EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/M507192/1
Title: Combined Heat and Photo Voltaics (CHPV)
Principal Investigator: Jiang, Dr L
Other Investigators:
COUNSELL, Professor JM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Organisation: University of Liverpool
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 01 November 2014 Ends: 31 December 2016 Value (£): 179,750
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Energy Efficiency Solar Technology
Sustainable Energy Networks
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The Combined Heat and Photo-voltaic (CHPV) based local energy system solution was formulated on the simple, but

effective observation that CHP systems develop low carbon and energy efficient electrical power in the colder months of

the year in the UK and Photo-voltaic (PV) power generation provides most of its low carbon power generation when there is

no demand for heat in commercial buildings. By combining these two primary energy supplies, it is potentially feasible to

create a LES which is autonomous to the national electricity grid by appropriate sizing of the CHP and PV systems. That

said the supply and demand is highly transient and the use of energy storage and advanced control systems and other

demand side measures such as Smart DC systems for lighting and ICT networks will enable accurate supply and demand

matching for both heat and power. This potential LES solution is highly attractive to industry partners in the CHPV project

such as Peel Utilities, BRE and ARUP. The system potentially offers a high return-on-infrastructure investment (ROI),

however it is extremely complex to design to ensure that this ROI can be reliably achieved in practice. In order to assist in

the design and implementation of CHPV based LES systems the following research needs to be carried out:

Task 1: Dr J. Counsell with the research assistant will develop ESL based models for the energy supply and demand

systems such as CHP and PV and the already developed through BRE Trust R&D funded projects IDEAS dynamic

modelling of buildings and there energy using systems. The researcher will be able to draw on existing models within the

EEE department for PV and other micro-generation systems at Liverpool to rapidly develop comprehensive nonlinear dynamic models for both energy supply and energy demand in the buildings served by the CHPV based LES. (refer

references in Appendix A of the main TSB proposal for references of past modelling work)

Task 2: Led by Dr Lin Jiang the researcher will use the ESL models resulting from task 1 to develop nonlinear optimal

control solutions to guarantee supply and demand matching with the constraints of satisfying thermal comfort requirements

in the buildings and the minimising the power drawn for the national power grid. The research will need new nonlinear

inverse dynamic control algorithms developed by Dr Counsell (refer Appendix A for references) and nonlinear optimal

control strategies for demand side management systems developed by Dr Lin Jiang (refer Appendix A for references).

These control algorithms will also be modelled and used in simulation studies to prove the effective regulation of the

automated CHPV systems.

Task 3: Led By Dr Lin Jiang, the researcher will create the ESL models and tuned control algorithms for each of the three

case studies in this project.

Task 4: Dr Counsell will lead the application of the resulting case study models in partnership with Peel, BRE and ARUP to

test a number of demand side measures including Smart DC systems for LED lighting and ICT networks and devices. The

tests will establish the energy, carbon and economic benefits that Smart DC systems will bring to the CHPV based LES

solution and the models for Smart DC systems will be validated using the EEE department's new Smart DC PoE Network

laboratory now under construction.

The lead academics and the researcher will engage with BRE and the BRE Trust to hold industry/academic research

workshops and create high quality journal and BRE Trust publications as well as hold workshops to disseminate the

effectiveness of the CHPV concept. The resulting project outputs such as design tools from the university will also be

disseminated to the wider LES community. It will also investigate the potential for the design tools to be used as part of

potentially new regulatory frameworks which are being developed outside this project for local energy systems.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.liv.ac.uk