Smart grid competence hub for boosting research, innovation and educational capacities for energy transition

Project Information

SMAGRINET

Grant agreement ID: 837626

DOI

10.3030/837626

Project closed

EC signature date 18 March 2019

Start date 1 April 2019

End date 31 March 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 1 999 750,00

EU contribution

€ 1 999 750,00

Coordinated by

TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOL
Estonia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SMAGRINET (Smart grid competence hub for boosting research, innovation and educational capacities for energy transition)

Reporting period: 2020-10-01 to 2022-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

During the second reporting period, SMAGRINET had to finalize the following objectives:

The long-term strategic objective of the project is to develop a generation of researchers and engineers who are equipped to develop, improve and deploy new energy technologies, and are able to meet the challenges of
the energy transition.

Direct objective: to create smart grid competence hub for enhancing the capacities of the European universities in energy research, innovation and education and engaging with industry, cities, regions and other key societal
actors.

Operational objective: to update, develop and implement a capacity building programme for boosting the research, innovation and education for energy transition.


Sub-objective 1:

All of the required outputs were delivered and completed:
• Map of the stakeholders
• Competence hub for collaboration and networking
• Validation of skills, competences and needs for responding to the urgent European industry needs
• Validation of the needs for training the trainers
• Matrix of challenges and cases
• Network building and experience exchange activities with competence hub participants

Sub-objective 2:
All of the required outputs were delivered and completed:
• A set of 3 challenge and case-based modules complemented by simulation session and mobility programme, targeted to the master level students (MA, MSc or ME) involving
SSH and industry
• 240 master students educated in the 2 rounds of piloting, 150 out of them in simulation sessions and 60 out of them in the mobility to industry

Sub-objective 3:

All of the required outputs were delivered and completed:
• 3 short-term (3 months) blended learning programmes:
○ Continuing education course for current electrical engineering workforce from industry;
○ Continuing education courses for engineering researchers;
○ Continuing education course for broader public (decision makers, managers, researchers having background other than engineering, future students);

Sub-objective 4:

All of the required outputs were delivered and completed:
• Roadmap for replication
• 4 online methodological manuals for the trainers
• 50 engineering trainers trained during the train-the trainers’ pilot
• Exploitation plan

Sub-objective 5:

All of the required outputs were delivered and completed:
• Strategic Dissemination and Communication plan
• Online portal • Dissemination and communication activities
• Annual conferences
• Dissemination and communication programme reaching out (at least) to 100 energy communities, 5.000 related stakeholders and 100.000 general public.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

MAIN OUTPUTS FROM M19 UNTIL M36

Main results achieved regarding WP1

Organization of the consortium flow during the extension process along with man-agement and Advisory Board (AB) meetings.
The last AB and project management meeting took place in M36. The final Project Management plan was finalized in M27.

Main results achieved regarding WP2

Taking into consideration that most of the network building was performed during the 1st reporting period of the project, the main
contextual report that was created under WP2 was the Report on The Network Building and Experience Exchange Activities (D2.4)in M36
which summarized the former achievements under WP2.

Main results achieved regarding WP3

The three challenge and case-based modules were continued to be taught in the university programs to teach students about operational problems
combining the social, technological and industrial dimension.
The university semesters showed low attendance in the universities during the Covid-19 high tide
periods an due to that some of the university partners performed more than 2 piloting sessions in order to achieve the 240 KPI set in the GA during the project.
In an intense timeline schedule, the SMAGRINET Mobility programme activities took place from July 2021 until March 2022, preceded by preparation in close collaboration with industry and universities.


Main results achieved regarding WP4

The second half of the program was focused on reaching the stakholders for whom the short-term programs were designed for. One key partner was the Estonian Ministry of Education
with whom SMAGRINET was able to adapt the short-term programs into the ministries official reeducational program and becoming one of the most popular programs.
One of the WP4 main objectives of 720 people participating was almost doubled by 1400 people which was recorded by M36.


Main results achieved regarding WP5

The final deployment plan and roadmap for replicability was created during the second half of the project. The plan and roadmap included concrete actions to achieve the multiplier effect,
enlarge the network of organizations interested in implementing the capacity building programs.

The exploitation plan was formulated by the consortium to provide rules of operation for the partners after the project end date to guarantee continuity and sustainability as the exploitation
of activities will continue and guarantee the purpose and core objectives of SMAGRINET after the project has come to an end itself.


Main results achieved regarding WP6
The continued dissemination program helped the other WPs reach their objectives as the programs relied on reaching a certain audience in a small timeframe. The social media support with
the formulated visuals and material helped the project leaders to get participation numbers up starting from short-term program participants to mobility program partners. A good visual
representation was recognized well by the feedback received from project associates.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

All of the deliverables with their objectives were finished according to the content requirement within the DoA. The proposed KPIs of the tasks were met and at times even exceeded.

The project has created great traction with current partners and participants and has been encouraged to be continued as the energy sectors need for trained specialist is still rapidly growing.

In order to maintain the activities, tools and the mission that has been created, expectation and roles have been divided among the project members to hold up the SMAGRINET umbrella.
As the majority of university partners are interested in continuing providing the material not only as part of their curricula at their universities but in the out of the university
re-educational programs, it can be seen almost as a guarantee for the sustainability of SMAGRINET in the long run as the energy transition demands even more educated entities for
the next decade to formulate the grid as it is needed.

The short-term programs were highly engaged(1400 participants) and will provide at least hundreds of participants organically each year through the partnering universities.
Academic modules will be continued to be given by partnering universities and yelding at least 60-120 students per year who will be taught with the SMAGRINET material.
Mobility programs with internships will be provided to students through the partners that asked for the SMAGRINET mobility program to be continued.

All in all, the project has aided the energy transition and with the progression of the materials will continue to be a beacon of introductory or advanced knowledge regarding the grid and the energy transition connected with it.

Management meeting

Mobility program Estonian leg

Mobility program French leg

Second Annual SMAGRINET conference

Staff members of the department of supervision-preventive activity and fire automatic and Department

Map of the SMAGRINET outreach program

Short-term programs add

Completion add for SMAGRINET

Newsletter picture add

Mobility program Estonian leg

Mobility program French leg

Train-the-Trainers Program workshop

Final Advisory Board meeting