HACURA
Enlarging the role of solar energy for the decarbonization of heating and cooling in urban areas
Developing conceptual system design for solar energy (thermal and electrical) and related components (for seasonal storage, energy management) considering buildings energy demand.
Although solar energy systems (PV and solar thermal) play a large role in the ongoing sustainable energy transition, the current solutions for integrating such systems in the built environment, are not yet well-aligned with the need for decarbonizing heat supply in winter and cooling in summer.
To help address these issues, this postdoc project will develop integrated solutions for energy harvesting, energy storage and energy savings from both a technological and building integration perspective. The project will combine expertise on both solar technologies and sustainable buildings using an integrated design-driven research approach. Instead of just developing energy components or systems only, in this research project, the energy technologies, building design and the buildings鈥� energy demands will be equally addressed leading to functional solutions that can be realized and tested in reality. By linking these competences to a network of industrial partners, we expect to work on practical solutions at medium to high technology readiness level.
The project will involve (i) modeling of 3D solar irradiance distribution in the built environment, (ii) feasibility studies on various solar energy technologies, storage technologies (thermal and electrical), and heating/cooling technologies, (iii) development of conceptual system designs, and (iv)prototyping and explorative testing of selected systems.