News at STRI

June 14, 2010 - A European centre for Smart Grids and electrical energy storage

EIT - European Institute of Technology and Innovation has within “Sustainable energy” designated “KIC InnoEnergy” as the new European consortium for innovative energy technologies, energy research and education. STRI will in close cooperation with the Royal Institute of technology and Uppsala University participate as network partner in the Swedish collocation center responsible for Smart Grids and electrical energy storage.

”KIC” stands for “Knowledge and Innovation Community” and “CC” for “Co-location Center”. EIT KIC InnoEnergy is the new European consortium for innovative energy technologies, energy research and education. The goals of KIC InnoEnergy perfectly match the requests of the EU Commission for sustainable energy and a climate neutral energy concept for Europe until 2050. The adopted technological approach covers the most challenging areas of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and addresses the transition of the system as a whole.

Each of the six KIC InnoEnergy co-location centres (CC) coordinates one important energy topic for all partners. CC Sweden is responsible for European Smart Electric Grid and Electric Storage. The purpose of the EU sponsored KICs is to increase the competitiveness of European innovations. The KICs are supposed to develop a whole new approach to innovations and to work with deeper integration of research, education and innovation. In “KIC InnoEnergy” the main partners - KTH, Uppsala University, ABB and Vattenfall - will be responsible for two fields of research: smart grids and electrical energy storage together with associated and network partners including STRI. This work will result in a centre of innovation in the field of environmental engineering and sustainable energy solutions, with events on both campuses.

Since STRI already are cooperating with KTH, Uppsala, Vattenfall and ABB within the High Voltage Valley project financed by the Swedish governmental agency Vinnova with the design of a Smart Grid Research Development & Demonstration platform including Energy Storage we can contribute to this much larger European initiative.