Enabling industry driven energy research

Contents

Director’s Overview 5

Introducing the IERC 6

Members and Collaborators 8

Collaborative and Intellectual Property Models 9

Themes and Lenses 10

Introducing Our Projects 13

Low Carbon Heating and Cooling 14

GreenGasCert 15

Superhomes 2.0 17

EnergyEfficiencyandAnalytics 18

ExpertMV 19

NOVICE 21

IEA EBC Annex 70 Building Energy Epidemiology 23

Distributed Generation Systems 24

ImpRESS 25

StoreNet 27

Smart and Sustainable Communities 28

Community Grid 29

RoWBUsT 31

CorkCitiEngage 33

Completed Projects 34

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Director’s Overview

The purpose of the International Energy Research Centre (IERC) is to facilitate collaborative research initiatives in the energy system that can have significant impact on the Irish economy. There is now a proven appetite for industry to co-invest with the state in transformative and commercially viable energy system solutions. Energy is essential for the success of modern economies and the rapid change in delivery and end-use technologies presents significant challenges for investment, new business entrants, and existing energy utilities. For Ireland to compete it must keep up with, and have the potential to lead, the new innovations that will transform the energy system over the next 50 years.

The IERC has built a multidisciplinary team of researchers capable of working with industry to define business needs in terms of research outcomes, and develop fully tailored research projects designed for greatest impact. It has implemented a new and unique Collaboration and Intellectual Property Agreement to reward deep engagement of industry in collaborative projects. The role of the IERC is one of translating the needs of both business and policymakers into solution-oriented research that can deliver the required outcomes to all stakeholders.

Tyndall National Institute, as host to the IERC, is a key collaborator and central to its successful delivery. The Information and Communications Technology for Energy Efficiency group at Tyndall provides a strong interface between the work of the IERC and the research strengths of Tyndall. In addition, the industry-facing research culture at Tyndall has been a major factor in the IERC establishing new engagement processes and highly productive modes of research collaboration.

The IERC is active across its research themes and this publication presents its breadth of research interests and industry-led collaborations. The IERC’s intention is to build on successes to date and to deliver a Centre that will truly impact on the ability of Ireland to rise to the energy challenges of the 21st century.

Professor Tony Day Executive Director

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Introducing the IERC

Reducing our import dependency and the associated security risk, while simultaneously decarbonising the entire energy system, requires a radical shift in modes and means of supply while also increasing the efficiency with which we use energy. The extreme complexity of this shift, without disrupting continuity of supply, requires a high degree of innovation in new technologies, systems thinking, business models and citizen engagement. These are the core areas where the IERC can make a lasting impact.

The IERC is the only research centre in Ireland focused on demand-side, market-facing energy solutions which has dedicated resources for effective research translation.

The IERC is primarily concerned with energy end use, i.e. reducing the final consumption of energy while maintaining a higher level of energy service provision (heating, cooling, lighting, motive power and information services). This does not preclude investigating efficient and effective generation and supply of energy; in this respect, the IERC is focused mainly on collaborating with industry and businesses on the application of distributed and embedded supply systems (e.g. local electricity, heat or fuel generation).

The IERC’s vision is to build a world-class, collaborative and market-facing energy research environment. Our core belief is that industry will lead much of this innovation. We are uniquely placed to work with industry partners in collaboration with expert research teams to deliver transformative solutions into the energy system. We have developed a robust process of engaging with partners to translate industry needs and opportunities into clear and deliverable research objectives. We bring diverse groups together around challenges largely defined by industry needs where solutions are multi-disciplinary in nature. Such collaborations can provide better identification of barriers to market entry and faster routes to market.

Commercialising the outcomes of research ultimately results in great impact and enhanced resilience and competitiveness for Irish industry that impacts the overall economy. Key for most research is the ability to show demonstrable near-term impact for the economy through business growth and job creation. To enable this the IERC has developed a model for intellectual property management and provides up to 65% of research costs that facilitate deep research collaborations to take place.

