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The fifth Grid+Storage regional workshop was held in Madrid on 15 and 16 February 2016 with the support of the ERA-Net Smart Grids Plus initiative, where several smart grids and energy storage projects from Portugal and Spain were presented.

The Grid+Storage project’s consortium is formed by TECHNOFI, EASE, EDSO, ENTSO-E, RSE and VITO. They have been selected by the European Commission to support DG Energy and the Member States in defining a European R&D roadmap integrating energy storage into grid research and innovation activities, both at electricity transmission and distribution levels.

Four interactive sessions were held to discuss with the audience and with ENTSO-E, EDSO and EASE representatives about the lessons learnt by the projects presented and the future research and innovation topics to better integrate energy storage into the power system.
The partners of the LIFE ZAESS project attended the workshop to learn best practices for storage integration and to continue with the project’s networking activities. It is worth noting that, as a member of the European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE), CENER actively participates on the Grid+Storage project, and contributed to the workshop with a presentation.

www.gridplusstorage.eu

On October 28^th, technicians from Tecnicas Reunidas attended the presentation of the latest developments of the company Albufera Energy Storage. In front of a large group of experts and professionals in energy storage, the General Director, Joaquín Chacón, said the company expects the granting of a patent for a primary Aluminum-Air battery and is working on opening a new factory for the batteries. He also addressed the degree of development of several projects on the use of various battery types in which they work, as well as recent progress in its research and energy storage advisory.

Regarding the Aluminium-Air technology, it was explained that they have the potential to last eight times longer than lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric cars and smartphones or tablets, and are much lighter. Finally, the latest market products based on lead-acid batteries for renewable energy were presented.

Under the title “Innovative and future key factors in the field of environmental technologies and urban solutions“, BilbaoEkintza has organized four days in consecutive weeks oriented towards innovations that contribute to improve the efficient use of resources and thus promote a more sustainable development of our urban environments. The content of the four organized conferences, which took place at Yimby Bilbao, were focused on environment, mobility, energy and construction-rehabilitation. BilbaoEkintza is a Local Business Public Entity, which aims to generate economic and social wealth for the city.

Gabriel Garcia, technician of CENER presented the LIFE ZAESS project on October 29^th in the conference of energy. First, the background leading to develop this project was described, where the storage of energy on a large scale can complement the installation of new electricity transmission infrastructure to achieve greater penetration of renewables in the network. Then, an update of the project progress to date was presented, where the prototype nearing completion has a central role. Finally, the upcoming tasks were listed, including testing the prototype, and the organization of the mid-term workshop of LIFE ZAESS to be held in 2016.

Gabriel García, researcher of the Renewable Energy Grid Integration Department of CENER, participated on the past 15^th October in Madrid in a session titled “Energy storage: technologies and projects (AETP 2015)”, organized by Energetica XXI magazine.

In particular, CENER’s lecture addressed the characterization of the capabilities of the energy storage systems. One of the key issues for a increased deployment of these systems is the identification of appropriate business models for each technology and grid location. In the same way, the Grid Integration Department of CENER has developed a testing methodology that allows to validate the capabilities of a specific energy storage system, taking as a reference the existing standards and protocols. Likewise, it is possible to identify business models suitable for each storage technology and to evaluate its profitability.

As a practical case study, the activities of the LIFE ZAESS European project were described, where the case of a Zinc-Air flow battery developed by Técnicas Reunidas is studied.

The article “Proyecto LIFE ZAESS – Demostración de una batería de flujo Zinc-Aire para el almacenamiento de energía renovable” was published in the 58th number of Solar News magazine, corresponding to May-June. Along the article, the key facts of the zinc-air battery technology are explained, as well as the possibility of scaling this solution for the bulk storage of energy produced by renewables, and the possible applications for the grid.

Solar News is a magazine specialised in solar energy, both thermal and photovoltaic.

http://www.solarnews.es/es/edición-digital/

The IV Smart Grids Workshop 2015 was held on July 7 at the facilities of IMDEA Energy Institute in Madrid under the title “Energy Storage in the Smart Grids”. After visiting the institute laboratories, participants discussed in roundtables different aspects of energy storage in power grids.
The topics discussed included the commercial maturity of current technologies, business models and R&D challenges. Técnicas Reunidas attended the workshop and took the opportunity to disseminate the LIFE ZAESS project, which aims to demonstrate rechargeable zinc-air flow battery technology.

The conclusions of the workshop will help shape the agenda of the III Smart Grids Conference to be held in 2016.

For more information: www.smartgridsinfo.es

The European Commission has today approved funding for 225 new projects under the LIFE+ programme, the European Union’s environment fund. The projects selected were submitted by beneficiaries in all 28 Member States and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, climate change, environmental policy and information and communication on environmental issues across the EU. Overall, they represent a total investment of some €589.3 million, of which the EU will provide €282.6 million.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: “In the final year of the current programming period, the LIFE+ programme once again demonstrates its ability to deliver essential financial support for environmental and nature conservation projects with significant added value for the EU. These latest projects will make a vital contribution to the preservation, conservation and enhancement of Europe’s natural capital, as well as helping to achieve sustainable growth through investment in a low carbon and resource efficient economy. The widely acknowledged success of LIFE+ and its projects has ensured the recent adoption of a new LIFE Regulation for Environment and Climate Action, with an increased budget, for the period 2014-2020”

Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard said: “I am happy to see so many innovative projects also this year. And to make them happen, we will contribute with more than €41.2 million, with a total budget of €109.4 million. An ever rising share of LIFE projects is contributing to climate action. And we want to improve this even more: The new LIFE programme from 2014 to 2020 will foresee over 850 million Euros dedicated to climate action. This will roughly triple the amount which is spent on climate action.”

The Commission received 1 468 applications in response to its latest call for proposals, which closed in June 2013. Of these, 225 were selected for co-funding through the programme’s three components: LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity, LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance and LIFE+ Information and Communication.

LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance.

Source: European Commission press release