient industries and buildings” workshop, organised by HYCOOL, SHIP2FAIR, THERMOSS, SUNHORIZON and HYBUILD.

These projects are implementing the most social acceptance renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps for both the residential and the industrial sectors, by reducing the energy consumption and increasing the thermal comfort and high performances in industrial processes.

If you are interested in their innovative applications, come and get inspired by what these projects are doing…

The SunHorizonproject aims at unlocking the potential for a cost-effective solution based on innovative heat pumps and solar technologies. 

Thermossaims to contribute to wider deployment of advanced building heating and cooling technologies and facilitate their connection with district heating.

The main goal and innovative aspect of SHIP2FAIRis to foster the integration of solar heat in industrial processes from the agro–food sector. 

HyCool’s mission is increasing the use of solar heat in industry processes, by coupling of a new Fresnel CSP Solar thermal collectors (FCSP) with specially build Hybrid Heat Pumps

HYBUILD combines a compact sorption storage, a high-density latent storage, and an efficient electric storage in residential buildings. 

Register here

When: 06th June 2019 

Time:from 14:00 to 15:30 

Where: Room Cala Mariolu in Lazzaretto, Sustainable Places, Cagliari (Italy)

Please note that in order to attend the workshop you will need to obtain a ticket to Sustainable Places conference. You can find more information here.

AGENDA:

14:00Welcome by Mr Regis Decorme (R2Msolutions)

Projects’ presentation
Moderator: Mr Regis Decorme

14:05 HYCOOL – Mr Andrea Frazzica 
14:10 SHIP2FAIR – Mr Stefano Barberis
14:15 SUNHORIZON – Ms Alessandra Cuneo
14:20 THERMOSS – Ms Federica Fuligni 
14:25 HYBUILD – Mr Sergio Valentino Costa

Panel interaction 
Moderator: Mr Regis Decorme
One speaker per project will answer to the following questions:

14:30 What is the highest technological challenge of your project?
14:40 How digitalization and monitoring data can facilitate the promotion of the technologies of your project?
14:50 How to increase social acceptance of your project technologies? what are non-technological barriers?
15:00 How are you targeting the cost reduction of your technologies?


Final session
15:10 Final wrap – up, by the moderator Mr Regis Decorme
15:15 Q&A 

15:30 End of the Workshop

Discover more about our demo site in Riga (Latvia)

 Discover more about our demo site in Riga (Latvia) 874 572 SunHorizon Project

Interview to Zane Broka from RTU (Riga Technical University), demo site coordinator of our site in Riga, Latvia.

Demo site ID:

Location: Riga, Latvia
Type of building:two single-family houses – 234.6 m2in Imanta and 144 m2in Sunīši, both have two floors (ground floor and 1stfloor).
Climate: Latvia is located in the temperate climate zone and therefore has four pronounced seasons. The climate can be described as typical European continental influenced climate with warm/dry summers and fairly severe winters. The annual average outdoor temperature in Riga is 6.9ºC, and the annual global horizontal solar radiation in Latvia is 1042 kWh/m². In Riga, there are 94 days with snow in a year, and the average duration of the heating season is 203 days/year.
Technologies and partners involved in this demo site:
Gas-driven heat pump (BoostHEAT), hybrid PV/T panels (DualSun), stratified thermal storage tank (Ratiotherm).
Date of the demo site visit: 05th March 2019.

Presentation of the demo site:

Both houses are recently built – in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Currently they use gas boilers for space heating and DHW production. The demo site in Sunīši also has two air-to-air heat pumps already installed which are mostly used for cooling of the main house and the playroom in an adjacent garage building during summer.
The demo site visit in Riga took place on a chilly and rainy spring day. The visit was attended by the main technology providers for this demo site – BoostHEAT, DualSun, and CheckWatt. Partners took the opportunity to inspect the existing heating system and its setup, and we also talked to the house owners to better understand their needs, for example with respect to the user interface that will be developed by CheckWatt. 
The potential places for installation of the SunHorizon technology packages were also examined, and it was particularly important to select a suitable place for the large thermal storage tank and choose the optimum placement of solar thermal panels.

What are the energy challenges of your demo site?

The heating season in Latvia, being located in the Northern part of Europe, lasts for seven months, leading to large overall consumption of thermal energy, which is several times higher than, for example, consumption of electricity. To that end, efficient operation of the heating system is crucial as it can ensure significant savings to the home owners. Also, it is important that the heating system is able to cover the peak demand for thermal energy during cold spells – while the average temperature during the heating season is 0ºC in Riga, in rare occasions it can decrease down to –25/30ºC.

Do you see any policy obstacles referred to SunHorizon technologies application, specifically related to the local/national regulations where the demo site is located and, more in general, at EU level? 

One of the main obstacles in Latvia is the existing net metering system for microgenerators, which is also applicable to solar panels with installed power ≤ 11.1 kW. The current system is not particularly beneficial as it implies payments for grid tariffs and, particularly, renewable energy levies also for the part of energy generated by the panels and consumed onsite. Moreover, this system does not reimburse energy fed into the grid which exceeds the amount consumed by the household itself (within one year).

