HyCool Project Mission is to increase the current use of Solar Heat in Industrial Processes. To do so the project proposes the coupling of a new Fresnel CSP Solar thermal collectors (FCSP) system with specially build Hybrid Heat Pumps (HHP) (a “two-in one” combination of adsorption and compressor-based heat pumps) for a wider output temperature range (Solar Heating & Cooling –SHC-), and a wide range of design and operational configurations to increase the potential implementation of the proposed Solar Heat in industrial environments.

To achieve HyCool’s mission, three overarching goals are proposed:

• To improve industrial integration of current Solar Heating Systems;
• To achieve a cost effective solution in total costs;
• To generate trust in the solution proposed in key leading industry sectors, basically Chemical and Food Industry.

Extending the range of application of the Solar Heat produced by increasing the flexibility of the system configuration, so that the produced energy can be used in cooling applications below 10 °C on the one hand and for process heat up to 240 °C. This flexibility allows for a better integration in more industrial sectors.

Impact

The HyCool solution will demonstrate that solar heat can become a reliable energy source for greener, more energy-efficient industrial processes. This can bring significant prospects for the market uptake of this renewable energy source and for the decarbonization of the industrial sector. By offering to reduce energy consumption by 75% and increase energy efficiency by 25%, HyCool aims to double solar cooling installations worldwide 5 years post-project.

Innovations

Leading technology and innovation makeHyCool the solar cooling solution for green and energy-efficient industrial processes as follows:

• Highly Efficient & Flexible Hybrid Adsorption-Compression Chiller
• Solar Cooling Powered by Fresnel Solar Thermal Collectors
• Polymer Phase Change Material Storage
• BIM-based Digital Twins for Real-time Monitoring & Training

The aim is to demonstrate the potential of solar cooling systems for industries. For this, the pilot sites will implement the HyCool system through opposite strategies in two selected key industrial sectors: food and chemicals in Catalunya, Spain, Bo de Debò and Givaudan.