Members & CollaboratorsIndustry is at the centre of the IERC. We recognise the importance of risk sharing in the development of energy research projects and have tailored a number of offerings to our industry members, including:

1 Access to a multi-disciplinary core team of researchers and experts, allied to a larger distributed team of domain expertise for integrated systems thinking.

2 A fully collaborative research model that is driven by identified and shared industry needs.

3 A research methodology that translates business needs into targeted research objectives.

4 Continuous testing of quality and relevance to enhance research success.

5 A distinct and highly attractive intellectual property framework that maximises the potential for commercialisation of results.

Our members and collaborators range from across the full spectrum of businesses, including Multinational or Foreign Direct Investment corporations, small and medium sized enterprises and energy suppliers and utilities.

IERC INDUSTRY COLLABORATORS

Multi-NationalCorporations

Small–MediumEnterprises Suppliers

Collaborative and Intellectual Property Models

Many large companies conduct research near to the point of manufacture, or adjacent to their largest markets. For Ireland to attract major energy industry players into research it is essential to build world class capability and reputation, as well as demonstrating unique selling points around intersections with existing areas of excellence.

Our model of business collaboration was developed to maximise such opportunities. This engagement model enables a more rapid development of consortia and research projects, with pan-institutional (Universities and Institutes of Technology) collaborations.

Early in the Centre’s development it became evident that companies wishing to engage and develop commercial products, technologies and services require firm collaborative intellectual property agreements to be in place.

The development and implementation of the Collaboration and Intellectual Property Agreement introduced an entirely new model of engaging industry in collaborative research in Ireland, which includes inventor ownership of intellectual property. This model focuses on developing an industry-led approach to intellectual property management in order to enable deep collaborations to take place and, ultimately, a mechanism for the protection and commercial exploitation of the resulting research.

RenewableGas ForumIrish Green Gas Ltd

Flow Energy Solutions

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Themes and Lenses

The IERC conducts research primarily in the demand side energy area, with the principal aims of reducing energy demand and carbon emissions, while improving the services provided by energy. The IERC identified four strategic themes which align with international programmes, such as Horizon 2020 and the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, while providing a differentiator from other research centres in Ireland.

The IERC examines knowledge gaps through five different research lenses as reflected below:

STRATEGICRESEARCHTHEMES

RESEARCHLENSES

TECHNOLOGY

DATAANALYTICS

BEHAVIOUR

BUSINESS MODELS

POLICY&REGULATION

Low Carbon

Heating & Cooling

Energy

Efficiency&Analytics

Distributed Generation

Systems

Smart &

Sustainable Communities

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LOWCARBONHEATINGANDCOOLING– Thermal energy storage systems– District heating and cooling distribution and control– Combined heat and power and tri-generation– Biomass boilers; Heat pumps; Solar thermal

ENERGYEFFICIENCYANDANALYTICS– Affordable housing and fuel poverty mitigation– Energy management decision and business support tools– Financing energy efficiency and business models– Advanced building materials and innovative construction methods

DISTRIBUTEDGENERATIONSYSTEMS– Microgrids and demand management– Embedded renewable and low carbon generation– Electricity storage systems (in distributed networks)– Hydrogen and fuel cells

SMARTANDSUSTAINABLECOMMUNITIES– Citizen engagement and well-being– Integrated automation systems and controls– Smart community networks and transport– City level policy development and regional energy planning

Introducing Our Projects

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LOW CARBON HEATING AND COOLING GreenGasCertSuperhomes 2.0

GreenGasCert This Certification of Renewable Gas in Ireland (GreenGasCert) project involves the development of a blueprint for a renewable gas certification system for Ireland.

DRIVERSThe project will address an existing consumer demand for biogas that is currently unfulfilled due to the absence of a method of tracing energy from the consumer to the producer, a lack of reassurance that gas consumed is renewable and a lack of recognition for biogas produced and used. The proposed system will provide confidence to the consumer that certified gas consumed is renewable.

