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Energy Hub

Energy-Hub for residential and commercial districts and transport

The Energy Hub is a collaborative €11.66 million European project, part funded by the EU, which aims to demonstrate the full potential of renewable energy by providing 100% on-site renewable energy within an "Energy Hub District". ICAX has been invited to join the collaborative project for its expertise in pavement solar thermal collectors.

An Energy Hub is a physical cross point, similar to an energy station, in which energy and information streams are coordinated, and where different forms of energy (heat, electricity, chemical, biological) are converted between each other or stored for later use.

The Energy Hub exchanges energy via the energy grids between its members (households, renewable energy plants, offices), who may be both consumers and suppliers. The members exchange information on their energy production and energy needs with the Energy Hub. The Hub then distributes the available energy in the most efficient way.

To match supply and demand, the Energy Hub converts and stores energy and performs load shifting. The members will be connected to the Energy Hub by means of bi-directional energy grids (low and high temperature heat grids, electrical grids (AC and DC) and gas grids (hydrogen, biogas, syngas).

Renewable energy may be generated by individual members (e.g. from PV on residences) or by central means (a ground source energy or a large combined heat and power plant) located within the district that may be fuelled by solar energy, biofuel or hydrogen.

District Heating and Cooling from On-Site Renewable Energy

The Energy Hub idea covers all types of energy flow, from heating and cooling to electricity, biogas and hydrogen, and may be connected not only to households but also to (electric) cars, commercial buildings and industry.

The aim of the project is to develop the Energy Hub as a system, to develop technologies that are needed to achieve the system successfully, to develop business models in order to overcome institutional and financial barriers, and to demonstrate a live Energy Hub with further feasibility studies to extend the principle.

ICAX joins a distinguished group of companies from across the European Union researching into a successful Energy Hub District, led by TNO of the Netherlands.

			Role
TNO	Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek	The Netherlands	Project Manager
ECN	Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands	The Netherlands	Techniques development
D'Appolonia	D'Appolonia SPA	Italy	System definition
CESTEC	Centro per lo Sviluppo Technologico, l’Energia e la Competitivita delle Piccole e Medie Imprese Lombarda	Italy	Feasibility studies
Acciona	Acciona Infraestructuras s.a.	Spain	Energy conversion and storage
Solintel	Solintel M & P SL	Spain	Techniques development
ICAX	ICAX Ltd	UK	Pavement solar collectors
HSW	H.S.W. Ingenieurbuero fuer Angewandte und Umweltgeologie GmbH	Germany	Thermal foundations
Mostostal	Mostostal Warszawa SA	Poland	Thermo active foundations
VITO	Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek	Belgium	Energy management systems
Fraunhofer	Fraunhofergesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.	Germany	Energy management systems
DIMSET-TPG	DIMSET-TPG / University of Genoa	Italy	Integrated energy networks
Ertzberg	Ertzberg CVBA	Belgium	Demonstration at Tweewaters
VTT	Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus	Finland	Business strategies
ISPE	Intesa Sanpaolo Eurodesk S.P.R.L	Belgium	Business strategies
EDF	Electricite de France	France	Energy advisory