Projetos I&D na Semana da Ciência & Tecnologia 2016
Cátedra Energias Renováveis

• O Alentejo e a Energia Solar de Concentração

Financiamento: FCT (em aprovação) | Coordenador: Manuel Collares Pereira

· Desenvolvimento conceptual, através do estudo e desenvolvimento de novas soluções óticas que permitam um aumento da eficiência da conversão térmica a diferentes temperaturas (e aplicações), não descurando os aspetos relacionados com o desenvolvimento de produto (e.g. fabrico, custos);

· Estudo de aplicações para diferentes temperaturas, incluindo a sua demonstração em soluções integradas suprindo diferentes necessidades (e mercados);

A INIESC integra duas instituições: a Universidade de Évora (UEvora) e o Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, IP (LNEG) - detentoras, nas suas unidades de Energia Solar, das competências e infraestruturas mais relevantes neste domínio em Portugal; é desejável e provável que outras instituições se integrem no INIESC, no futuro.

• DNI-A | Medição e avaliação da radiação solar directa no Alentejo: a sua interação com efeitos locais e respectivas implicações no mapeamento regional deste recurso energético (DNI-ALENTEJO )

Dar continuidade e alargar a operação duma rede de estações meteorológicas já existente, concebida e implementada para estudos sobre radiação solar direta, Global e Difusa e, ainda, outras variáveis meteorológicas que potenciem o conhecimento e o investimento no sector energético (solar e termoeléctrico) e ambiental na região Alentejo. Esta recolha de dados e a sua análise com vista ao desenvolvimento de modelos de previsão de radiação solar ( e outras grandezas) a longo, médio  e a curto prazo com qualidade estatística adequada,  é essencial para se evidenciar o Alentejo como região de excelência para Energia Solar a nível nacional e internacional, em particular para a afirmação do nosso excelente potencial face ao do Sul da Espanha, com vista ao desenvolvimento do futuro mercado de calor de processo e de termoeletricidade solar na região. A presente operação enquadra-se na Estratégia Regional de Especialização Inteligente do Alentejo procurando melhorar o desempenho do sistema regional de inovação, explorar a área emergente da energia solar, procurando a cooperação entre recursos e atividades económicas, assim como promover a construção coletiva de vantagens competitivas tanto a nível económico como de conhecimento. Para tal serão usados os recursos da Universidade de Évora parte fundamental do Sistema Científico e Tecnológico Regional e que definiu como uma das suas áreas âncora, Agricultura, Alimentação e Ambiente , na qual a presente operação se insere.

• PREFLEX MS | Predictable Flexible Molten Salts Solar Power Plant

Financiamento: H2020 | Investigador Responsável: Manuel Collares Pereira

Predictability and flexibility are key enablers to increase CSP penetration in the energy mix by a) increasing dispatchability b) making CSP less/not reliant on subsidies c) supporting stable grid operation d) enabling operators to access new revenue streams (electricity trading, ancillary services). Today CSP plants with molten salt storage only partly achieve these objectives. Key enabling technologies to be demonstrated and introduced in the market are 1) design and operation of molten salt once-through steam generator – This will allow fully flexible plant operation;

2) design and implementation of integrated weather forecasting and dispatch optimization – This will allow optimal management of the energy storage to maximize revenues while respecting constraints/commitments (e.g. to the grid). Towards 1), an innovative design approach is proposed, integrating process and equipment design with dynamic simulation of the system. Proven technologies in separate fields (molten salt ; once-through steam generator ; optimum control) will be for the first time integrated and demonstrated. Towards 2), different approaches to DNI forecasting (direct; mesoscale models) will be integrated to extend geographical coverage and improve reliability. Dispatch optimization under conditions of uncertainty (weather forecast) and perturbations (e.g. grid support requests) will be developed. Furthermore, automatic plant performance characterization by machine learning will be implemented to ensure a real optimum is achieved. For succesfull market introduction, a down-scale pilot will be realized.

Here, integrated operation of once-through steam generator, weather forecast and dispatch optimization will be demonstrated. CSP will undergo large growth in developing markets, where grid constraints and market liberalization will play a role. Developint these key-enabling technologies will put european industries in the position to compete at the forefront in the market worldwide.

• MASLOWATEN | MArket uptake of an innovative irrigation Solution based on LOW WATer-Energy consumption

Financiamento: H2020 | Investigador Responsável: Manuel Collares Pereira

The world of irrigation requires innovative solutions, less water and energy dependant. UPM developed in 2013 solutions for large power photovoltaic (PV) pumping systems at TRL5 that was successfully tested in a real Irrigators Community (IC) of Alto Vinalopó (Spain). The results showed great technical reliability (solving the problem of the variability of solar energy), matching the IC irrigation needs just with the solar electricity (thanks to sun-tracking systems) and reducing dramatically the cost of energy (60% regarding the conventional grid consumption)In parallel, ELAIA has integrated systems with, in one hand, automatisms and ICT solutions that reduce the water consumption (30%) detecting in real-time the actual needs of the specific crop in a certain moment, and in the other hand, low pressure systems that reduce the energy needsThis project proposes activities to integrate both developments at a TRL9 for the first application and market replication of a new green product at TRL9 consisting of PV pumping systems for productive agriculture irrigation consuming zero conventional electricity and 30% less waterMain objectives:1) To show the technical and economical viability of efficient and intermittency-free large scale PV pumping systems for irrigation allowing 100% renewable energy consumption, 2) To reduce the water consumption, using Automatisms and ICT and Precision Agriculture-based solutions, 3)Market uptake and market replication of a new green product for irrigation at TRL9 consuming 100% renewable electricity and 30% less waterThe expected impact is, first, the market penetration of this innovative solution through five real scale first market systems (in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Morocco) and other technical, economical and diseemination actions for the market uptake. And second, the generation of a real market of 6GW of large-scale systems meaning a real business of 9000M€. MASLOWATEN is the initiative of an AG of EIP Water (PVAIZEC).

• NEWSOL | New StOrage Latent and sensible concept for high efficient CSP Plants

Financiamento: H2020 | Investigador Responsável: Manuel Collares Pereira

 NewSOL addresses the specific challenge towards high efficiency solar energy harvesting by advance materials solutions and architectures that are in line with those specified in SET-plan. Its main objective is to develop advance materials solutions based on innovative storage media and concepts for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) up to validation in field of their performance by real time monitoring. This will be supported by an innovative thermal energy storage design based on the combination of new functional and advanced materials, like heat thermal fluid, sensible and latent energy storage media and insulating materials, into two innovative plant storage systems. Moreover, investments foreseen at prototype level will be integrated into EMSP, part of the European Research Infrastructure Network, a research-enabling platform EU-Solaris, thus, NewSOL legacy will be a strength for the future of the European Renewable Energy Industry.