SPIRE 2 project will increase the region’s Research and Innovation (R&I) capacity by creating a cross border Virtual Research Graduate School in Mass Energy Storage (MES). It will boost collaboration between Research Institutes and SMEs and intensify technological innovation and commercialisation in the region. The project will focus on how the wide-scale deployment of MES can allow very high levels of renewable energy to be integrated into power grids globally.
Key objectives - Technical Work Packages
These key objectives will be addressed and implemented through 5 technical Work Packages (WPs 3-7) as part of the project delivery model.
These are:
Market Models
WP 3 - Market Models will aim to develop models of the new electricity markets to inform investment decisions, inform system operators and governments on the potential benefits of MES; quantify how MES could benefit the region as a whole.
Energy Storage Technology
WP 4 - Energy Storage Technology will aim to optimise existing distributed energy storage technologies for new electricity markets and develop new technologies to achieve greater market penetration.
Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) Sources
WP 5 – Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) Sources will aim to quantify the decline in performance of VRE generators in harsh environmental conditions over their full lifetime and develop whole-life energy storage sizing solutions.
Implementation
WP 6 – Implementation will aim to identify and evaluate a range of approaches to integrate distributed energy storage systems into industry, communities, rural businesses and homes. This is addressed by WP6 which draws on knowledge of WP5 and both acts upon and serves WP3 (Market Models) and WP4 (Energy Storage).
Business Models and Standardisation
WP 7- Business Models and Standardisation will aim to develop standards for MES and their use these to inform policy/strategy for deployment; create education and research pathways to commercialise technologies and generate new businesses.
Supporting Work Packages
The technical Work Packages will be supported by the management and communication Work Packages. These are:
Project Mobilisation/ Management
WP 1 – Project Mobilisation/ Management activity will aim to supervise the financial, time and output targets of the project overseen by the lead partner Ulster University.
The role will also encompass the day to day management of the project and partners and the direction of financial and milestone activity.
Point of Contact: Steven Devlin – Project Manager
Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation
WP2 - Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation will aim to coordinate communication activities with the Project Manager and Project Lead and across the project partners and to internal and external stakeholders.
The activity will also encompass the creation of education and research pathways to commercialise technologies and generate new business and the facilitation of economic growth through the supply of highly-educated energy professionals able to transform research ideas into commercial reality.
Point of Contact: Dominic McLarnon – Commercialisation Manager