Three projects that EnergyVille has submitted for the Energy Transition Fund, which falls under the authority of the Minister for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Marie Christine Marghem, have recently been approved. The transition fund is intended to encourage research and development in the field of energy, more specifically in the production and storage of energy. The three approved projects that EnergyVille's research partners KU Leuven, VITO, imec and UHasselt will work on are Neptune, BREGILAB and EPOC.
Neptune: European electric super highway at sea
The Neptune project will examine the development of the future European electricity grid for offshore renewable energy (primarily wind, but also other energy sources and storage). Such a power grid will in the long term be rolled out to a large extent with direct current technology instead of the usual alternating current technology. The project focuses on cost-efficient planning of a power grid at sea, with attention for reliability, protection and interoperability.
BREGILAB: Maximal use of solar and wind energy
The BREGILAB project investigates how a maximal use of solar and wind energy can practically be realized at minimal cost for grid expansion and batteries, by means of a grid injection limit. In addition, an optimal dimensioning of storage and geographical distribution of renewable energy is being considered. In this way, the project is an essential element to prepare Belgium for the further rollout of solar and on shore wind energy in the coming decades.
EPOC: Energy in 2030 and 2050
The goal of the EPOC 2030-2050 project is to support policy makers and stakeholders in the energy transition in Belgium with a focus on 2030 and 2050. The project team aims to develop and implement energy system models to scientifically support a realistic, sustainable and cost-efficient energy future in Belgium, with security of supply being a key element. This project unites for the first time more than fourteen Belgian energy-related institutes, accounting together for over 400 scientists and energy experts from the Flemish, Brussels and Walloon region.
Towards a low-carbon energy future in Belgium
Through these three projects, EnergyVille will contribute to a low-carbon energy future in Belgium. Ronnie Belmans: "We are pleased that we have once again gained the confidence of the federal government and we are happy with the acknowledgment that we are on the right track with our chosen research paths".