It will provide full traceability of all renewable gas from consumer back to the substrates used in production. The project will provide a means of accounting for amounts of renewable gas produced nationally and determining the greenhouse gas savings associated with its consumption.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESDeliver a blueprint for a biogas registry that will provide a secure, reliable means of verifying and tracing all energy transactions.

Deliver a robust methodology for calculating and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions savings arising from biogas use.

Propose a structure for an accreditation body to register and certify renewable gas producers and a means of auditing the scheme.

OUTCOMESThe project will deliver a blueprint for a renewable gas certification process tailored to Irish requirements.

It will support the development and growth of a sustainable market for renewable gas in Ireland.

A robust certification scheme could provide a potential new revenue stream for biogas producers.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS Gas Networks Ireland and the Renewable Gas Forum of Ireland.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) Deutsche Biomasseforschungszentrum (DBFZ), Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) and Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI) at University College Cork.

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Superhomes 2.0 The optimisation of Air Source Heat Pump Applications in Near Zero Energy Building Residential Retrofits.

DRIVERSThe project supports the existing SEAI-funded Superhomes deep retrofit scheme that helps homeowners to achieve more comfortable, healthier homes with better air quality through cost-effective energy efficiency measures.

Heat pumps provide a clean, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective alternative to fuel-based heating systems in Irish homes, but are often not fully integrated into household systems or optimised for best performance.

The EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive Recast sets specific requirements for Member States in relation to achieving Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standards.

This project will demonstrate how the NZEB Standard can be achieved in residential properties by optimising the design and operation of heat pumps and integrating them with other energy efficiency measures and Renewable Energy Systems.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESDevelop the Superhomes 2.0 concept as a comprehensive energy solution for the Irish homeowner.

The project will integrate a NZEB retrofit package with an optimised air source heat pump control system, other Renewable Energy Systems such as solar photovoltaic and a Smart Home Energy Management system.

Determine the most energy efficient operating parameters of air source heat pumps (flow temperature, thermal storage capacity, etc.) through field testing in a selection of Superhomes buildings.

Develop, using the results of the field trials, an optimised control strategy for the efficient operation of heat pumps which will then be integrated into the Electric Ireland Connected Home solution.

Prove the Superhomes 2.0 concept and facilitate its large-scale deployment.

OUTCOMESA prototype air source heat pump optimisation module that can work alongside existing heat pump control systems and will ensure that home owner thermal comfort is achieved whilst minimising energy consumption.

The prototype will optimise the integration of heat pumps with solar photovoltaic to ensure that photovoltaic outputs are used to meet local electricity demand or diverted to provide domestic hot water.

A heat pump specific electricity tariff that has undergone robust market testing and can be rolled out to relevant customers via Smart Metering solutions in the future.

A clear commercial pathway for NZEB retrofits utilising air source heat pumps and photovoltaics.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS ESB Group and Tipperary Energy Agency.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) Limerick Institute of Technology.

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CURRENT PROJECT

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ANALYTICS Expert MVNOVICEBuilding Energy Epidemiology

Expert MV

An Expert Energy Measurement and Verification Solution for Energy Savings in Buildings and Industries (ExpertMV) that involves the development of a software tool for executing energy audits and for measuring and verifying achieved energy savings.

DRIVERSThe Energy Efficiency Directive requires each EU Member State to ensure that all large enterprises undertake regular energy audits. A tool that provides a systematic approach to energy data collection and identification of energy savings opportunities can reduce time and effort required to execute energy audits.

High measurement and verification costs and a lack of transparency in energy savings calculations have inhibited growth in Energy Performance Contracting and the ESCO market.

A reliable software tool can help overcome these barriers by:

Providing a scientific approach to the calculation and verification of energy savings and

Reducing the risk associated with energy efficiency investments.

Supporting existing Irish Government energy efficiency initiatives such as the Energy Efficiency Fund and the Public Sector Retrofit programme

Providing the necessary evidence of savings for the national Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESDevelop a web based tool that provides a systematic methodology for cost effective energy auditing projects and a reliable means of measurement and verification of energy saving projects.

