Progress
Project is on track for WP1, WP2 and WP3 even though the milestones have been exceeded for WP2 and WP3. Indeed, as part of the development of tools, some steps have been delayed and more complicated to achieve due to the Covid context and the slow transposition of REDII/IEMD.
For example, regarding the definition of the objectives of an Energy Community, to fully apply the methodology to the Nivelles and Mortsel Living Labs it is necessary to bring the members of the energy community together to define the goals. Although these steps can be partially done remotely, it is not ideal. The physical meetings with a group of citizens were postponed to Q4 2021 and Q1-Q2 2022.
Kick-off meeting and 1st, 2nd and 3rd general assembly were held remotely. In 2021 we were able to organize a physical meeting in the Mortsel living lab and another in the Hellisheidi living lab, so that the members of the project could have a better representation of the project.
The first release of the sizing tool (WP3) was a little delayed, but testing phase is in progress.
WP4 and WP5 are unlikely to be finalised by the end of the research. Indeed, due to the delays in WP1, WP2 and WP3, WP4 only started in Dec 2021, and also the new delay to install the device (fuel cell) on the Mortsel site (June 2022) is too important to be able to fully test the tools on this demonstrator (one-year test required to demonstrate the H2 application for mitigating seasonal intermittency). Tests will at least be carried out on an electric test bench.
Review in relation to future work
Methodological tools – Those are developed during the entire development of the H2CS project. Holistic methodology to identify local needs and to build a multi-energy EC, will be established for the last 6 months of the project by CLEF.
- Updating the assessment of current legislation and standards on hydrogen equipment and of current legislation on energy communities in regard of the legislative work in progress in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia.
- Risk analysis : RBI methodology was investigated to try to assess the risk level of hydrogen production/storage and allow better planning of inspection and maintenance (NTNU).
- Environmental analysis : LCA for the different options of producing hydrogen in the frame of the project : is ok for the Icelandic site. For the Belgian sites SIF would need to access the data from the FC provider. SIF will provide excel sheet so we can play ourselves with the full load hours, but too much scenarios for the scientific publication.
- Stakeholder analysis : Causal Loop Diagram was constructed and discussed on the Icelandic case, will be also constructed for Belgium (SIF).
In-depth specification – Identification of the EC local perimeter must be finalized for Hellisheidi. Generalisation of the definition of perimeter must also be finalized. Definition of the objectives of the EC will be pursued in the three Living Labs. In Mortsel and in Nivelles, this will involve adapting and implementing the MOrE methodology to activate and involve citizens and to define list of services. Permitting procedure for the Fuel cell in Mortsel must be followed until delivery. Assessment of permitting procedures for H2 in Iceland must be finalized. Permitting procedure and the installation of a fuel cell in Nivelles is not part of H2CS project.
Development of the sizing tool – For the sizing tool, 2022 is the time of the test phase. It will be tested by Equans and by CLEF, each for their site(s)/data/specifics. Equans and CLEF will use or develop their own interfaces with this tool according to their IT environment, in order to use it in a user-friendly way. This will lead to a good command of the tool and possibly to suggestions for improvement. The tool will also be tested for multi-objective purposes, although it does not automatically incorporate this function. Equans will integrate the sizing tool in its platform. CLEF will develop an ergonomic interface with a proposed graphical visualisation interface, enabling the integration of project stakeholders.
Development of the EMS – The energy management system (EMS) will begin to be developed in February 2022. Some discussions on algorithm models have already taken place on the end of 2021. It will focus on a 2-3 layers algorithms : dispatching tool, intermediate optimiser, daily optimiser. The production and consumption optimization is intended to be achieved as part as H2CS project, with H2 to optimize self consumption or balancing in Nivelles/Mortsel and H2 to export in Iceland. The peak shaving or other economical optimization will be achieved as part as H2CS project if sufficient ressources. The other H2 applications (gas injection, H2 for mobility, etc.) can be considered theoratically as part as H2CS, but probably not implemented.
Testing of the EMS in several environments – H2CS aims to implement the EMS on a real demonstrator on the Mortsel site. However, the extent of testing on the fuel cell in Mortsel will depend on the time left after its installation, and due to financing problems this installation is not expected until June 2022. But before the test on this physical demonstrator, the EMS will be tested sequentially on:
- Simulators at ULB
- ULB electrical test benches with Memoco instrumentation
- A prototype of a reversible fuel cell at ULB with Memoco instrumentation
- Test benches at Equans
Results
The EMS will begin to be developed in Q4/2021.
List of potential services for DSO/TSO expected for the end of the project Q4/2022.
The sizing tool began to be developed in Q1 / 2021 and will be completed in Q3 / 2021.
LCAs are carried out from Q4 / 2020 and will end in Q4 / 2022 to fully understand the CO2 cost of the fuel cell.
The implementation of the fuel cell in Mortsel is expected for Q4/2021.
The development of the EMS considering sector coupling (hydrogen, heat and electricity) will begin in Q4/2021.
As part of WP2 started in Q1 / 2021 and WP1 in Q4 / 2021 and which will end in Q4 / 2022.
As part of WP2 started in Q1 / 2021 for identifying the financial opportunities with the members of the energy community and WP1 for an economical analysis in Q4 / 2021 and which will end in Q4 / 2022.
The economic study is carried out within WP1 from Q4 / 2020 and ending in Q4 / 2022 and the EMS will start to be developed in Q4 / 2021.
The first results start in Q1 / 2021 with the launch of WP2 and further results can be extracted from the stakeholder analysis under WP1.
Stakeholder analysis under WP1 starting in Q4 / 2020 and ending in Q4 / 2022, and bottom-up process started in Q1 / 2021 under WP2.
Bottom-up process launched in Q1 / 2021 under WP2 and development of the EMS from Q4 / 2021.
Business Model strategies
The project started six months ago. For the moment, the perimeter of the Energy Community has been fixed for the three living labs and a first architecture of the sizing tool has been defined, including the economic aspects. No results are currently available.