What is your motivation to participate in the project and which is your role?

RTU (Riga Technical University) is responsible for the organisation and management of demonstration activities in two houses in Riga. Our task has been to recruit participants, select suitable demo sites and manage the deployment of technologies ensuring inconvenience to the residents is kept to minimum.

 For us, it is exciting to trial innovative heating technologies, find the best solutions of how to integrate these technologies into existing buildings, and through our real-life experience assess the existing or potential barriers for a wide-spread deployment of this type of technologies in Latvia.

Which are the expected benefits your company aims to demonstrate in the SUNHORIZON project?

Through the real-life trial of SunHorizon technology packages in Riga, we aim to demonstrate and assess the benefits attainable in terms of energy consumption reduction and lower energy bills. We also expect to promote wider usage of renewable energy sources and distributed generation, such as the solar thermal panels and heat pumps as a much more efficient alternative to the existing heating solutions. Based on the statistics, only 0.4% of households employ heat pumps in Latvia – significantly less than in the neighbouring Baltic countries (Estonia and Lithuania). Furthermore, installed capacities of solar generation in Latvia are also negligible compared to that of our neighbours despite the weather conditions being quite similar.

Pictures from the demo site visit

House in Imanta

House in Sunīši

Discover more about our demo site in Madrid (Spain)

 Discover more about our demo site in Madrid (Spain) 452 304 SunHorizon Project

Interview to Diego Romera from EMVS, demo site owner of our site in Madrid, Spain.

Demo site ID:

Location: Madrid, Spain
Type of building: (Multi Family Residential Building, 1072 m2, 9 Apartments + 2 Commercial Premises)
Climate: Mediterranean
Technologies and partners involved in this demo site: Reversible Heat Pump (BDR), Sola PV-T (Dual Sun), Thermal Storage (Ratiotherm)
Date of the demo site visit: 28thFebruary 2019

Presentation of the demo site:

The building was built in 1948 and is located in the city centre of Madrid, in the residential district of Lavapies, specifically in Tres Peces 9 Street.
It is a multi-family residential building, rectangular shaped, with south oriented main façade. The other three orientations (two sides and the back) consists on dividing walls in contact with other buildings. A central courtyard serves with natural lighting and ventilation to the interior-side rooms of the building. It also accommodates the staircase and the lift hole.
The building has two commercial premises, one interior dwelling and several common rooms on the ground floor, and eight dwellings on the rest of the floors above ground at a rate of two per floor (within four floors).
The building belongs entirely to EMVS (partner of the SunHorizon project) and it is being rented to people with social and economic difficulties.
An unfavourable ITE (Technical Building Inspection) report was carried out requiring immediate reparation of several technical aspects. For this reason, it is intended to make a refurbishment, out of Sun Horizon Project, of structure, envelope, and accessibility.
The existing HVAC systems consists of individual gas boilers that covers the needs of heating and DHW.
At the end of February 2019, was organised a technical meeting and a visit onsite. The building was examined, and was stablished the basis for further technical developments.

What are the energy challenges of this demo site?

With the renovation of the envelope, it is intended to reduce 70% the energy demand of the heating, and with SunHorizon project, thanks to the centralization and the high efficiency of the heat pumps coupled with solar technology, reduce the energy consumption to minimum levels.

Do you see any policy obstacles referred to SunHorizon technologies application, specifically related to the local/national regulations where the demo site is located and, more in general, at EU level?  

It has been approved the new law in Spain that regulates the energy self-consumption. This will enhance PV installations. 
At the moment, any obstacles have not been identified.

What is your motivation to participate in the project and which is your role?

Spain is a country with a huge potential in terms of solar energy generation. An optimized coupling of this renewable technology with heat pump systems, could achieve very high energy efficiency and considerably reduce the levels of energy consumption. 

Due to this reason, SunHorizon project aims at serving as a replicable model for many other EMVS’ buildings in Madrid city centre with similar architectural characteristics and type of tenants, facing energy poverty.Which are the expected benefits your company aims to demonstrate in the SUNHORIZON project?

Which are the expected benefits your company aims to demonstrate in the SUNHORIZON project?

We expect to have buildings with very low energy consumption. 
In addition, the integration of SunHorizon technologies must assure an easy and cheap operation and maintenance.

Pictures from the demo site visit

Discover more about our demo site in Sant Llorenç d’Hortons (Spain)

 Discover more about our demo site in Sant Llorenç d’Hortons (Spain) 420 306 SunHorizon Project

Interview to Pierre Koenig from BDR Thermea (France), demo site coordinator of Sant Llorenç d’Hortons, Spain.