Incorporate innovative algorithms and advanced techniques to model energy consumption and measure energy savings.

Assess the level of uncertainty associated with savings calculations, enabling clients to make more informed decisions about energy efficiency investments.

Combine the energy audi t ing and measurement and verification processes in one software platform.

OUTCOMESThe project will deliver a pre-commercial software tool that will provide a systematic, user configurable, reliable and cost-effective approach to executing energy audits

It offers a more transparent means of measurement and verification of savings.

It will assess the reliability of the ExpertMV software and of the algorithms used by comprehensive testing in selected sites.

It will build a repository of energy data from real world applications so that further research can be performed.

INDUSTRY PARTNERSApleona (formerly Bilfinger) and United Technologies Research Centre.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S)IERC

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NOVICE

The aim of the NOVICE project is the development and demonstration of an innovative business model for Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) that will provide energy savings to buildings and demand response services to the grid after renovating buildings or blocks of buildings. A dual revenue stream will be enabled that can reduce the payback period for investments in building renovations and accelerate the market uptake of the Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) based financing model.

DRIVERSForst & Sullivan (2015) anticipates that an investment of $10 Billion will be realised globally in the energy value chain for demand response programs by 2020. This will incentivise consumers to actively participate while contributing to energy efficiency.

NOVICE’s ambit ion is to provide the mechanism for a significant share of the demand response market to be used in the renovation of European tertiary buildings through ESCOs.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESEngage and train new actors and stakeholders in an augmented building renovation process that will increase the market value of building renovation and increase the available capital funding reserves for investments in building renovation.

Address the barriers for dual energy services in building renovation and establish a sustainable framework for a new enhanced EPC model that will enable investments in building retrofits.

Prescribe the building energy renovation technologies (mainly HVAC, Building Energy Management Systems and ICT solutions) that increase both flexibility of buildings and energy efficiency.

Develop an innovative business model and a new EPC template for ESCOs providing dual energy services.

Demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the NOVICE innovative business model for dual energy services in building retrofitting projects.

OUTCOMESThe deployment and rollout of the NOVICE business model wi l l increase capital investment resources and create additional value by engaging new intermediary market actors and stakeholders.

Adopting that model, ESCOs and Aggregators could jointly tackle the energy efficiency, demand response and onsite generation market.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS IERC as coordinator and NL Green Solutions in Ireland, alongside international partners. The IERC recognises the contribution of the European Commission through H2020.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) IERC

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CURRENT PROJECT

2322

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Building Energy Epidemiology

The IERC has joined the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy in Buildings and Communities (EBC) Programme, Annex 70 – Building Energy Epidemiology: Analysis of Real Building Energy Use at Scale. Annex 70 is an international collaboration of researchers, industry and government from across the globe who are working to develop methods for improving the empirical evidence on energy demand in the building stock.

DRIVERSAn improved approach is needed to understand how energy demand, and the factors influencing it, are changing over time.

This energy systems perspective can be obtained by bringing together energy data from large scale building based studies and adopting data management and analytical techniques similar to those applied to public health. This should provide an evidence basis for informing policy and practice related to the management of energy demand. It requires a description and measurement of the distribution of variables of interest, e.g. energy demand per unit of observation.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESEvaluate the scope for using real building energy use data at scale to inform policy making and to support industry in the development of low energy and low carbon solutions.

Establish best practice in the methods used to collect and analyse data related to real building energy use, including building and occupancy data.

Analyse real building energy use at scale and the emerging field of energy epidemiology, which seeks to develop robust and multidisciplinary approaches to such analyses.

Support member countries in the task of developing realistic transition pathways to substantial and long-term reductions in energy use and carbon emissions associated with their buildings.

OUTCOMESA more systematic and structured approach to using national energy and buildings data, including policy formulation and evaluation, technology testing and deployment and national development and decarbonisation pathways.

A report on case examples and best practices of energy and buildings data uses and accessibility case studies – therefore demonstrating the business case.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) The main lead in Ireland for IEA EBC is the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The IERC is the Irish academic partner for Annex 70. The other academic partners within Annex 70 represent countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States. The Operating Agent is University College London (UCL) Energy Institute.

