Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SALTOpower (European facility on Molten SALT technologies TO power and energy system applications)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-11-01 do 2025-10-31
The use of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) in combination with the thermal conversion of solar irradiation – Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) – has long been regarded as an important technological solution for the production of dispatchable electricity. Whereas thermal oil based systems have set the standard in the first generation of commercial CSP Plants, the use of Molten Salts as heat transfer and storage media has been gathering research efforts and is regarded, by the industry, as the foregoing standard for new commercial plants.
Molten Salt (MS) research has been deployed along the past decade in Germany and Italy, alongside with the erection of dedicated Research Infrastructure (RI) enabling the study and experimental test of e.g. materials, components or O&M procedures suiting this innovative technological approach. With the recent commissioning of a full-fledged Molten
Salt Solar system emulating a commercial MS-CSP Plant in Évora, Portugal has joined this research effort with a new outstanding RI in this field.
Gathering the unique experience of two non-Widening partners in the development and operation of the most important MS-RI at European level with the incumbent new RI capacity available in a Widening country, the present proposal aims at enhancing the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the Consortium in the foregoing exploitation of this
outstanding RI. SALTOpower has a strong focus on an enhanced capacity building of researchers going beyond purely scientific capacities, strengthening the research management and administration skills of the Widening RI.
By means of enhanced cooperation duly framed on a common research strategy aiming at further developing MS technologies, SALTOpower aims at creating the reference European facility for the development and testing of Molten Salt based technologies for energy storage and dispatchable power production solutions, for the integration of different renewable energy sources, power and gas grids.
Molten Salt (MS) research has been deployed along the past decade in Germany and Italy, alongside with the erection of dedicated Research Infrastructure (RI) enabling the study and experimental test of e.g. materials, components or O&M procedures suiting this innovative technological approach. With the recent commissioning of a full-fledged Molten
Salt Solar system emulating a commercial MS-CSP Plant in Évora, Portugal has joined this research effort with a new outstanding RI in this field.
Gathering the unique experience of two non-Widening partners in the development and operation of the most important MS-RI at European level with the incumbent new RI capacity available in a Widening country, the present proposal aims at enhancing the scientific excellence and innovation capacity of the Consortium in the foregoing exploitation of this
outstanding RI. SALTOpower has a strong focus on an enhanced capacity building of researchers going beyond purely scientific capacities, strengthening the research management and administration skills of the Widening RI.
By means of enhanced cooperation duly framed on a common research strategy aiming at further developing MS technologies, SALTOpower aims at creating the reference European facility for the development and testing of Molten Salt based technologies for energy storage and dispatchable power production solutions, for the integration of different renewable energy sources, power and gas grids.
The activities performed along the project followed closely what was envisaged in the work plan and supported the achievement of the project objectives upon the realization of concrete KPIs:
- To raise UÉVORA research profile by means of cutting-edge research with EU top-class partners: Beyond State-of-the-art know-how on SALTOpower research field has been developed in Tasks 2.1 and 2.2 (deliverable 2.1) grounding both the concept and engineering of a RI upgrade in Tasks 2.3 and 2.4 (deliverable 2.2) but also the submission of nine joint R&D proposals, as of the Proposal facility in Task 3.4;
- To raise the research, technical and administrative skills of UÉVORA staff: participation of technical staff in the Widening RI upgrade interface design (dimensioning, engineering), implementation of a project management framework (OpenProject and PM2) and capacitation of research staff in entrepreneurship by means of the Spin-Off facility and definition of a spin-off blueprint on the base of the upgraded RI services (5 spin-off seminars alongside ProMs #3 to #7, Spin-off facility support resources matrix; upgraded RI based pitch);
- To steer Career Building and attractiveness of Young Researchers to UÉVORA: development of Training, Tutoring and Mentoring of candidate and young researchers, with organization of 3 editions of a Fast-Track School and related training materials, as well as cross-partner tutoring and mentoring activities supported by ca 45 Person-Week of mobilities, engaging e total of 6 candidate researchers developing JRA related PhDs (2 at the Widening institution) (deliverables 3. and 3.2) submission of 4 ERC Starting Grants by engaged Young Researchers (3 at the widening institution), as well as the promotion of networking by means of a mentoring program included in the Living Amenities platform (Task 3.6);
- To enhance the networking of UÉVORA in scientific and Industry fora: Enhancing the Widening participation profile in EERA JP-CSP with Continued participation in EERA JP-CSP activities (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP5 and SP6) and participation in the event "SUPEERA: Bringing research and industry closer" (Almeria, November’22); enhancing the Widening participation profile in SolarPACES with participation in 3 SolarPACES Conferences, 2023-24-25, participation as invited observer in ExCo meeting in Brussels, April’24 and request for Portuguese adhesion to the TCP (pending of decision) with organization of ExCo meeting scheduled to March’26 in Evora, as well as adhesion to Solar Heat Europe; organization of Symposium to Technology developers and technology off takers, with the engagement of such stakeholders in the Energy Transition and Energy Strategy Symposia, as well as with the participation in the Industrial Fair ENERH2O (Porto, Sept’25).
