FC-District

New m-CHP network technologies for energy efficient and sustainable districts district
Start: 2010 – Duration: 48months
PPP-EeB.NMP.2010-2 New technologies for energy efficiency at district level



The overall objective of the FC-DISTRICT project is to optimize and implement an innovative energy production and distribution concept for sustainable and energy efficient refurbished or new “energy autonomous” districts, exploiting decentralized co-generation coupled with optimized building and district heat storage and distribution network.

The concept is based on dynamic heat exchange between the buildings (fitted with Solid Oxide Fuel Cells) for energy production collaborating with improved thermal storage and insulation building systems, the distribution system (optimized piping and district heating with or without a heat buffer) and the consumer (new business and service models), aiming to achieve energy balance at district level.

A technology in scope of the project is a high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with versatile fuel processor for gas reforming and optimized peripheries making possible successful integration with district networks. FC-DISTRICT integrates a proven innovative SOFC technology with heat management at building and district level (building thermal storage coupled with intelligent distribution networks) to serve the consumer needs for economy-ecology-sustainability. It introduces a new paradigm in energy efficiency by developing materials, technologies, methodologies and systems specifically intended for integration at district level.

Advanced insulation materials will be developed and implemented for the improvement of building and pipe thermal response. The energy reduction will originate from improved efficiency and cost effective high temperature (SOFC), to act as μ-CHP systems providing demand-flexible electricity and heat to the building and district, coupled with optimised energy and power distribution networks that will optimally control heat storage at building and district level.