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DISTRIBUTED GENERATION SYSTEMS ImpRESSStoreNet

ImpRESS The Improvement of Redox Flow Energy Storage with Renewable Energy to Secure Sustainable Electricity Systems (ImpRESS) project will investigate the increased performance and efficiency of redox flow energy storage batteries from clean energy sources.

DRIVERSIreland has fluctuating energy dynamics as a consequence of being an island and has a small-scale power system that provides an excellent test-bed for an evaluation of energy storage solutions.

This project focuses on all-island electrical energy generation, consumption and storage to meet current requirements and offers technologies for future electrical networks and grids.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESInvestigate the increased performance and efficiency of redox flow energy storage batteries from renewable energy sources with specific applications in peak energy shaving and smart grid stability.

Evaluate and improve the efficiency of the vanadium redox flow battery using novel electrolytes.

D e m o n s t ra t e i m p r ove d e l e c t r o l y t e performance through the implementation of a 1 kW test system and the installation of a 125 kW system on a wind farm site.

Model the net integration of the battery and optimise on-site generation.

OUTCOMESProvide Ireland with a competitive edge for large-scale energy storage solutions using redox flow systems.

Improved electrolytes for vanadium-based redox flow batteries and the evaluation.

Increase the vanadium ion concentration that will ultimately lead to improved energy density, electrochemical long-term stability and improved efficiency and response times before further integration for grid service and microgrid application.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS Bombardier, Williams Industrial Services, Flow Energy Solutions, Energia and Green Lizard Technologies Ltd.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) Queens University Belfast.

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FUTURE PROJECT

2726

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StoreNet The StoreNet project aims to demonstrate the potential of distributed demand-side storage within the Irish residential market.

DRIVERSDemonstrating the potential of distributed demand-side storage within the Ir ish residential market to facilitate the transition to a 100% renewable future.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESDevelop and demonstrate a business model involving the deployment of a 20-node energy storage network across residential homes in Ireland.

Identify and quantify the magnitude of balancing / system services that can be delivered by a distributed energy storage network to the distribution grid and the prioritisation of these from a commercial perspective.

Assess the model in terms of 100% renewable electricity retail sales and grid services through the deployment of distributed energy storage devices.

OUTCOMESIdentification of barriers to the rollout and operation of the StoreNet business model.

Identification of the most appropriate distribution grid conditions and typologies of buildings that can mostly benefit from the installation of integrated battery systems under the StoreNet model.

A validation of the technological components' reliability of battery-inverter technology when being operated over long periods to provide both “energy” storage (arbitrage) and “power” storage (grid services).

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS Solo Energy, Electric Ireland and ESB Networks.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) IERC.

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FUTURE PROJECT

2928

SMART AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES Community GridRoWBUsTCorkCitiEngage

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Community Grid The Community Grid project will demonstrate how best to increase the clean energy production from grid-connected micro-generation systems in a community grid system. It involves active participation of prosumers through the dynamic energy trading mechanism deployed as a franchised product offering.

DRIVERSIreland is pursuing a decarbonisation pathway that requires a transition towards more sustainable energy sources. To create organised communities that respond to disturbances caused by their own micro-generation systems and manage energy trading within the community a disturbance-neutral distribution network can be created. This organised community is called a Community Grid.

This project will feed into an existing grid network that can be deployed as a franchised product offering for ease of uptake by organised Prosumer Groups (Community, ESCo, Co-op).

PROJECT OBJECTIVESDefine a business model for each stakeholder.

Define a community engagement model for community grid prosumers.

Demonstrate to regulator that the Tallaght Smart Energy Living Lab works and can be licensed.

Demonstrate management of the key technical issues of grid disturbances, capacity management, flexibility, production resources.

Develop a system configuration method that can be applied to future community grids.

OUTCOMESDemonstrate the feasibility of a market that generates revenue based on demand side assets and saves the consumer money on their energy bill.