The execution of the project excelled in a number of KPIs, distributed by all the project objectives, leaving a lasting impact at the Widening institution in all the dimensions foreseen in the project: increased number of research proposals with international consortia engaging industry; increased number of industry service proposals; increased range of RI services; new project management capabilities; increased human capacitation among technicians and researchers - especially young researchers; enlarged networking with new participation in international fora; widened dissemination of scientific results, RI assets and R&D strategy at regional, national and international levels.
- To raise UÉVORA research profile by means of cutting-edge research with EU top-class partners: Beyond State-of-the-art know-how on SALTOpower research field has been developed in Tasks 2.1 and 2.2 (deliverable 2.1) grounding both the concept and engineering of a RI upgrade in Tasks 2.3 and 2.4 (deliverable 2.2) but also the submission of nine joint R&D proposals, as of the Proposal facility in Task 3.4;
- To raise the research, technical and administrative skills of UÉVORA staff: participation of technical staff in the Widening RI upgrade interface design (dimensioning, engineering), implementation of a project management framework (OpenProject and PM2) and capacitation of research staff in entrepreneurship by means of the Spin-Off facility and definition of a spin-off blueprint on the base of the upgraded RI services (5 spin-off seminars alongside ProMs #3 to #7, Spin-off facility support resources matrix; upgraded RI based pitch);
- To steer Career Building and attractiveness of Young Researchers to UÉVORA: development of Training, Tutoring and Mentoring of candidate and young researchers, with organization of 3 editions of a Fast-Track School and related training materials, as well as cross-partner tutoring and mentoring activities supported by ca 45 Person-Week of mobilities, engaging e total of 6 candidate researchers developing JRA related PhDs (2 at the Widening institution) (deliverables 3. and 3.2) submission of 4 ERC Starting Grants by engaged Young Researchers (3 at the widening institution), as well as the promotion of networking by means of a mentoring program included in the Living Amenities platform (Task 3.6);
- To enhance the networking of UÉVORA in scientific and Industry fora: Enhancing the Widening participation profile in EERA JP-CSP with Continued participation in EERA JP-CSP activities (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP5 and SP6) and participation in the event "SUPEERA: Bringing research and industry closer" (Almeria, November’22); enhancing the Widening participation profile in SolarPACES with participation in 3 SolarPACES Conferences, 2023-24-25, participation as invited observer in ExCo meeting in Brussels, April’24 and request for Portuguese adhesion to the TCP (pending of decision) with organization of ExCo meeting scheduled to March’26 in Evora, as well as adhesion to Solar Heat Europe; organization of Symposium to Technology developers and technology off takers, with the engagement of such stakeholders in the Energy Transition and Energy Strategy Symposia, as well as with the participation in the Industrial Fair ENERH2O (Porto, Sept’25).
The execution of the project excelled in a number of KPIs, distributed by all the project objectives, leaving a lasting impact at the Widening institution in all the dimensions foreseen in the project: increased number of research proposals with international consortia engaging industry; increased number of industry service proposals; increased range of RI services; new project management capabilities; increased human capacitation among technicians and researchers - especially young researchers; enlarged networking with new participation in international fora; widened dissemination of scientific results, RI assets and R&D strategy at regional, national and international levels.
As a result f the Joint Research Activity, the definition of a "beyond State-of-the-Art" approach to the use of Molten Salts in:
- the development of thermochemical production of biomass feedstock valorization and;
- Carnot battery concepts;
has been achieved and reported in Deliverable 2.1.
Aiming at widening the services provided by SALTOpower related Research Infrastructure available at the Widening institution, an RI upgrade has been engineered and is under commissioning, which includes remote access and multi-site service abilities in cooperation within the Consortia RIs framework.
- the development of thermochemical production of biomass feedstock valorization and;
- Carnot battery concepts;
has been achieved and reported in Deliverable 2.1.
Aiming at widening the services provided by SALTOpower related Research Infrastructure available at the Widening institution, an RI upgrade has been engineered and is under commissioning, which includes remote access and multi-site service abilities in cooperation within the Consortia RIs framework.