AI Quick Summary

Tessa is an energy planning tool and service that makes geospatial analysis and modelling of thermal networks for feasibility studies simpler, by bundling state of the art analysis methods into an agile interactive tool, allowing users to collaborate smoothly in complex multi-stakeholder projects. The problem Decarbonising heating and cooling energy supply in buildings to meet the European and Swiss Energy Strategy 2050 goals requires and approach that moves beyond individual buildings to consider districts and regions using geospatial analysis methods. This is because thermal energy cannot be transported over long distances, requiring a regional matching between renewable and waste supplies (e.g. geothermal, biomass, waste, incineration) and demands, using district heating to transport energy. This is a challenge for regional energy utilities and public authorities, especially considering the changing spatiotemporal distributions of demand through renovation and new construction. Time is indeed another problem. Designers are facing the problem of quantifying and foreseeing the cost, impacts, and social implications of a heating network in the early design stage, when many major technical parameters are still undefined. This leads to a time mismatch between the moment a district heating is designed and major decisions are taken, and the moment when a complete knowledge of the consequences of a design choice is gained. Moreover, in this process a new challenge emerges, which is that of getting all these different stakeholders, who have very different interests and competences, to interact. For the success of a new district heating network and for the overall success of the energy transition, it is therefore essential that all the stakeholders sit at the same table.Our solutionOur Thermal Energy System Simulation Assistant (TESSA) addresses these problems. It is built on academic research conducted in the Energy section of University of Geneva which led to develop a system that can analyse thermal needs at high spatial and temporal resolution. The project now aims to develop this into a tool for industry in a useful and convenient way for energy professionals. To do this, a user-centred design approach will be used to increase the usability of this tool.How?This project is an interdisciplinary pilot study which aims to investigate how the interaction between different stockholders (i.e., local government, energy utility, engineering consultancy) can lead to effective results when this interaction is supported by a powerful data-driven tool which answer their different questions and needs in an immediate way. The TESSA tool will allow users to explore the design space and all the alternatives that can be generated with the use of quick decision on key parameters. This exploration will bring the user not only to discover, assess, and compare the impact of its district heating network in an early design stage, but it will also allow to learn from it, and to understand the consequence of each design decision. It will allow this information to be presented in a way that supports the interaction between the different stakeholders and supports ongoing projects.What next?This project aims to bring the TESSA concept to market readiness by bridging the gap from the existing tool prototype, that was focused on the needs of the research group, to a system that meets the needs of end users and demonstrates the commercial potential of the tool.

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: TESSA: Thermal Energy System Simulation Assistant
• Date: 3/1/2022 5:44:51 PM
• Administrators:
  • Jonathan Chambers

Project Idea Description

The problem

Decarbonising heating and cooling energy supply in buildings to meet the European and Swiss Energy Strategy 2050 goals requires and approach that moves beyond individual buildings to consider districts and regions using geospatial analysis methods. This is because thermal energy cannot be transported over long distances, requiring a regional matching between renewable and waste supplies (e.g. geothermal, biomass, waste, incineration) and demands, using district heating to transport energy. This is a challenge for regional energy utilities and public authorities, especially considering the changing spatiotemporal distributions of demand through renovation and new construction. Time is indeed another problem. Designers are facing the problem of quantifying and foreseeing the cost, impacts, and social implications of a heating network in the early design stage, when many major technical parameters are still undefined. This leads to a time mismatch between the moment a district heating is designed and major decisions are taken, and the moment when a complete knowledge of the consequences of a design choice is gained. Moreover, in this process a new challenge emerges, which is that of getting all these different stakeholders, who have very different interests and competences, to interact. For the success of a new district heating network and for the overall success of the energy transition, it is therefore essential that all the stakeholders sit at the same table.

Our solution

Our Thermal Energy System Simulation Assistant (TESSA) addresses these problems. It is built on academic research conducted in the Energy section of University of Geneva which led to develop a system that can analyse thermal needs at high spatial and temporal resolution. The project now aims to develop this into a tool for industry in a useful and convenient way for energy professionals. To do this, a user-centred design approach will be used to increase the usability of this tool.

How?

This project is an interdisciplinary pilot study which aims to investigate how the interaction between different stockholders (i.e., local government, energy utility, engineering consultancy) can lead to effective results when this interaction is supported by a powerful data-driven tool which answer their different questions and needs in an immediate way. The TESSA tool will allow users to explore the design space and all the alternatives that can be generated with the use of quick decision on key parameters. This exploration will bring the user not only to discover, assess, and compare the impact of its district heating network in an early design stage, but it will also allow to learn from it, and to understand the consequence of each design decision. It will allow this information to be presented in a way that supports the interaction between the different stakeholders and supports ongoing projects.

What next?

This project aims to bring the TESSA concept to market readiness by bridging the gap from the existing tool prototype, that was focused on the needs of the research group, to a system that meets the needs of end users and demonstrates the commercial potential of the tool.

Tessa is an energy planning tool and service that makes geospatial analysis and modelling of thermal networks for feasibility studies simpler, by bundling state of the art analysis methods into an agile interactive tool, allowing users to collaborate smoothly in complex multi-stakeholder projects.