Optimising manufacturing and system operation

Proposals will address one of the following sub-topics:

• Monitoring system for marine energy (ocean and offshore wind): New intelligent sensors, fault detection and communication systems for accurate condition and structural health monitoring will enable predictive and preventive Operation and preventive Maintenance processes, crucial for innovative wind and ocean farm control and the realization of virtual power plants. Sufficient knowledge of potential failures and the right tools to detect and locate failures are crucial.
• Geothermal fluids: Better understanding of the chemical and physical properties of these fluids (including super-hot and hot fluids) as transport media is necessary to optimize site development and operation.
• Photovoltaics: Development of innovative crystalline silicon wafer growth techniques to produce high-efficiency solar cells and modules.

Proposals are expected to bring the technologies from TRL 3-4 to TRL 4-5 (please see part G of the General Annexes).

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 3 to 5 million would allow this challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Renewable electricity technologies still require optimisation in several key processes of the respective value chains in order to achieve a more efficient conversion of their primary energy source into electricity, as agreed with the sectorial stakeholders in the context of the SET-Plan and stated in the respective Declarations of Intent.

The improved performance of manufacturing processes and system operation is expected to lead to increased efficiency of the system and/or reduced operational costs of the renewable technologies.