Key technologies and demonstration of combined cooling, heating and power generation for low-carbon neighbourhoods/buildings with clean energy (ChiNoZEN)

Research project

Key technologies and demonstration of combined cooling, heating and power generation for low-carbon neighbourhoods/buildings with clean energy (ChiNoZEN)

The commitment of the ChiNoZEN project is to contribute to a significant increase in the share of low-carbon buildings and neighbourhoods through cooperation between leading Chinese and Norwegian scientists.


Research activity

About ChiNoZEN

black building with solar panels on the lower front. photo
The ZEB lab in Trondheim is a lab for zero emission buildings.
Photo: Matthias C. Herzog

The ChiNoZEN project supports the transition to a reliable, affordable, publicly accepted, sustainable built environment, aiming at reducing fossil fuel dependency in the face of increasingly scarce resources, growing energy needs, and threatening climate change. The project delivers new knowledge, solutions and innovative technologies for low-carbon buildings and neighbourhoods. The key result of the ChiNoZEN project is a combined cooling, heating and power generation system able to meet the needs of low-carbon communities to fully absorb nearby available renewable energy.

The ChiNoZEN is a project under the common call within energy topics between the Research Council of Norway (RCN) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in China. The Norwegian part of ChiNoZEN project receives funding of 25 MNOK from RCN while MOST funds the Chinese part of ChiNoZEN project with 17,67 MRMB. This project description covers both parts of the project.


Project timeline

Project timeline

2020-2025


Events

Events

Our project meeting in Trondheim, Norway in May was our first physical meeting. Around 30 delegates from our Chinese partners joined in. Included in the programme was a tour of the ZEB lab.

Read blog and see photos

With great pleasure, we met our Chinese colleagues again on our 3rd project meeting back in October 2021. We had more than 50 participants for the meeting this time. Master students, newly appointed Phd and exchange PhD student from NTNU get a chance to meet everyone during the meeting. 


Screenshot:

The second project meeting was held digitally in April 2021.


Screenshot from @eptntnu:

screenshot from twitter account, showing several people participating in digital meeting. screenshot

The first project meeting was held in January 2021.

Screenshot from @eptntnu:

screenshot from zoom meeting with over 20 people

In September 2020, the ChinoZen project had its kick-off meeting:

Screenshot from @Norway in China, 22. September:

Screenshot from @NTNUEnergy, 18. September:

Work Packages (WPs)

Work Packages (WPs)

The ChiNoZEN project is organized in five Work Packages (WPs):

 

  • WP1 – Performance of grid-connected PhotoVoltaic technologies (PVT) with Thermal Energy Storage (TES)
  • WP2 – High Temperature Heat Pump (HTHP) and dynamic performance
  • WP3 – Simulation platform and control strategy of CCHP
  • WP4 – Key CCHP technologies of low carbon neighbourhood and buildings with multiple energy sources
  • WP5 – Demonstration of low carbon neighbourhood and buildings with clean energy

People at ChiNoZEN

People at ChiNoZEN

Project Leaders:

Prof. Dr. Novakovic, Vojislav, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Prof. Dr. Gustavsen, Arild, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Prof. Dr. DAI, Yanjun, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

WP1 Leaders:

Dr. Zhu, Junjie, Institute for Energy Technology (IFE)

Prof. Dr. DAI, Yanjun, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

WP2 Leaders:

Prof. Dr. Eikevik, Trygve, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Assoc. Prof. Dr. GE, Tianshu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

WP3 Leaders:

Prof. Dr. Natasa Nord, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Prof. Dr. GE, Zhihua, North China Electric Power University

WP4 Leaders:

Prof. Dr. Novakovic, Vojislav, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Prof. Dr. LI, Jinping, Lanzhou University of Technology

WP5 Leaders:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Goia, Francesco, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Dr. LI, Bojia, China Academy of Building Research,