Sustainable Cooling with Thermal Energy Storage (Annex 20)

Renewable and natural energy sources, main components of sustainable energy systems, can only be made continuously available to users through thermal energy storage (TES). In addition to heating TES provides several flexible alternatives for cooling systems. Recent discussions on topics like global warming and heat waves have brought attention once again to energy efficient cooling systems utilizing renewable energy sources. Cooling demand has already been increasing due to the evolving comfort expectations and technological development around the world. Climate change has brought additional challenges for cooling systems designers. New cooling systems must use less and less electricity generated by fossil fuel based systems and still be able to meet the ever increasing and varying demand.

If you want to read the complete Annex text click - here - 118 kB .
A kick-off workshop was organized in Nice, France on June 23, 2004 following the "Cooling Buildings in a Warming Climate" Forum. The minutes of this Annex 20 workshop can be downloaded - here - 88 kB .

The Appendices of the pro memoria can be on the Annex 14 homepage . The concept of the Annex 20 is given in Appendix 2. The first experts meeting and workshop will be in Nagoya, Japan on the 14. – 16. of September. The next experts meeting and workshop will be held in Ankara, Turkey, on November 27 – 28.

If you want to read the complete proposal click - here - 130 kB .

The Annex 20 homepage can be found here .



Transportation of Thermal Energy Utilizing Thermal Energy Storage Technology (Annex 18)

A key component in a sustainable energy system is to be able to use thermal energy from various sources at a consumer located at a distance from theses sources. For this purpose, the thermal energy has to be transported from one place to another. This could be achieved by using thermal energy storage technology. Depending on the distance, the storage medium could either be pumped through pipelines or for longer distances the TES itself could be transported on a truck or a train. The crucial properties of the TES for the technical and economical feasibility are the storage capacity per volume and weight and the possible charging and discharging power, which affects the possible number of storage cycles per time.

If you are interested to participate in such an Annex, or if you have related topics, applications or projects which should be included in the formulation of this new Annex, please contact the Operating Agent Victoria Martin at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

A kick-off workshop has taken place in November 14. – 15. in Bad Tölz, Germany, the first workshop and experts meeting was held in in Tokyo/Japan on November 14th to 15th 2006. Information about these meeting can be found here . The next experts meeting and workshop will be held in Bordeaux on March 28 – 30 2007. For more information and registration please contact Victoria Martin .

The Annex 18 homepage can be found here .


Optimised Industrial Process Heat and Power Generation with Thermal Energy Storage (Annex 19)

Previous activities in the IEA Implementing Agreement “Energy Conservation through Energy Storage” has achieved significant progress in thermal energy storage technologies for energy savings and for reduction of peak demand of energy in buildings and in advancing the prospects of cooling with TES technologies.
The potential for thermal energy storage and regenerative heat transfer for the industrial process heat sector for efficient energy utilisation, heat recovery and storage of high temperature waste heat as well as the need for energy storage for power generation based on new conversion techniques and renewable energy resources (RES) is a concern of several national and international research strategies. Both areas are directed to applications and processes at high temperature. In this context “High Temperature” is defined to be higher than 120 °C as required for comfort heating and where water cannot be applied as heat transfer fluid.

If you want to read the complete proposal click - here - 115 kB .

If you are interested to participate in such an Annex, or if you have related topics, applications, materials or techniques which should be included in the work program of this new Annex, please contact rainer.tamme@dlr.de . For general information regarding the procedure to join the IEA ECES implementing contact hauer@muc.zae-bayern.de .

First workshop was organized in Stuttgart on April 4th 2007. For further information please contact Rainer Tamme , the Operating Agent of Annex 19.


Thermal Response Test for Underground Thermal Energy Storages (Annex 21)

Thermal Response Test (TRT) is a measurement method to determine the heat transfer properties
of a borehole heat exchanger and its surrounding ground in order to predict the thermal
performance of a ground-source energy system. The two most vital parameters are the effective
thermal conductivity of the ground and thermal resistance within the borehole. The TRT equipment
is usually mounted on a trailer for easy transportation to test sites. This method has been very
important in the rapid spreading of BTES systems. It has been a door opener for introducing the
technology in “new” countries.

The overall objectives of Annex 21 are to compile TRT experiences worldwide in order to identify
problems, carry out further development, disseminate gained knowledge, and promote the
technology. Based on the overview, a TRT State of the art, new developments and further work are
studied.

If you want to read the complete proposal click - here - 107 kB .

If you are interested to participate in such an Annex, or if you have related topics, applications or projects which should be included in the formulation of this new Annex, please contact Manfred Reuß