Our Phases: The TriMa Project Schedule

The first steps in the project include the technical description, the analysis of the current supply of trigeneration plants as well as of the economic-political conditions for the implementation of trigeneration plants, including the support policy. All actors connected to trigeneration, manufacturer, suppliers, associations and municipal user, will be analyzed during the project therefore.

From this information, the existing obstacles to the usage of trigeneration will be evaluated.

The following will show the next and already completed project steps. The page will be updated on a regular basis. 

More information

Step 1: Creation and publication of a website

This step has been completed already.

Step 2: Technical description and analysis of the supply of Trigeneration plants

This step involves a technical functionality of thermally driven chillers and an analysis of the current supply of the machines on the market. CCHP is the combination of CHP with thermally driven chillers. They offer the possibility to generate cooling from heat, which is the main difference to the currently popular cooling generation via conventional compression refrigeration systems run by electricity.

The technical description of trigeneration should give a first idea of the technology. It will be an important part for the creation of an Online-Tool as well as a core part of the website. It is meant to describe the basics of trigeneration technology and should be understandable for people with no technical background.

Step 3: Creation of an address data bank and network of important participants

An intensive research of the market, via the internet and surveys of associations and project partner, gives an overview about the relevant participants as e.g. manufacturer or user in Germany. The project aims to establish and keep contact with many actors, in order to increase the exchange of ideas and problems among them. A data base with the contact information of the participants will be created and updated on a regular basis.

Step 4: Analysis of the economic-political conditions for the implementation of trigeneration plants and the support policy from the government

The currently existing support policy for trigeneration on the federal and state level will be evaluated. The economic-political conditions and all support tools and regulations related to Trigeneration and the implementation of the technology, will be analyzed. One main focus constitutes the point of view of potential investors in Trigeneration technology.

Step 5: Analysis of existing obstacles for the relevant stakeholders

Within the scope of the research project, on-line surveys were carried out to analyze the obstacles of the market penetration of CHP and CCHP. The target groups of the surveys were:

  • Manufacturer companies of CHP and CCHP plants;
  • Energy supply companies;
  • Consulting companies from CHP and CCHP plants.

Step 6: Collecting and analysis of existing CHHP-projects in the municipalities

All eight project local authority districts were visited by employees of the TriMa-research group to discuss with the respective city administration and the municipal energy provider the basic CCHP adjustment and the effects of the new Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG) from 2016. The existing CCHP projects in the local authority districts are taken up and documented.

Step 7: Discussion with relevant stakeholders and operators of CHHP-plants

Expert's debates with CHP and CCHP users from the health sector, the food production and the plastic-processing industry results and analyses protected and optimized in her meaningfulness arrange the technical fulfillment.

Step 8: Discussion of the actual results with the municipalities

In the discussions with the project municipalities held so far, results have been discussed and the individual situation in the respective municipality has been taken up. Visits will be combined with technical discussions with other local stakeholders (research institutes, associations, refrigeration networks).

Step 9: Conception and creation of an online tool "CCHP in the Municipality"

The online tool enables an economic comparison of different heating and cooling supply systems:

  • Boiler and electric compressor chiller (uncoupled energy conversion, basic variant)
  • Boiler, CHP plant and compressor chiller (CHP variant)
  • Boiler, CHP plant, thermal chiller and compression chiller (CCHP variant)

The online tool is based on energy-relevant input from the user and shows a comparison of the total costs of the different system variants. Depending on the level of detail, either the simple "quick check" or the more detailed "expert check" (with reading in load profiles) can be used.

Step 10: Design and development of (support) software

The tenth step represents the "expert check" of the TriMa online tool.

Step 11: Development of measures to improve the market penetration of CCHP

The following elements are considered measures to improve the market penetration of CCHP:

  • Advice and information for stakeholders on the economic use of CCHP (operation of the website "www.trima-kwkk.de" / provision of the online tool "CCHP in the municipality")
  • Presentation of the changed economic policy framework conditions from the new Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG) from 2016
  • Contact to manufacturing companies regarding technical developments (manufacturer survey) and formation of a network
  • Contact to the associations "B. KWK e. V. ", "VKU e. V." and "GreenChiller e. V. "
  • Analysis of current association positions (DIHK, HWK, etc. ) of energy consumers with regard to CHP and CCHP
  • Presentation of the funding situation at federal, state and municipal level

Step 12: Workshop with the project municipalities and project partners

The one-day workshop for project communities and other project partners took place in Nuremberg at the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg. The following topics were dealt with on 04. 12. 2017:

  • Current economic policy framework conditions of CCHP
  • Effects of the new Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG) from 2016
  • Presentation and application of the online tool " CCHP in the municipality "
  • Practical example of a successfully implemented CCHP project: "Energy saving contracting at the Klinikum Bamberg by the company SPIE Energy Solutions GmbH"

In addition to the presentation of the interim results of the TriMa project, the project municipalities and project partners were personally networked.

Further information on the workshop will soon be available here.

Step 13: Preparation of a manual (incl. investment guidelines)

The handbook contains important information on the online tool for estimating the economic efficiency of CHP and CCHP plants and an investment guide.

Step 14: Dispatch of the handbook to the municipalities

Dispatch of the completed electronic manual from WP 13 to large and medium-sized cities in Germany as well as to scientific libraries and relevant associations.

Step 15: Execution of four nationwide workshops

The results of the TriMa project are to be communicated to other interested communities and energy suppliers in Germany in several regional workshops. The workshops are to take place throughout Germany.

Step 16: Publication of project results

The project results are to be published in various (scientific) journals and journals on the topics of "energy" and "climate protection". An article has already been submitted and published at the magazine "Smart Cities".

Step 17: Integration of the project results into the teaching at the TH Nuremberg

The intermediate results and the final results are included in the teaching at the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm. An integration into the course "Applied Research" of the course "International Business and Technology" of the Faculty of Business Administration is planned.

Step 18: Ensuring the sustainability of the online tool

In order to ensure the sustainability of the online tool, it will probably be continued after the end of the project period by participating Stakeholders

Step 19: Monitoring

Monitoring is carried out continuously during the project.

Step 20: Closing statement

The results are successively documented in a report, which at the end of the research project is the final report for the funding provider.

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Source: © M.Mono / Fotolia.com