Demo site ID: 

Location: Sant Llorenç d’Hortons, Barcelona, Spain
Type of building: Single-family house, built in 2002, 204 m² (main floor: 120m², second floor 39m², basement 45m²)
Climate: Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification: Csa, with mild winters and hot summers)
Technologies and partners involved in this demo site:
BDR Thermea for systems providing:
Reversible Heat Pump – Thermal panels – Photovoltaic panels – Storage tank;
Schneider Electric for monitoring;
Checkwatt for data collection;
CEA for modelling of the system;
Date of the demo site visit: 19th December 2018

Presentation of the demo site:

The Sant Llorenç d’Hortons demo site is a single-family house, in which there is an already working hybrid system installed, composed by an Air/Water Heat Pump (HP) connected to an oil boiler. 
This system will be replaced by a new Air to Water Heat Pump, and a Thermal & Photovoltaic solar field of 6 m² that will supply the heat pump.
The visit of the demo site (organised on the 19th December 2018), offered the opportunity to check the space availability in the technical room, analyse the solar potential of the roof. In that occasion, we highlighted some constraints and we were able to draw the existing hydraulic circuit. 
Nevertheless, this was an excellent opportunity to exchange information among SunHorizon partners and with the owner of the house.
The exchanges were rewarding.

What are the energy challenges of this demo site?

Since the owner would like to keep both the current boiler and the electrical generator as backup, the challenge will be to cover all yearlong the energy demand of the house, by using renewable energies and an easy controller, ensuring a pleasant indoor comfort for the users. 
However, the Heat Pump efficiency and the solar panels production are directly linked to the weather conditions – we have to consider this variable.

Do you see any policy obstacles referred to SunHorizon technologies application, specifically related to the local/national regulations where the demo site is located and, more in general, at EU level?  

The temperature of distribution of sanitary water is related to the legionella legislation, hence high temperature needs to be generated by the heat pump.
The policies and subsidies for self-production of electricity using the photovoltaic panels depend on the Spanish legislation, constantly evolving.
European regulation on CO2 emission “F-Gas (EU 517/2014)” drives the growing heat pump market, with a phase-out of refrigerant with Global Warming Potential (GWP) too high.

What is your motivation to participate in the project and which is your role?

The main role of BDR Thermea in Sant Llorenç d’Hortons demo site is to provide the systems: thermal panels combined to a reverse Heat Pump for DHW / central heating and cooling, that will be powered by the electricity produced on site by the PV field (installed on the roof of the house). 
As demo site coordinator, BDR Thermea is also leading a working group with CEA research institute, and companies in the controls field (Schneider Electric and Checkwatt).
BDR is taking part also in another SunHorizon demo sites, in which is providing Heat Pumps and working in collaboration with other companies, such as DualSun and Ratiotherm, for the solar production and thermal storage.

BDR Thermea is motivated to demonstrate the benefits of using different renewable energy systems and cover the energy demand with RES. 
We decided to take part in SunHorizon project to explore these opportunities with other companies located all around Europe, which makes this a unique opportunity on human and professional level.

Which are the expected benefits your company aims to demonstrate in the SUNHORIZON project?

BDR aims at demonstrating that a heat pump can cover the entire energy demand of a house: all along the year, by providing domestic hot water and heating or cooling.

Pictures from the demo site visit

SunHorizon @HPForum 2019, 15 May 2019 in Brussels

 SunHorizon @HPForum 2019, 15 May 2019 in Brussels 800 400 SunHorizon Project

15 May 2019 – @Heat Pump Forum 2019 (The Egg, Brussels)

We are happy to inform you that SunHorizon project will be presented by Stefano Barberis at the the Heat Pump Forum 2019, in the afternoon of the 15th of May 2019, in Brussels.

Stefano will introduce what are the project’s aims, what we are developing and how SunHorizon technologies have to be considered as a serious solution in the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sectors.
This is a perfect opportunity to reach new heat pump stakeholders and disseminate SunHorizon technologies and innovations.

We look forward to seeing you at the knowledge café (@HPForum2019) on the 15th May at 3.10 pm

Find more info regarding the event:
The Heat Pump Forum 2019  is organised by the European Heat Pump Association, and aims at putting heat pump technology at the centre of the debate on the energy transition. 100% renewable heating is possible with today’s technology. At the Forum you will learn about heat pumps recognition in policy – both on the European and Member State level.
What you will get: 

  • Overview of Europe’s long-term strategy and market development
  • +10 thematic sessions: greening electrification, large heat pump deployment, zero-emission industry, decarbonisation of cities, digitalisation, smart energy systems, energy communities and the challenge of renovation
  • +40 expert speakers: policy makers, market leaders, researchers, key experts from the heat pump industry 
  • Meet 200+ business actors engaged in the energy transition, representatives from EU institutions, national and local governments, major players from the heating and cooling industry, energy companies and energy researchers

They are talking about SunHorizon…

 They are talking about SunHorizon… 150 150 SunHorizon Project

In the March 2019 edition of the Magazine d’information de la ville de Verviers they are talking about one of SunHorizon demo site – the swimming pool in Verviers, and about our projects goals.

A special thank to the city of Verviers and to the Magazine.

Find the article here:

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