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The main objective of the project is the organization of the international conference “SET Plan 2016 - Central European Energy Conference X” during the presidency of the Slovak Republic in the second half of 2016. The SET Plan 2016 conference will be conjoined with the 10th annual Central European Energy Conference (CEEC X). The conference will aim to examine the process of accelerating the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies and creating the European Energy Union, focusing on the research and innovation strategy. Its ambition is to improve the visibility of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan and Energy Union, to identify policy options and priorities and to plan future actions. Based on that, the proposal stipulate these the main objectives of the SET Plan 2016 – Central European Energy Conference X: to examine achievements in the implementation of the Energy Union with a special focus on the role of its Research & Innovation dimension; to assess progress and evaluate the role of Central European member states in the implementation of the goals of the Energy Union within the other four priority dimensions of the Energy Union, including security of supply, creation of an integrated energy market, improving energy efficiency and reduction of emissions; to create a platform for a discussion, dialogue and networking for member states, civil society, business, science and academia, regional and local authorities and other stakeholders in the area of strategic energy technologies; to foster visibility and understanding of the Energy Union and the topic of Strategic Energy Technologies, and to disseminate information. Planned activities include plenaries and panel discussions with international keynote speaker, parallel thematic dinner sessions, side events, poster session and social events.

Sensors are widely used for optimization of technical systems. In most cases they are electrical, hence not safe to operate e.g. on wind turbines blades due to lightning risk, on fuel tanks, in strong magnetic fields or close to generators due to the risk of electrical short circuits. Furthermore cabling is costly, can be cumbersome to handle and signals are difficult to transmit reliably over long distances. CEKO Sensors (CEKO), a spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Department of Nanotechnology, will disrupt the sensor market by providing sensors that are 100% optical, frequency modulated, have very high sensitivity and are metal-free. The force sensitivity of the sensors has shown to be 1200 times larger than what can be obtained using comparable technologies. At the same time the physical size is 100 times smaller and the weight 3000 times less than other sensors on the market today. These unique features make them crucial for applications where sensitivity, size and weight are critical parameters. The initial proof-of-market application for the CEKO sensor is wind turbines. Wind turbines have been selected as CEKO sensors addresses several significant challenges for wind turbines owners: Monitoring of blade damages for reduced maintenance and repair costs, optimization of blade loads for efficient production and detection of icing on the blades, which has a high impact on the power production and the safety on ground. The CEKO sensors will initially be marketed through Brüel & Kjær, a world leading sensor manufacturer, who has estimated the direct achievable market for the CEKO sensors in the wind power segment to be 36.000 sensors/ year worth €22 million. The objectives of the over all innovation projects are to 1) finalise the development of the optical sensor for wind turbines 2) Complete a full scale field test in collaboration with H&L Wind A/S (owner of several wind parks in Germany) 3) Obtain the required industry certifications.

Wind energy is an attractive solution for the energy demands of remote installations. It could provide energy to remote Base Station Sites, which account for up to 50% of the total operational costs in the Telecommunication Industry. It is also a feasible source of energy in the agricultural sector. Farms spend around €50.000/year in power supply due to their remote location with respect to power plants. Installation of Small Wind Turbines (SWT) that allow energy harvesting on-site will produce operational cost savings of €32.000/year. However, large purchase costs and long return of investment (25-30 years) are strong barriers for wind power implementation. Responding to these market needs, at EVR Motors we have invested so far €1.000.000 of private capital to develop a novel direct drive generator: SWITLER. Using a lean philosophy design and eliminating non-desirable features we achieve a manufacturing cost reduction of up to 60%. Reducing magnet mass materials in 20% and eliminating iron from the rotor, we reduce the generator weight by up to 70% when compared to current solutions in the market. Furthermore, efficiency is increased in as much as 96%. Our generator removes the need of a transformer, which enables the use of SWT applications off-grid in remote areas. This already patented (approval in process) technology will revolutionize the Small Wind Turbine manufacturer’s value of chain. Our objective is to start SWITLER commercialization by 2017 introducing it in the SWT market. This market is expected to increase massively from €768 million in 2013 to €2.517 million by 2020, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22%. Our market strategy will focus on Israel for the first two years. We will then percolate the European market through UK, which accounts for 13% of the global market. After the 6 initial commercialization years, SWITLER sales are forecasted to accumulate €25.728.000 revenues.

