EASE Activities in R&D in 2018

Through its involvement in different EU-funded projects, EASE continues to support innovative projects that further research, development, and deployment of different energy storage technologies. Below are the projects in which EASE was involved in 2018.

INTENSYS4EU project aims to support the integration of innovative solutions in view of hosting 45% of variable renewables by 2030.

ETIP SNET, the European Technology and Innovation Platform – Smart Networks for Energy Transition, was set up by EASE and the INTENSYS4EU consortium. It brings together experts and stakeholders from across the smart grids and storage sector to discuss policy, innovation and research. In 2018 EASE participated in the elaboration of the recommendations on “Storage Technologies and Sector  Interfaces” at the ETIP SNET regional workshops in Zagreb, Helsinki, Brussels, and Madrid.

Muse Grids aims to develop new models and tools to coordinate interactions between different energy systems and networks, promoting the optimised management of local energy communities, demand-side management, and increasing the share of renewable energies in the global energy mix.

EASE will support the deployment of multi-energy storage systems in energy islands and lead the dissemination, communication and policy promotion activities and provide cost-benefit analysis studies supported by CIRCE.

Hydropower Europe started in November 2018. It aims to bring together stakeholders from across the hydropower sector  in order to develop a Research and Innovation Agenda, as well as a Technology Roadmap to monitor the implementation of that agenda. The TR will put forward the current status and European potential for pumped energy storage. EASE will lead Work Package 2 on Hydropower-Europe Community Support. Three EASE members (Iberdrola, CENER, GE) will be involved directly as linked third parties. Enel and CIRCE will support the project.

The TSO2020 “Electric Transmission and Storage Options along TEN-E and TEN-T Corridors for 2020” project launched in 2017 and aims to exploit synergies between power storage solutions and alternative transport infrastructure needs. EASE is leading a cost-benefit analysis study conducted by three of its members – DNV GL, Tractebel, and CIRCE. As co-leader of the dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities, EASE organised a Power-Hydrogen workshop in October 2018 to communicate and exchange the preliminary conclusions of the project activities to stakeholders.

SMARTSPEND began in December 2018. The project’s aim is to promote collaboration and development of cross thematic synergies among actors of new clean energy innovations. The mission of the programme is to provide more and better design of public support for energy technology R&I, with a focus on national support. The project has two pillars: a synergy one, where partners discuss their common interests around technology development and a financial strategies pillar, where stakeholders will be invited to discuss their common needs for financing. EASE will lead the “Access to Risk Finance” work programme and contribute to all other activities. At the end of the project, adequate financial strategies to mobilise investments and complementary funding from private and public actors will be defined.