Waste heat recovery from urban facilities and re-use to increase energy efficiency of district or individual heating and cooling systems

Deadline: Jan 19, 2017  
CALL EXPIRED

Topic Description

Europe is not recovering enough of its waste energy. A vast amount of waste heat is produced in urban areas from a range of local sources (e.g. from metros, large buildings, extensive ventilation systems) and from urban waste or waste water systems. Data centres are another rapidly growing sector generating heat that could potentially be recovered and reused for heating or cooling buildings.

Thermal energy captured can be supplied through individual central heating and cooling systems or distributed through district heating and cooling networks to multiple buildings. In some cases, it might be needed to combine the recovery of waste heat with different technologies, (e.g., heat pumps) in order to bring the temperature level of the waste heat to those matching the existing heating and cooling applications addressed in the proposal.

Demonstrate waste heat and waste water heat recovery in urban areas, in services sector and transport system facilities and their connection and integration into the existing heating and cooling supply systems in buildings/facilities or district heating/cooling systems. Focus should be given to replicability, scalability and modularity that facilitate application and rapid deployment. Develop sustainable business models and organisational, managerial, and financial solutions for deployment of the proposed technological solutions in the EU, with due regard to the legislative framework.

Projects should build on previous projects supported under FP7 and Horizon 2020. The activities are expected to be implemented at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6-8 (please see part G of the General Annexes).

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 and 4 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. This does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Proposals are expected to demonstrate the impacts listed below, using quantified indicators and targets wherever possible:

• Primary energy savings and GHG emission savings triggered by the proposed actions (compared to best available solution existing today);
• Increase in share of waste heat captured and utilised in urban areas;
• Scale of the replicability potential of the proposed solutions.