Key technologies and demonstration of combined cooling, heating and power generation for low-carbon buildings/neigbouhoods with clean energy

The commitment of the ChiNoZEN project is to contribute to a significant increase in the share of low-carbon buildings and neighbourhoods through cooperation between leading Chinese and Norwegian scientists. The ChiNoZEN project supports the transition to a reliable, affordable, publicly accepted, sustainable built environment, aiming at reducing fossil fuel dependency in the face of increasingly scarce resources, growing energy needs, and threatening climate change. The project delivers new knowledge, solutions, and innovative technologies for low-carbon buildings and neighbourhoods. The key result of the ChiNoZEN project is a combined cooling, heating and power generation system able to meet the needs of low-carbon communities to fully absorb nearby available renewable energy. The novel system comprises: 1. Solar technology for hybrid photo-voltaic and thermal energy harvesting (WP1). 2. Biogas technology for combined cooling, heating and power generation (WP4). 3. High-temperature heat pump technology using natural/green working fluids to facilitate renewable energy production and storage. A high-temperature heat pump generates heat above 100°C and is driven by the power output from the renewable sources (WP2). 4. Medium-temperature heat storage technology to eliminate the challenge of variations and mismatch between energy delivery and use. The heat is stored in phase-change materials with storage temperature higher than 90°C (WP1). 5. Control strategy for the novel combined cooling, heating and power production system supported by heat pump and thermal energy storage. All the components are connected in a smart energy grid where delivered energy is balanced with the requirements on the demand side. Energy related human behaviour is adequately considered when designing the system (WP3). A key outcome of the ChiNoZEN project is at least two real-life demonstration projects to serve as hubs for research, development and testing of the novel technologies and systems (WP5).

"Key technologies and demonstration of combined cooling, heating and power generation for low-carbon neighbourhoods/buildings with clean energy - ChiNoZEN" is a collaborative project between Norway and China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Norwegian University of Science and Technology coordinates the project. The main mission of the ChiNoZEN project is to find optimal cooling, heating and power generation technologies based on renewable energy, and to increase the understanding of how building and neighbourhood energy flexibility can be used to increase the renewable energy use. The main research objectives of this project are: 1. To propose a novel combined cooling, heating and power generation (CCHP) system that meets the needs of low-carbon neighbourhoods to fully absorb renewable energy. 2. To develop the load peak-shaving technology of renewable energy based on solar energy with thermal energy storage (TES), as well as the new solar-thermal converting devices, the high-temperature heat pump and compact energy storage system (PCM). 3. In the scenario of 100% clean energy, to achieve a high proportion of renewable energy acceptance by energy supply systems in large public buildings and small-scale neighbourhoods, and construct project demonstration. The ChiNoZEN project is divided five work packages: WP1 Performance of grid-connected photovoltaic technologies (PVT) with Thermal Energy Storage (TES) WP2 High temperature heat pump (HTHP) and dynamic performance WP3 Simulation platform and control strategy of CCHP WP4 Key CCHP technologies of low carbon neighbourhood and buildings with multiple energy sources WP5 Demonstration of low carbon neighbourhood and buildings with clean energy A key output of the project will be at least two real-life demonstration projects that will serve as co-creation hubs for research, development and testing of the novel systems, technologies, and processes developed in the ChiNoZEN-project.