DFIC has been working on a study to reorganize the energy supply of the Mathematical-Scientific Campus of the University of Cologne. The objective was to ensure a sustainable, climate-friendly, economical and at the same time space-saving energy supply on the basis of trigeneration.

Various energy supply options based on renewable energies have been developed and compared: the options have been examined and evaluated with regard to their impact on the above mentioned targets.

In this context, DFIC performed the following services:

• Inventory of energy supply: currently over 135,000 m² GFA
• Specific analysis of a large number of different types of use and of the expansion of a further 30,000 m² GFA
• Detailed analysis and forecast of energy demand information
• Development of an energy supply concept including:
  • Technical planning and plant design
  • Economic planning
  • Other planning
  • Alternative concepts for implementation (BOO, IPP, ESCo and outsourcing models).

The DFIC approach for the study on trigeneration is characterised by the following elements:

• Optimisation regarding centralised - decentralised heating and cooling
• Use of existing district heating networks and refrigeration machines as back-up and for peak load coverage
• Storage of hot water for peak smoothing, in particular for refrigeration
• Optional addition of solar thermal energy, in particular to cover cold peaks in summer
• Two-stage procedure:
  • Larger number of possible scenarios
  • Workshop to identify 3 preferred supply variants which have to be examined in detail
  • Optimisation / sizing of cogeneration engines.