Road Thermal Collector for Building Heating in South Europe: Numerical Modeling and Design of an Experimental Set-Up

The combination/integration of renewable energy and storage systems appears to have significant potential, achieving high-energy results with lower costs and emissions. One way to cover the thermal needs of a building is through solar energy and its seasonal storage in the ground. The SMARTEP project aims to create an experimental area that provides for the construction of a road solar thermal collector directly connected to a seasonal low-temperature geothermal storage with vertical boreholes. The storage can be connected to a ground-to-water heat pump for building acclimatization. This system will meet the requirements of visual impact and reduction of the occupied area. Nevertheless, several constraints related to the radiative properties of the surfaces and the lack of proper thermal insulation have to be addressed. The project includes the study of several configurations and suitable materials, the set-up of a dynamic simulation model and the construction of a small-scale road thermal collector. These phases allowed for an experimental area to be built. Thanks to careful investigation in the field, it will be possible to identify the characteristics and the best operation strategy to maximize the energy management of the whole system in the Mediterranean area.