Improving road safety is a prime objective of the European Union's transport policy. Overloading of lorries is one of the most common infringements found in road freight transport: one in three lorries controlled is overloaded by 10%-20% over safe legal weight limits making roads much less safe. European Directive 2015/719 establishes maximum gross vehicle weights and urges for regular weight checks for commercial vehicles in the 28 EU countries. Truck scales are therefore essential for hauliers or public authorities. In addition, accurate truck scales are key for businesses delivering their products on the road as they are used to determine the weight of bulk goods being bought and sold in truckload-sized quantities being a crucial part of the business transaction functioning much as a cash register. Currently, the construction work, infrastructure and time needed to install a truck scale in a company’s facility results in a highly expensive burden. In addition, connection to the electric grid is indispensable and the heavy materials used make the relocation of the scale a concern. This results in very expensive solutions hindering competitiveness. The previous scenario has encouraged Cogo Bilance s.r.l., an innovative company fruit of the merger of major brands in the Italian weighing industry, to develop Sensolweighs. Sensolweighs is a truck scale powered by solar energy (with wireless connection) giving the possibility to work off-grid in remote locations, based on an innovative hydraulic system to measure weight. Its light resistant materials make its relocation and installation an easy task, reducing costs by more than 32% with just 2% of the time currently needed to set up a truck scale. With 44% of goods transported by road in the EU and an annual growth of more than 3% expected in the global truck market from 2014 to 2024, Cogo estimates revenue of €466M with 15500 units sold after 5 years of commercialization and the payback period reached in one year.

The transition to a low carbon economy needs to achieve multiple aims: competitiveness, protection of the environment, creation of quality jobs, and social welfare. Thus policy-makers and other key stakeholders require tools that need to focus beyond the energy sector by including these other domains of economy, society and the environment. Currently, most available tools lack integration of these important areas despite being tightly connected to the energy sector. Moreover, current energy modelling tools often lack documentation, transparency and have been developed for a specialized insider audience, which makes validation and comparison of results as well as independent review impossible. Our project aims to solve the current needs of integration and transparency by developing a leading-edge policy modelling tool based on WoLiM, TIMES and LEAP models and incorporating Input-Output Analysis, that allows for accounting of environmental, social and economic impacts. The modular design of the tool will take into account the necessary flexibility to deal with different levels and interests of stakeholders at great sectorial and spatial detail. Finally, transparency will be achieved through an open access freeware distribution of the model based on the open access programming language (Python), providing a detailed user manual, addressed to a wider non-specialist audience, and including free internet courses and learning materials.

The Liftra self-hoisting crane (LSHC) enables significant cost savings on exchange of major components of wind turbines – which in turn reduces the cost of wind energy. With a crane that fits within a single 40 foot container, it is possible to change major components such as gearboxes and generators on wind turbines, with no restrictions on wind turbine height. Today there is more than 94.000 wind turbines installed worldwide in the size range from 1,4MW to 2,4MW, which is the current market range for the LSHC for changing of major components. Since each wind turbine conservatively requires minimum one major component exchange per 10 years, the market potential is between €235 million and €1,9 billion EUR per year in pure crane servicing costs. However, the value proposition of the LSHC does not only concern the existing market. The superior mobility of this technology enables major component service in remote areas with poor infrastructure and low access to large cranes. In turn this reduces the risk of installing wind turbines in less developed regions and may facilitate truly global expansion of wind energy. This far, the LSHC has been deployed project-to-project business model, according to which each commercial engagement is a unique solution, and based on thorough adaptation and testing on WT models. This approach is time consuming and very costly, thus, not scalable or replicable to global, mass markets. The project as a whole addresses the challenges of penetrating the market with an innovative new crane technology and allow fast scaling of the business worldwide to become the new industry standard through a mass customization-base business strategy. Successful project completion represents a significant business opportunity for our SME, with expected revenues of €125 million within 5 years, of which more than €22 million stand as direct profit. In addition, the successful market introduction of the LSHC is expected to create over 220 new jobs.

The Multi-Use in European Seas (MUSES) project will review existing planning and consenting processes against international quality standards for MSP and compliance with EU Directives used to facilitate marine and coastal development in the EU marine area to ensure that they are robust, efficient and facilitate sustainable multi use of marine resources. The project will build knowledge of the appropriate techniques to minimize barriers, impacts and risks, whilst maximising local benefits, reducing gaps in knowledge to deliver efficiencies through integrated planning, consenting processes and other techniques. MUSES Project - 3 main pillars: 1. Regional overviews which take into account EU sea basins (Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Eastern Atlantic) will be based on an analytical framework to facilitate adoption of a common approach across the sea basins. The progress in implementation of the concept of Multi-Uses in European Sea Basins will be assessed and key obstacles and drivers identified. 2. A comprehensive set of case studies of real and/or potential multi-use will be conducted and analysed to provide a complete spectrum of advantages in combining different uses of the sea. The case studies will create local stakeholder platforms to identify multi-use potentiality, opportunities and limitations. 3. Development of an Action Plan to address the challenges and opportunities for the development of Multi-Uses of oceans identified in the regional overviews and case studies. Provide recommendations for future action, taking into account national, regional and sea basin dimensions. The project will build on work undertaken in other studies including Mermaid, TROPOS, H2Ocean and SUBMARINER. MUSES project partners have direct links with related forums including The Ocean Energy Forum (OEF) which will assist understanding of many issues that need to be addressed at an EU level and could help facilitate and implement the OEF roadmap.

