The wind energy sector continues growing rapidly even under the pandemic, as an estimated 93GW wind capacity was installed in 2020 globally. After installation, wind turbines are expected to run around 20-25years, during which O&M (operation and maintenance) becomes crucial in maximising the economic and environmental benefits of wind assets. This project aims to develop a complete solution for robotic based inspection and repair of wind turbine blades (WTBs), both onshore and offshore. Firstly, we will integrate thermography and shearography with laser heating, so that advanced lock-in techniques will be achieved for in-situ inspection of both surface and subsurface defects within WTBs. (Current techniques including drone-based are limited to surface defects only). Secondly, a compact and efficient robotic deployment system will be developed which will hold the inspection unit and a robotic repair arm. The robotic system will be operated by engineers working on ground (for onshore wind farms) or on a vessel (for offshore wind farms). When defects are detected and deemed reparable, the repair arm of the whole system will be activated to rapidly repair the faulty area of composite components by resistance welding for joining and/or disassembly. Comparing to the traditional adhesively bonding for repair, the proposed resistance welding with optimised processing would significantly reduce the curing cycles/time with much fewer preparation for surface treatment steps while it will be more easily designed to integrate with robotic arm. The whole system will be operated remotely by engineers working on ground or on a vessel without risking their lives working in the sky on WTBs. Field trials on wind towers will be conducted to validate the system.

The project SENSIBLE addresses the call LCE-08-2014 by integrating electro-chemical, electro-mechanical and thermal storage technologies as well micro-generation (CHP, heat pumps) and renewable energy sources (PV) into power and energy networks as well as homes and buildings. The benefits of storage integration will be demonstrated with three demonstrators in Portugal, UK and Germany. Évora (Portugal) will demonstrate storage-enabled power flow, power quality control and grid resilience/robustness in (predominantly low-voltage) power distribution networks – under the assumption that these networks are „weak“ and potentially unreliable. Nottingham (UK) will focus on storage-enabled energy management and energy market participation of buildings (homes) and communities – under the assumption that the grid is „strong“ (so, with no or little restrictions from the grid). Nuremberg (Germany) will focus on multi-modal energy storage in larger buildings, considering thermal storage, CHP, and different energy vectors (electricity, gas). An important aspect of the project is about how to connect the local storage capacity with the energy markets in a way that results in sustainable business models for small scale storage deployment, especially in buildings and communities. SENSIBLE will also conduct life cycle analyses and assess the socio-economic impact of small-scale storage integrated in buildings distribution networks. By integrating different storage technologies into local energy grids as well as homes and buildings, and by connecting these storage facilities to the energy markets, the project SENSIBLE will have a significant impact on local energy flows in energy grids as well as on the energy utilization in buildings and communities. The impacts range from increased self-sufficiency, power quality and network stability all the way to sustainable business models for local energy generation and storage.

Transition to renewable energy sources (RES) is a critical step to slow down the climate changes, to overcome the energy crisis and to ensure energy independence between different regions of the world. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are currently seen as important technological enablers for increasing the absorption of RES into the electric grid. However, improvements in their performance, cost competitiveness and sustainability should be achieved. For EU, the complete batteries value chain and life cycle has to be considered, from access to raw material, over innovative advanced materials to modelling, production, recycling, second life, life cycle and environmental assessments. LOLABAT’s 17 stakeholders aim to develop a new promising battery chemistry, RNZB (rechargeable NiZn Battery). The RNZB presented and developed during LOLABAT will have energy and power densities both the highest just after Li-ion batteries, cost the lowest just after the Lead-acid battery, while profiting from abundant and available raw materials, non-toxic elements, high safety, low risk of thermal runaway, limited environmental impact and high recycling potential. The ambitions (2024 and after) of LOLABAT are: further increase of the cycle life of NiZn (to at least 4000 cycles at 100% DoD be the end of project), development of NiZn for grid applications and its preparation for a production in Europe, by increasing its TRL via upscaling of capacity, design and integration of BMS and sensors built up in battery packs, testing and demonstration in stationary energy storage applications via six use cases in utility grid and industrial sites, its preparation for a future industrialisation by realisation of life cycle and life cycle cost analyses, recycling studies, assessment of norms, standards and grid compliancy, realisation of business model and market studies and finally an extensive dissemination and communication of the project results and NiZn technology.

With its “Clean Energy for all Europeans” package (CEP), the European Commission formally recognised and instrumentally brought forward community energy projects, including definitions for “Renewable Energy Communities” (RECs) and for “Citizen Energy Communities” (CECs). The new concepts introduced in the CEP set the course for a more active role of EU citizens in the energy markets. To fully concretize the benefits envisioned by the CEP, a myriad of barriers needs to be overcome and progress needs to be done to clarify and streamline the concepts of REC and CEC, enabling its uptake by all interested citizens. Motivated by that challenge, COMMUNITAS will promote energy citizenship, enabling citizens to take control of their own path towards sustainability by becoming an active element of the energy markets. The project will deliver a Knowledge Base that will provide users with technical, administrative, and legal information on ECs, streamlining the creation and expansion of this concept. COMMUNITAS will also deliver an innovative set of tools - capitalizing on technologies such as IoT, Blockchain and Cloud Computing - to unlock citizens’ active participation in energy markets and communities (all integrated into an open, digital “one-stop-shop” COMMUNITAS Core Platform (CCP)), allowing EC members to have an aggregated position in the energy markets or explore ancillary services using different energy assets or load profiles of the community. As a project that aims to position citizens in the centre of energy markets, COMMUNITAS has citizens at the centre of its own approach: citizens will be involved in Social and Policy Labs throughout the whole project, in order to frequently factor in their feedback, wishes, needs into the core developments of the project.

The main goal of the eNeuron project is to develop innovative tools for the optimal design and operation of local energy communities (LECs) integrating distributed energy resources and multiple energy carriers at different scales. This goal will be achieved, by having in mind all the potential benefits achievable for the different actors involved and by promoting the Energy Hub concept, as a conceptual model for controlling and managing multi-carrier and integrated energy systems in order to optimize their architecture and operation. In order to ensure both the short-term and the long-term sustainability of this new energy paradigm and thus support an effective implementation and deployment, economic and environmental aspects will be taken into account in the optimization tools through a multi-objective approach. eNeuron’s proposed tools enable tangible sustainability and energy security benefits for all the stakeholders in the LEC. Local prosumers (households, commercial and industrial actors) stand to benefit through the reduction of energy costs while leveraging local, low carbon energy. Developers and solution providers will find new opportunities for technologies as part of an integrated, replicable operational business model. Distribution system operators (DSOs) benefit from avoiding grid congestion and deferring network investments. Policy makers benefit from increasingly sustainable and secure energy supply systems. eNeuron is a high TRL project in line with the Work Programme, by developing innovative approaches and methodologies to optimally plan and operate integrated LECs through the optimal selection and use of multiple energy carriers and by considering both short- and long-run priorities. Through optimally coordinating all energy carriers and vectors, cost-effective and low-carbon solutions will be provided for fostering the deployment and implementation of this new energy paradigm at European level.