Work Packages
Work Package Structure
Delivery temperature of heating or cooling is a major technology determinant that cuts across applications. Thus we have defined three Delivery Temperature Work Packages (DTWPs):
- Freezing, Cooling, Air Conditioning (-40 C to +25 C)
- Space Heating (+ 25 C to + 80 C)
- Low Temperature Process Heating (Up to 200 C)
The Work Packages are not compartmentalised and that members of the research team will have an input to all of the DTWPs. Each DTWP will have a number of individual sub-tasks or projects within it that will evolve and adapt with the Centre and will vary in duration and start date.
The three science and engineering based work packages are integrated with two other over-arching work packages covering Economics, Policy and Behaviour and dissemination and networking:
Activity is of vital importance since it is essential to maximise the impact of the outputs of the Centre. The i-STUTE Centre includes a major dissemination network based on a successful EPSRC funded network SIRAC (Sustainable Innovation in Refrigeration Air Conditioning), expanded to include heating technology, energy storage and end user energy demand. The new combined Network is SIRACH (Sustainable Innovation in Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heating) and uses much of the existing knowledge and resources developed by SIRAC which has currently 20 active academic partners and 400 industry partners. The aim is to increase the quantity, efficiency and quality of research and technology transfer in the industry sectors by raising the innovation level and encouraging the industry to take a more active involvement in academic research. SIRACH will raise the profile of the heating and cooling industry, showing its importance to the nation and providing a showcase for university research to industry, Government, the wider community and funding bodies.
In addition to establishing the Network, the other major activities in this work package are to produce Business/Infrastructure/Technology roadmaps, give policy briefings and engage in capability development. Different roadmaps will be produced covering domestic heating, retail energy use, thermal energy storage, low/medium temperature process heat, industrial and high temperature heat pumps, thermal transformers and storage.
WP1 Economics, Policy and Behaviour (EPB)
Our aim is to develop innovative technical solutions that firstly appeal to consumers and secondly reflect the business models needed to bring them to market. This WP provides its own contribution in these two areas by collaboration with the other WPs to study how current and future technology solutions meet these requirements. We will focus on understanding how economic, policy and behaviour factors influence the successful introduction of the integrated, multi-technology solutions needed to achieve significant efficiency improvements in heating and cooling. Current experience on the deployment of renewable or efficiency measures have been mixed: some technologies are eagerly embraced by consumers, others less so or only with unsustainable subsidies. Ofgem’s review of behavioural economics highlighted factors such as limited cognitive capacity, status quo bias, loss aversion and hyperbolic discounting as barriers to the uptake of energy saving technology and we will apply this approach to heating and cooling solutions. To achieve significant improvements in efficiency, we need commercially viable business models such that clear benefits and combinations of technologies perceived as easy to implement.
Initial plans for DTWP projects:
Individual projects will integrate business, consumer and infrastructure constraints, but the technical areas, chosen for their emission reduction potential are as below. As the Centre’s work evolves, projects may be modified or discontinued and new projects begun, all informed by an interdisciplinary approach.
| WP3 – Space Heating | WP4 – Process Heating | |
|
Retail chilling and freezing [Short term] Retail chilling and freezing [Long term] Data centre cooling Refrigerated transport Integrated cooling, heating and storage |
Compact chemical heat store Compact latent heat energy storage Advanced electric heat pump Next generation gas/heat powered heat pump |
High temperature heat pumps Thermal transformers Process Heat Storage |