The Energy Union Framework Strategy laid out on 25 February 2015 has embraced a citizens-oriented energy transition based on a low-carbon transformation of the energy system. The success of the energy transition pillar in the Energy Union will hinge upon the social acceptability of the necessary reforms and on the public engagement in conceptualizing, planning, and implementing low carbon energy transitions. The ENABLE.EU project will aim to define the key determinants of individual and collective energy choices in three key consumption areas - transportation, heating & cooling, and electricity – and in the shift to prosumption (users-led initiatives of decentralised energy production and trade). The project will also investigate the interrelations between individual and collective energy choices and their impact on regulatory, technological and investment decisions. The analysis will be based on national household and business surveys in 11 countries, as well as research-area-based comparative case studies. ENABLE.EU aims to also strengthen the knowledge base for energy transition patterns by analysing existing public participation mechanisms, energy cultures, social mobilisation, scientists’ engagement with citizens. Gender issues and concerns regarding energy vulnerability and affluence will be given particular attention. The project will also develop participatory-driven scenarios for the development of energy choices until 2050 by including the findings from the comparative sociological research in the E3ME model created by Cambridge Econometrics and used extensively by DG Energy. The findings from the modelling exercise will feed into the formulation of strategic and policy recommendations for overcoming the gaps in the social acceptability of the energy transition and the Energy Union plan. Results will be disseminated to relevant national and EU-level actors as well as to the general public.

Much of the challenge for wind energy investors is that wind turbine technology is a capital-intensive industry. The capital costs of a wind power project can be broken down into several categories, where 13% is attributable to rotor blades, which become decisive in reducing costs. In order to increase the efficiency further, and to extract more energy, the trend is to make the turbines larger. However, as the length of current rotor blades increase, their associated cost and weight increase at a faster rate than the turbine’s potential power output, not being economically viable to produce turbines beyond a certain size. Furthermore, as blades get longer they are becoming increasingly difficult to manufacture and transport. In sum, the technical and commercial performance of wind turbines is currently limited by the rotor blade technology and to overcome this problem new design approaches and/or new materials and standardisation of production processes are needed. Leveraging on this market opportunity, Winfoor (WF) and Marstrom Composite (MC) are partnering to develop and introduce a new and ground-breaking technology to the wind energy market. The novel technology, Triblade, is a “3-in-1 blade” that will allow rotor blades to double current size and to reduce 80% weight, whilst reducing around 70% production costs and increasing ease of transport and installation. Commercialisation of Triblade will allow global wind manufacturers to produce larger and more efficient turbines, with simpler installation process and shorter time to market. The companies hold complementary skills, expertise and roles required to market this unique technology, being well positioned to guide Triblade to a sustained market entry and ceasing a market opportunity for an accumulated turnover of approx. €87 million in a period of 5 years.

In the current context of more than 50% dependency on energy imports, increasing fuel and electricity prices and climate change threats, Europe is in a great need to foster its internal production of renewable energy. Small wind can play an important role in meeting this challenge by providing reliable decentralized renewable energy. However, there are a number of technical and economic barriers the small wind industry needs to overcome in order to become fully competitive. These include low performances in urban environments with slow and turbulent winds, high noise levels, need for reliable safety systems to avoid over-speeding, risks to birds and high upfront investments for the purchase and installation of the technology. Existing market solutions only cover a certain range of wind speeds and have low performances in slow winds. They also cause uncomfortable noise with levels that can reach 60dBA - above WHO standards (40 – 55 dBA) - while posing a collision hazard for birds during flight. In economic terms, the average final installed costs of a small wind turbine are around €10,000 to €15,000. SEESWIND is the first technology in the small wind market that offers solutions to cover the full range of winds and user demands thanks to its modular and easy to install (plug & play) configuration, ensuring a silent (0 dBA), efficient and safe performance while reducing by 10-40% the overall final cost for the user. SEESWIND’s feasibility study will aim at exploring our commercial strategy, including the definition of modules with highest commercial interest, technical feasibility and markets analyses, as well as a ‘freedom to operate’ study, in order to define our SEESWIND business plan. SEESWIND will be out in the market by 2018 at a selling price of € 6,300. We expect a six fold increase of our sells between 2018 and 2023, which with a 30% margin will provide €9.3 million benefits in five years. This will allow a Return of Investment (ROI) rate of 3.4.