USES4HEAT is a Horizon Europe project developing and demonstrating large-scale seasonal thermal energy storage solutions for a reliable, low-carbon heat supply. The project combines underground thermal energy storage with renewable and recovered heat sources, including concentrated solar thermal, and advanced energy management.
The project focuses on two types of underground thermal energy storage: high-temperature Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES) and Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES). These systems are being combined with enabling technologies including solar thermal collectors, hybrid photovoltaic-thermal panels, high-temperature heat pumps and AI-based energy management. The aim is to demonstrate how seasonal storage can support greater use of renewable heat in district heating and industrial energy systems while reducing energy losses and environmental impact.
Project overview
| Project period | December 2023 – November 2027 |
|---|---|
| Project status | Ongoing |
| Funding | Horizon Europe / European Union |
| Project coordinator | KTH Royal Institute of Technology |
| Absolicon’s role | Technology provider for concentrated solar thermal and its integration with high-temperature borehole thermal energy storage and district heating. |
Background and challenge
A growing share of renewable heat requires solutions that can manage the difference between when renewable energy is available and when heat is needed. Large-scale seasonal thermal energy storage provides an opportunity to store heat over longer periods and make renewable and recovered energy available when demand is higher.
USES4HEAT addresses this challenge by developing and demonstrating integrated underground storage systems that can accumulate heat from different sources and supply it to district heating and industrial applications. The project combines storage technologies with renewable energy, heat pumps, advanced system modelling and intelligent energy management.
Two full-scale demonstration concepts are at the centre of the project: a high-temperature BTES system and an ATES system. Following technical, economic and permitting challenges at the originally selected sites, the project has redefined the demonstrations, with the BTES demonstration moving from Furuset in Oslo to Litoměřice in Czechia and the ATES demonstration from Riva del Garda in Italy to Andel in the Netherlands.
Absolicon’s contribution
Absolicon participates primarily as a solar thermal technology provider within the BTES demonstration. The company contributes expertise in the design and integration of concentrated solar thermal collectors with underground seasonal thermal energy storage and district heating infrastructure.
Within the project work plan, Absolicon’s activities include engineering the solar thermal integration, providing performance data for system modelling, developing layouts and technical specifications for connecting equipment, and supporting installation and commissioning activities.
Absolicon also contributes technical input to other parts of the project, including system modelling, AI-driven operation and energy management, environmental assessment and evaluation of the demonstration.
The integration of concentrated solar thermal with seasonal storage is an important part of the USES4HEAT concept. Solar heat generated when solar resources are available can be combined with underground thermal storage to increase the amount of renewable energy available to the heating system over longer periods.
Expected results and impact
USES4HEAT aims to demonstrate the technical, economic and environmental viability of large-scale seasonal thermal energy storage integrated into real energy systems.
The project develops and validates several enabling technologies, including high-temperature BTES collector piping, advanced ATES drilling solutions, high-temperature groundwater heat pumps, photovoltaic-thermal panels, concentrated solar thermal collectors and AI-based energy management and predictive maintenance.
The project is expected to contribute to:
- Validation of large-scale ATES and high-temperature BTES solutions in real operating environments.
- Improved integration of renewable and recovered heat into district heating and industrial energy systems.
- Demonstration of concentrated solar thermal integrated with large-scale seasonal underground thermal storage.
- More efficient use of renewable heat by storing energy between periods of production and demand.
- Intelligent operation through AI-based forecasting, energy management and predictive maintenance.
- Reduced energy losses and environmental impact from heating systems.
- Improved technical and economic knowledge for replication of seasonal thermal storage in other locations and applications.
- Increased competitiveness and market readiness of European thermal energy storage and enabling technologies.
- New knowledge supporting future policy, business models and wider implementation of sustainable heating solutions.
Funding
USES4HEAT is funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme.
News, results and resources
