Indo-German trigeneration project

Project description

Title: Indo-German trigeneration project (Trigen)
Country: India
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Power, Government of India
Overall term: 2008 to 2014

Context

Air conditioning is a major source of energy consumption in India. The high demand for it is driven by the very hot summers when temperatures can rise to nearly 50 degrees Celsius. Cooling (and heating during winter) is achieved with conventional appliances. While the efficiency of these devices is increasing, their power consumption is still subject to structural constraints and will always be higher than it is for some other technologies, for instance that of ‘trigeneration’.

Trigeneration involves the simultaneous production of electricity and a cooling effect while using absorption chillers in summer, or electricity and heating in winter. There is huge potential for the use of trigeneration, but it remains relatively unknown in India, and it has not been sufficiently tested. By recovering waste heat from its operation, such systems can achieve an 85% – 90% efficiency rate.

As India is already the fourth largest power consumer globally and is likely to experience steady annual growth of about six per cent in its aggregate power demand, the opportunities for localised power, cooling and heating systems are set to increase significantly.

Trigeneration solutions – otherwise known as combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) – are quickly emerging as reliable energy supply options for buildings and commercial entities around the world. Many parts of Europe and North America have realised it offers an energy-efficient and cost effective solution for their heating and power requirements.

Objective

The use of energy-efficient trigeneration cooling technologies has increased in India, which is helping to reduce green house gas emissions.

Approach


India’s manufacturing and business sector is assessing the feasibility of trigeneration technology, particularly as a means of reducing the expenditure on energy for buildings and increasing energy efficiency, while benefiting from an environmentally friendly and reliable technology.

In cooperation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, GIZ has started a demonstration project at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center, a government hospital. After more than a year of operation, this intervention has clearly shown that trigeneration technology can be deployed effectively and in an economically viable way in an existing hospital building.

The performance of the demonstration project is now being monitored, in order to assess the savings it generates. To measure the energy savings, an online monitoring system is being set up at the Trauma Center. At the same time, the experiences are to be drawn up as a case study, which will be followed by the completion of the monitoring phase. The information on performance monitoring will then be made available through the website of the pilot project.

Results achieved so far

In 2012, the pilot project was initiated successfully at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center in New Delhi. A website has since been developed through which to disseminate the resulting information, and to raise awareness of the project.

A market assessment study has been completed, assessing the potential of trigeneration approaches in India. Over 50 workshops and seminars have been organised for the dissemination of the technology involved, and more than 20 site visits arranged for representatives of industry, manufacturers, experts, consultants, government employees etc.

The ongoing monitoring activities will help produce an estimate of the savings in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the project.