⚡ Meet the HOCLOOP team ⚡
Check out the next interview in our #HOCLOOPteam series with Daniele Fiaschi, Associate Professor of Renewable Energy and Energy Systems at Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI).
In the HOCLOOP Project, UNIFI is responsible for experimental lab activities using CO2 and CO2 mixtures as working fluids for the closed-loop system. They are also actively involved in ensuring the economic and environmental sustainability of HOCLOOP solutions, particularly those utilizing CO2-based fluids. Additionally, UNIFI plays a significant role in the modeling and simulation of heat mining with CO2 and CO2 mixtures, as well as in assessing suitable case studies.
Here are some insights about HOCLOOP from Daniele Fiaschi:
💡 What about HOCLOOP do you find most interesting?
I'm fascinated by HOCLOOP's adaptability to various geothermal sites, especially non-hydrothermal ones. The project's environmental impact is significant, as it prevents pollutant emissions and avoids induced seismicity by using non-fracking technology. HOCLOOP solutions also provide flexibility to produce heat and power in a modular way, tailored to specific local conditions.
The incorporation of CO2 and CO2 smart mixtures as heat-mining fluids makes the technology in Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems more flexible and user-friendly by bringing advantages like CO2's naturally increasing pressure in the system within the closed loop, boosting power production. It also has potential of providing extra power during peak times in CHP systems, especially when there's a lot of non-dispatchable power production, such as solar or wind.
🌐 What are the key sectors to use HOCLOOP’s research results?
The outcomes of HOCLOOP will have positive impacts on the overall geothermal energy sector. Exploration of CO2 and CO2 smart mixtures for heat transfer, their natural self-pressurization, and circulation properties, particularly with ionic fluids, will help to produce more power. And this technology should also make energy solutions more flexible and efficient for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) sector and local communities, where people need both heat and power together.
🌍 How will HOCLOOP benefit the general public?
HOCLOOP provides an innovative approach to maximizing geothermal energy, a continuous renewable resource, by overcoming the limitations of traditional hydrothermal technologies. Our project aims to make geothermal energy accessible worldwide, even in areas without natural hydrothermal fields, unlocking a global source of clean, continuous energy.
Join us in this journey of innovation as we uncover more insights from our exceptional #HOCLOOPteam. Stay tuned for further conversations with our researchers!
For a deeper dive into HOCLOOP's objectives and progress, visit HOCLOOP Project website - https://www.hocloop.eu/.
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