Create a trading platform that enables the control of energy transactions and secures consumer contracts.

This project will use a modularised and flexible microgrid infrastructure (MiFIC) developed by the IERC. This framework defines the structural and technical operational parameters that allow flexibility to the power grid while minimising grid instability.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNER(S) MPower, Siemens, AT Kearney, South Dublin County Council, Community Renewable Energy Supply (CRES), Tipperary Energy Agency (TEA), MSemicon and Systemlink

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) Dublin Institute of Technology IERC

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FUTURE PROJECT

3130

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RoWBUsT The Robust Wireless Sensors for Building Usage Technology (RoWBUsT) project addresses technical challenges associated with delivering Robust Wireless Sensors for Building Usage Technology.

DRIVERSImplementing energy efficient systems in commercial buildings requires retrofitting of new equipment.

A key component of that retrofit is the installation of sensors to measure temperature, light, occupancy levels, etc. Increasingly installers use wireless sensors to minimise the disruptions that arise from retrofitting (time, effort and aesthetics). These systems have no requirement for wires for power and communications. The power can come from solar PV panels and/or long life batteries which communicate wirelessly. These systems are called wireless sensor networks (WSNs).

PROJECT OBJECTIVESTarget two technical challenges that have hindered the large scale deployment of WSNs:

(1) to make the network sufficiently intelligent that installation is straightforward and upgrade and maintenance of new and existing sensors is highly automated.

(2) to ensure that each sensor has enough intelligence to minimise its own power consumption and communicate reliably with the rest of the system.

OUTCOMESThe pro ject del ivered an integrated demonstrator showing how energy harvesting and auto-placement models can be used in real-life scenarios.

It developed energy harvesting tools that enable power autonomy for wireless sensors.

It developed auto-commissioning tools and design procedures to predict and reduce the time and expertise required in commissioning a WSN.

It delivered a simulation of the return on investment cost model and validated the installation and maintenance costs versus savings made for wired, battery power and energy harvesting powered WSN nodes.

It developed business models which prove that sustained energy and energy efficiency savings of up to 30% can be made giving a quick return on investment.

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS United Technology Research Centre, Alcatel Lucent, Endeco and Apleona (formerly Bilfinger).

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) Tyndall National Institute in UCC and NIMBUS in Cork Institute of Technology.

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COMPLETED PROJECT

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CorkCitiEngage The CorkCitiEngage citizen engagement project created a community of engaged citizens and stakeholders with an interest in digital skills and public infrastructure.

DRIVERSThe Cork Smart Gateway is an initiative that aims to enhance Cork's reputation as a Smart City and Region. The Cork Smart Gateway is looking for solutions to help boost its competitiveness, promote sustainable development, and enhance the quality of life of its residents.

These activities bring together hard infrastructure and social capital enabling Cork residents to use their resources smartly and to collaborate with local government and fellow citizens effectively. In order to measure the success of these and future initiatives, quantifiable indicators to track their progress are needed. The first step to achieve this is to establish a baseline.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESAssess baseline engagement rates among Cork residents, gather information on how people currently engage with public policy.

Gather comprehensive data on attitude, awareness and behaviour regarding public participation, digital skills and access and usage of public infrastructure.

OUTCOMESApproximately 3,600 responses were received from stakeholder surveys. In addition, over 100 students were trained in household interview skills which could be deployed as part of future national census activities.

Results provided information and evidence for relevant authorities, businesses and residents to identify areas for investment planning, policy implications, intervention measures and deployment programmes.

Assisted the Cork Smart Gateway to identify and prioritise ‘Smart’ initiatives for Cork.

PROJECT PARTNERS Change to Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Cork Smart Gateway.

ACADEMIC PARTNER(S) NIMBUS Research Centre, CIT and Tyndall National Institute, UCC.

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COMPLETED PROJECT

TOTALENERGYMANAGEMENTFORPRODUCTIONOPERATIONS(TEMPO)

Industry and academic partners

DePuy Synthes, GlaxoSmithKlein, Innovation for Ireland’s Energy Efficiency (I2E2).

