Italy
2020
- Type : Project
- Size : Local community
- Area : Residential
Environmental benefit
greenhouse gas reduction (CO2) of 25,2 %
Upgrading DH networks from the 60s and 70s
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Italy
2020
- Type : Project
- Size : Local community
- Area : Residential
Environmental benefit
greenhouse gas reduction (CO2) of 25,2 %
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The DH is located in the city of Alessandria in North-West Italy. The existing built environment is
made prevalently by apartment blocks aging from years 60-70 of 1900. A recent project aimed to increase the share of renewable and
cogenerated heat and reducing the local pollution by cleaner
plants. Two levels of temperature are created to exploit
heating in optimal way by different sources. The project has
been validated by a dynamic optimization procedure
integrated with the design.
Buildings in Alessandria are presently equipped with high temperature central heating systems running on gas or oil fired boilers. In the
project, thermal power is provided by a mix of classical, cogeneration gas fired ICEs and backup
boilers, and renewable heat coming from solar thermal field and ground source heat pumps
connected to the local aquifer. A 60 km piping extension covers the whole city while flexibility of
operations is increased by a thermal storage of 2000 m3. As heat must be supplied to end-users at
high temperature, a local low temperature grid is created where contributes from solar field and
last cooling stage of CHPs are collected. This heat is upgraded at the high temperature value by heat
pumps.
Challenges are mainly related to the operative coordination
and tuning of the actual plant and its adherence to the
nominal working conditions assumed in the Preliminary
design phase. Even if the environmental indicators are
positive and moving toward a lower carbon footprint of the
plant, communication of the whole operation and social
acceptance by end-users are issues to be continuously
monitored.
More info
R-ACES has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 892429
The DH is located in the city of Alessandria in North-West Italy. The existing built environment is
made prevalently by apartment blocks aging from years 60-70 of 1900. A recent project aimed to increase the share of renewable and
cogenerated heat and reducing the local pollution by cleaner
plants. Two levels of temperature are created to exploit
heating in optimal way by different sources. The project has
been validated by a dynamic optimization procedure
integrated with the design.
Buildings in Alessandria are presently equipped with high temperature central heating systems running on gas or oil fired boilers. In the
project, thermal power is provided by a mix of classical, cogeneration gas fired ICEs and backup
boilers, and renewable heat coming from solar thermal field and ground source heat pumps
connected to the local aquifer. A 60 km piping extension covers the whole city while flexibility of
operations is increased by a thermal storage of 2000 m3. As heat must be supplied to end-users at
high temperature, a local low temperature grid is created where contributes from solar field and
last cooling stage of CHPs are collected. This heat is upgraded at the high temperature value by heat
pumps.
Challenges are mainly related to the operative coordination
and tuning of the actual plant and its adherence to the
nominal working conditions assumed in the Preliminary
design phase. Even if the environmental indicators are
positive and moving toward a lower carbon footprint of the
plant, communication of the whole operation and social
acceptance by end-users are issues to be continuously
monitored.