• Energy Research
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Offshore Kinetics (OK), an innovative Norwegian SME, has developed a game changing offshore floating wind turbine support structure that will optimise installation, commissioning, operation (maintenance) and decommissioning of wind farms. OKs patented column, stabilization tank, universal joint and anchor provides an effective “all in one” deployment of wind turbines. The concept is considerably more cost efficient than the leading models on floating wind turbines in the world today, and will reduce both Capex an Opex of wind farms. Offshore Kinetics’ overall objective is to upscale, demonstrate, and commercialize our patented Wind Turbine Support Structure (WTSS) solution in the offshore wind market

Wind Power brings the lowest cost of electricity generation of the renewable energy technologies available today. This fact has positioned the wind energy as the most promising renewable energy technologies to power our future: up to 12% of global electricity by 2020 will be supplied by wind reducing CO2 emissions by more than 1.5 billion tons per year, more than 5 times actual level. Although the cost of electricity from onshore wind power is already at very low level, wind energy poses new challenges such as a limited number of available sites with suitable wind speed, location, and access, limited predictability and short-/long-term variability. And this is why; investments in specialised low wind turbines and in the utilisation of smart grid systems vs. current power generation facilities are key to efficiently and reliably improve the utilisation of wind systems. Moreover, the small wind turbine sector continues to develop growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.4% (global cumulative installed capacity of 4.8GW by 2025). In this scenario, Alfapress and Sidac find their major business opportunity with VENTURAS focused on small consumers. VENTURAS is a small (gearless) wind turbine that comprises 3 rotor blades that can change its aerodynamic surface over time (variable twist and active pitch control). Hence, the power production of the turbine is maximized and at the same time the operating loads are reduced. It is suitable for low/very low wind speed locations having an exclusive capacity factor (Cp) and, thus, the merest cost of energy. With the market launch of VENTURAS wind turbine, Alfapress and Sidac plan to gain market share within the EU small wind industry for microgeneration capacities (from 5kW to 60kW): 1) initially in 2020 in our home market, Italy and UK, 2) to expand sales to Germany, Denmark, and Spain in 2021, 3) Then to other countries. In doing so, our consortium will create over 82 jobs and generate 36.82M€ market opportunity.

The main objective of the project is the organization of the international conference 10th Year Anniversary SET Plan - Central European Energy Conference 2017. The 10th Year Anniversary SET Plan conference will be once again conjoined with the 11th annual Central European Energy Conference (CEEC 2017) and organised in Bratislava, Slovakia. The conference has an ambition to create a prestige international platform offering a floor for open discussion about the most important issues regarding current EU energy policy and research and innovation policy between relevant stakeholders. The conference will examine achievements in the implementation of the Energy Union with a special focus on the Low Mobility Package, State of Play of the negotiations of the 2016 Winter Packages, and the outcome of the 2017 Tour of Europe. In particular, the research and innovation achievements in Europe in the past 10 years that have supported the development of clean, sustainable, efficient and affordable energy technologies for low carbon energy systems in Europe. The conference will pay special attention to evaluation of the role of Central European member states, including their contribution to the implementation of the goals of the Energy Union and the Integrated SET-Plan. The conference will bring together researchers and policymakers from various member states, in particular, from the region of Central Europe, as well as a range of stakeholders from international organizations, research organisations, business, municipalities and civil society to encourage open debate around key energy issues. The program of the conference will consist of ten main panels, five parallel workshops held in a form of dinner sessions, poster session, and will also include side events.