Life Cycle Assessment of Innovative Materials for Thermal Energy Storage in Buildings

• DOI: 10.1016/j.procir.2017.11.095
• Publication Date: 2018-04-19T00:00:45Z
• Authors: Rafael Horn; Matthias Burr; Dominik Fröhlich; Stefan Gschwander; Michael Held; Jan Paul Lindner; Gunther Munz; Björn Nienborg; Peter Schossig
• Keywords: Primary energy; Thermal energy

The politically endorsed reduction of greenhouse gas emissions entails the transformation thermal energy systems towards renewable energies, especially in building sector. This comes along with a demand storage, as there is time offset between availability and demand. As sensible heat storages induce major losses have limited density, current water-based solutions are only partially sufficient to meet these demands. Within project "Speicher-LCA" environmental performance variety innovative materials available for storage buildings assessed. provides first extensive comparison profiles various materials, including phase change, thermochemical sorption materials. specific performances cycle taken into account. All results will be publically accessible through spreadsheet tool comprehensive set components well their integration different types. paper discusses methodological framework study presents assessment selected It highlights main challenges on system levels which require definition functional units accordingly. material level change (PCM) thermo-chemical (TCM) allow an characterization regarding potential application storages. In addition, ranges required numbers cycles amortization been calculated non-renewable primary For PCMs range ∼20 150 salt hydrates up ∼280 paraffins. Regarding TCM, energetic silica gel zeolite 13x reached after ∼60 ∼260 respectively. Since realization can actually used real applications further increase number amortization, may thus not suitable low over lifetime, such seasonal storage.