Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)
Deadline: Tuesday 18th of April, 2023
Projects are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:
- Demonstration of hybrid energy storage technologies for long duration storage (from at least 12 hours to days) and provision of multiple grid services with improved technical performances (increased power and energy density with respect to single electrical energy storage system +20%, reduced storage system losses -10%, improved HESS cycle life +15%, improved reliability and availability +15%), sustainability, as well as increased safety during operation, transport and storage.
- Enable improved levelized cost of storage supported by design optimisation and optimal service stacking, putting the cost of storage on the path to fall below 0.05 €/kWh/cycle by 2030 (for storage durations > 12 hours) while reducing the use of critical raw materials (CRMs).
- Creating synergies between producers and strengthening the European Battery Ecosystem, improving the European battery value chain and thus contributing to the EU climate neutrality objectives.
- Increasing digitalisation of energy storage systems from design to operation phase enabling a faster development and optimal use in grid applications.
- The establishment of multi-service approaches to energy storage reducing costs and increasing benefits for the European electricity system.
- Promoting an increased reliability and resilience of the electricity system by demonstrating new multi-purpose energy storage solutions.
Scope:
The objective is to design and demonstrate in at least three different use cases a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) capable of long duration storage and provision of multiple services for supporting the electrical grid and EV charging infrastructure.
In particular, proposals are expected to:
- Design and demonstrate a sustainable and safe HESS either combining different battery technologies, including next-gen technologies, or combining batteries and other electrostatic/electrochemical storage technologies (e.g., supercapacitors) aiming at providing long duration storage while ensuring the possibility of service-stacking and enabling ultra-fast services. Use of second life battery modules is within the scope. The proposed storage solution should be scalable and modular and show clear innovation with respect to the state of the art (new materials or new designs), always bearing in mind the objectives of sustainability and performance. Proper power conversion devices should be selected or customized for enabling an efficient operation of the hybrid storage in grid-connected, grid-following and grid-forming modes.
- Perform a life cycle assessment of the HESS starting from the design phases to ensure its sustainability along the entire value chain, also avoiding, whenever possible, or limiting the use of CRMs.
- Develop physics-based and data-driven digital models of HESS supporting optimal design, and real-time management and diagnosis as well as facilitating the inclusion of storage in grid-planning processes considering forecasted weather conditions, production and consumption. Models should allow the combination of different battery technologies based on specific use cases.
- Develop and validate management policies and control systems (battery management systems and energy management systems) for HESS that maximise the benefits of a hybrid storage, facilitate asset management and participation in electricity and service markets. Pending amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive to be taken into account in development of the BMS.
- Demonstrate HESS usage in at least three different use cases in collaboration with relevant stakeholders (e.g., DSO, EV charging infrastructure owners) and its integration in standard grid architectures (Smart Grids Architecture Model – SGAM) ensuring interoperability for most use cases of energy storage systems (e.g., provision of services to the European grid, supporting islanded and weak distribution grids, load levelling for charging stations).
- Analyse business cases of the proposed hybrid solution considering electricity and balancing markets of three representative EU Member States/Associated Countries, also assessing the applications where HESS provides improved techno-economic performances compared to non-is hybridized storage systems.
Proposals are expected to establish links with projects funded under the following topic: HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-01-10 – Interoperable solutions for flexibility services using distributed energy storage.
The selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative[1], actively participate to its activities and allocate up to 2% of their budgets to that end. Additional contributions to the ‘Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation’ (AIOTI) and other relevant activities (e.g. clusters of digital projects and coordinating actions) might be considered, when relevant.
Plans for the exploitation and dissemination of results for proposals submitted under this topic should include a strong business case and sound exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. The exploitation plans should include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).
International cooperation with USA, Australia, Africa or India is encouraged.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Read more about this funding opportunity here.