Limerick Institute of Technology, University of Ulster, Jordanstown and Cranfield University.

Brief The TEMPO project established a proof-of-concept for an integrated methodology and software toolkit to monitor energy usage and display this information in a format, detail and level as required by different users. Industry scale pilots validated the technical operation and established the opportunities for cost reductions in terms of the energy consumed and greenhouse gas emissions.

ENERGYMANAGEMENTINWIRELESSNETWORKS(EMWINS)

Industry and academic partners

UTRC and Apleona (formerly Bilfinger).

UCC, National University of Ireland Galway and Cork Institute of Technology.

Brief The EMWINS project developed a tool to enable embedded monitoring and fault isolation allowing automated continuous commissioning of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. It delivered a diagnostics system with fault isolation for continuous-valued inputs from building systems data and a number of Fault Detection and Diagnostics scenarios. Integral to the project was the delivery of a wireless sensor/actuator tool for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) monitoring that can report faults for the HVAC system components and wireless network, resulting in reduced energy consumption of approximately 15%.

AUTONOMICHOMEAREANETWORKINFRASTRUCTURE(AUTHENTIC)

Industry and academic partners

Bord Gáis Energy/Gas Networks Ireland, Alcatel Lucent, and UTRC.

University College Dublin, Tyndall National Institute, Cork Institute of Technology, UCC, University of Texas at Arlington, MIT Media Lab and Lancaster University.

Brief This project developed a next generation Home Area Network (HAN) solution. It realised interoperability between HAN devices (wireless sensors, actuators, meters, appliances, etc.) via middleware, interfaces and a set of services. It was piloted in homes in Dublin and Cork and investigated the efficacy of the technologies to effect behavioural change through a series of limited user tests/trials.

Completed Projects

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HUMANMACHINEINTERFACEINNOVATIONNEEDSASSESSMENT(HMIINA)

Industry and academic partners

Dublin City University and Lancaster University.

United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), Alcatel Lucent, Bord Gais Energy.

Brief This project examined human behaviour as it relates to energy management and determined the neurological “triggers” for optimal behaviour modification relating to energy use and energy management initiatives. It determined the foundational aspects of Human Machine Interfaces and their application to the residential market and identified key influencers of human behaviour concerning energy, including financial reward, positive framing of home heating savings decisions and the importance of environmental impact from behaviour.

WIRELESSSENSORNETWORKSINNOVATIONNEEDSASSESSMENT(WSNINA)

Industry and academic partners

UTRC and Alcatel Lucent.

NIMBUS CIT, Tyndall National Institute, UCC and Maynooth University.

Brief The project delivered a market and technology-focused exploration of the bottlenecks and opportunities for widespread adoption of WSN technology. It assessed WSN adoption, challenges and opportunities in three cases, covering commercial buildings, home networks and smart cities and examined each use case against four criteria of energy, cost, interference and computation.

PHASECHANGEMATERIALS(PCM)

Industry and academic partners

Dublin Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology and Warsaw University of Technology.

Brief The project designed, tested and demonstrated a full scale novel phase change material-based thermal energy storage heat exchanger. It demonstrated extensive ‘design for cost’ practices and improved heat transfer within the system. It has resulted in a Combined Heat and Power plant operating in a more continuous way (run times increased from 20 to 210 minutes) with resultant benefits of greater system efficiency, improved system reliability and improved return on investment. The PCM tank stored 6.5 times more energy than an equivalent sized water tank and held its temperature much better than an equivalent capacity water tank. It integrated computer control to capture variable heat supplied from systems such as district heating mains, bio-mass boilers, and heat pumps.

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IERC Research Partners

IERC Funding Acknowledgments

International Energy Research Centre (IERC)

Tyndall National InstituteLee Maltings, Dyke Parade, Cork, Ireland.

T: +353 21 2346949 E: info@ierc.ie www.ierc.ie

The IERC acknowledges the support from both the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation

and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment