nGEL

nGEL aims to transform a geothermal ORC plant into a flexible tri-generation plant capable of efficiently and cost-effectively responding to the dynamic demand for power, heating, and cooling, attributing geothermal energy as a dispatchable source to balance the power and thermal grid against the progressive integration of intermittent renewable energy sources (i.e., solar, wind). This will be achieved through the integration of an absorption chiller, thermal energy storage, cold thermal energy storage, heat exchangers, and a smart control and energy management system (EMS) with AI functionalities.

By implementing the nGEL technology in all existing ORC plants in the EU, around 215 TWh of heat can be delivered to the thermal grid, which is approximately 4% of the EU's current annual heat demand. This corresponds to an annual economic saving (on natural gas imports) of €9.6 billion/year.

Objective

1. Design flexible geothermal ORC with trigeneration capabilities

2. Increase reliability of ORC against high ambient temperature

3. Design and develop cold Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

4. Develop a control strategy for Demand Side Management (DSM)

5. Provide Energy Management System (EMS) for the flexible ORC

6. Ensure environmental sustainability

7. Integrate AI-driven Digital Twin for ORC plant