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The Energy Saving Trust.
11. Research, development and demonstration
Objective: to promote a strategic approach to research and development of renewable energy so that Scotland capitalises on its current strengths and becomes a European and world leader?
Summary of actions
- The recently formalised Energy Technology Partnership ( ETP) draws together all the key Scottish university based research and development teams involved in energy technologies.
- The ETP is well engaged with other major Research Pooling entities to bring major Scottish multidisciplinary research capability to bear on energy R&D e.g. advanced materials, bio-energy, energy economics.
- The ETP has strong engagement with industry (large and SME scaled oil/gas, network, renewable and other energy relevant sectors) at a leadership level thus connecting ETP activities to sustainable economic development and corporate competitiveness.
- Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International are making increasing use of the ETP to support dialogue with existing and prospective inwardly investing energy related companies. This has become part of the ETP mission.
- The Scottish Government is taking steps to establish a Scottish European Green Energy Centre ( SEGEC).
- The ETP and SEGEC are developing a strategy for deeper engagement with the energy elements of the EU's seventh framework programme on research and development, including new funding applications in 2008.
- SEGEC and Scottish Enterprise are promoting a project to develop links with energy clusters in Stavanger and Groningen as well as Denmark and Germany designed to promote diversification from oil and gas into green energy.
- The Scottish Government has proposed to lead a project under the Intelligent Energy Programme to develop a good practice manual on onshore and offshore wind and the environment.
- The Scottish Government is leading cooperation on subsea grid issues with Irish Sea and North Sea partners, and linking to the emerging concept of a North Sea Initiative: Centres of Excellence in Renewables ( NICER).
11.1 Scottish energy research is world class and world-recognised. Our acknowledged research strength in energy includes electrical power networks and petroleum engineering but also now embraces cutting-edge research and demonstration in renewable wind, wave and tidal power, low carbon energy solutions such as carbon capture and storage, and demand-side technologies.
11.2 The ETP academic partners collectively lead the largest portfolio of EPSRC Supergen Programmes including: Future Networks, Marine Energy; Wind Technology; Hydrogen; Highly Distributed Power Systems; Flexible Networks; Energy Storage; Energy Infrastructure. Strathclyde, Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt have successfully attracted two EPSRC Science and Innovation Awards in an Integrated Energy Initiative (networks and demand reduction) and Carbon Capture and Storage.
11.3. The work of our leading universities in energy research is informed by the Scottish Government's policy objectives in pursuit of sustainable economic growth and the development of the knowledge economy, taking advantage of new economic opportunities and access to overseas markets. A number of research exploitation activities are underway through Scottish Enterprise interventions such as Proof of Concept and RSE/ SE Fellowships, with several KTP programmes also in place on energy technologies.
11.4. Collaboration is at the heart of Scotland's research success. The recently formalised Energy Technology Partnership ( ETP) http://www.etp-scotland.ac.uk/ focuses on universities in the cities of Glasgow (Strathclyde), Aberdeen (Aberdeen and RGU) and Edinburgh (Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt) but also draws together all the key Scottish university based research and development teams involved in energy technologies ( e.g. fuel cell research in St Andrews) and is linked to key universities in England and abroad. The Partnership is founded on the principle of research pooling, and acts as a common platform for seeking funding from UK and international funding bodies and industry.
11.5. The Partnership is supported by an advisory committee on which industry bodies are represented. A supervisory body involving Government, other parts of the public sector and key industry figures is also being established.
11.6. The work of the universities and ETP is also complemented by the Intermediate Technology Institute for Energy - ITI Energy - which identifies technologies required to address future global market opportunities then funds and manages research and development programmes and the subsequent commercial exploitation of new intellectual property.
Scottish European Green Energy Centre ( SEGEC)
11.6. The Scottish Government is taking steps to establish a Scottish European Green Energy Centre ( SEGEC). This Centre will work with European partners to promote the deployment of renewable and low carbon technology in support of the new Energy Policy for Europe ( EPE), which seeks to move Europe to a common energy policy focusing on renewable and low carbon energy systems within an interconnected single market.
11.7. The aim of the Scottish European Green Energy Centre is to develop networks and partnerships with research and deployment bodies for green energy in like minded countries designed to promote the deployment of green energy technologies. It is building on the many existing European wide projects under way in which Scottish partners are playing a full part and developing them into new and strengthened joint projects which contribute towards the new targets of the EPE. It will also disseminate throughout Europe the results of this work, and hold seminars and conferences for academics and practitioners.
11.8. Its tasks are:
- Development of joint projects in green energy research and deployment;
- EU-wide dissemination of results of existing and new projects, through web, conferences and seminars;
- Engaging industry in participation in such cross border activity;
- Obtaining funding for these activities through EU programmes.
11.9. Its key objectives are:
Aims
- To promote the internationalisation of sustainable energy research;
- To foster good practice in the development and deployment of green energy;
- To support sustainable economic growth and the EU's sustainable energy targets;
Specific Objectives
- Forming an alliance of Atlantic partners to raise the importance of marine and tidal energy research and development;
- Promoting offshore wind development and deployment;
- Promoting long distance supergrid development and smart distribution grids;
- Developing partnerships on key policy priorities such as carbon capture and storage, and renewable heat;
- Leading work on tackling policy and administrative barriers to deployment of renewable energies.
SCOTTISH EUROPEAN
Green Energy Center
Europe and Scotland
Making it work together
11.10. The SEGEC will be a self standing body led by a practitioner with experience in green energy development in Europe and contain a number of development and promotion staff. It will be managed by a board representing the various stakeholders. It is working in partnership with the newly established Energy Technology Partnership, which draws together the extensive experience and strengths in Scottish Universities with hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. It is also working closely with the Scottish Government, Scotland Europa and the Scottish Enterprise Energy Team/ HIE as well as with Scottish industry. The Centre will be based in Aberdeen.
11.11. The key activities we are developing this year are:
- working with the Energy Technology Partnership to develop a strategy for deeper engagement with the energy elements of the EU's seventh framework programme on research and development. The key elements of this strategy will include developing a leading role in respect of marine and tidal research with Atlantic partners, building on existing activity in respect of offshore wind, developing work on smart grids and long distance sub sea transmission and developing active partnerships on carbon capture and storage;
- promoting a project to develop links with energy clusters in Stavanger and Groningen as well as Denmark and Germany designed to promote diversification from oil and gas into green energy;
- offering to lead a project under the Intelligent Energy Programme to develop a good practice manual on onshore and offshore wind and the environment;
- developing ways in which the Centre can support the current projects to cooperate on subsea grid issues with Irish Sea and North Sea partners, and the linked concept of a North Sea Initiative: Centres of Excellence in Renewables ( NICER).
- promoting wider contact between Scottish business and researchers and European counterparts, including study visits on Carbon Capture and Storage and bringing into Scotland European expertise on renewable heat.
11.12. A business plan for the running of the Centre is currently in preparation, with the aim that it be supported by a combination of funding from European, public and private sources. Further details will be announced in late 2008.
Questions for debate
- How can we promote a strategic approach to research and development of renewable energy so that Scotland capitalises on its current strengths and becomes a European and world leader?
- How can we make sure that partnerships with European and world bodies act to promote Scottish and wider interests in this area?
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