METHODIQA – Development of a quality assurance methodology for Renewable Heat Systems by means of intelligent operational monitoring

Reports such as the ESTTP Strategic Research Agenda show that approx. 50% of the final energy consumption in Europe is used for heating and cooling purposes. In view of the EU 20-20-20 targets, it is fundamental that Renewable Energies play an important role to reach national and European climate and energy goals. The utilization of solar thermal energy and biomass combined among each other and with fossil fuels like oil or gas has great potential. METHODIQA focuses on these technologies.

For the renewable heat sector, quality assurance is one of the main challenges. The main initiatives of the past years aim at the design and commissioning of plants. However, also the system operation phase demands achieving and keeping high quality standards by means of ongoing surveillance of system operation. This is crucial in order to make use of the full technical and economical potential of renewable energies for heat supply.

State of the art: For large-scale applications, the implementation and compliance with quality standards for system operation fail due to two reasons: (1) In practice, detailed system monitoring is hardly ever performed due to the high cost associated with it. This leads to important losses in efficiency. (2) Heat supply systems that include renewable heat technologies are often multivalent, meaning that they make use of two or more heat supply technologies. In general, problems are not linked to single components, but to the complex interactions between different parts of the system. Medium-term benefit of the project “METHODI­QA” consists in overcoming these two problems. This is a contribution towards improved image of renewable energies, it promotes their technical development, increases the reliability of financial investments and hence strengthens competitiveness and market penetration.

Main objective and result of the current project is the elaboration of the scientific and technical basis for a diagnostics system that aims at cost-effective but high-quality, computer-aided surveillance of system operation for large-scale applications. METHODIQA combines two important renewable heat technologies (solar thermal and biomass). Both renewable-only solutions as well as popular combinations of renewable and non-renewable technologies are investigated. This reflects the above described requirements and the market relevance. The strength of this integrated approach is given by the exchange of know-how between the project partners, by the combined development of the methodology in the main project phases and by the parallel application of the novel approaches.

The methodology starts with a survey of the most relevant system types on the market and the requirements analysis of various target groups. Next comes the definition of clear I&C interfaces for the acquisition of measuring data and a performance check with 3…5 selected types of controllers. This is followed by creating a model for system combinations by block modules. The systematic processing of technical expert knowledge forms the basis for the diagnostics system. The kernel of this system consists of special algorithms used to detect system failures and unexploited potential in the interaction of the different technologies. This is followed by examinations of the algorithms at field site systems: certain failures are triggered on purpose in order draw conclusions about the developed methodical approach. The project activities are completed by evaluation of the project results, communication with the target groups and the definition of optimization potential and further development steps.

METHODIQA meets the requirements of several target groups on the quality assurance of multivalent heat supply systems by analyzing system behavior and the specific preparation of relevant information. The medium-term benefit consists in an instrument for standardized and cost-efficient system evaluation that supplies users with specific information and provides them with enhanced options, such as targeted service and maintenance or targeted use of subsidies, based on real energy yields. Several groups have shown interest in the project such as funding bodies, system operators and property developers (involved by means of service contracts), and last but not least the Austrian industry organizations of the two involved renewable heat technologies who agree to co-finance the project.

Consortium: METHODIQA is a cooperation of two innovative industry partners with two leading scientific institutions active in the above mentioned renewable heat technologies. The partners’ intention towards a long-term cooperation in the framework of a ‘quality platform’ forms the basis for further development and exploitation of the project results.