The challenges faced by the MGT technology are grouped in two categories. (1) Technical, mainly related to design point and part-load efficiency, fuel-flexibility, high-temperature operation, system integration and control, and power electronics. (2) Commercial: the stakeholders in Europe are scattered and do not take advantage of economies of scale arising from joint developments. They also do not exploit the evident synergies with closely related industries such as the turbocharger industry (except for using parts), and large gas turbines for propulsion and power. To a large extent, this is also due to the lack of well-established, agile intellectual property management schemes whereby technology transfer could flow fluently between industry and R&D institutions, to give way to the mentioned economies of scale. There is also a need to understand and probably influence changes to energy policy and regulatory frameworks, for example to support the low Nitric Oxides Emissions characteristics of MGTs.
The outcome of project has:
(1) technological/ economical/ societal impact on the scientific fields and also on the public, and
(2) individual impact on the ESRs’ employability and development
The impact on the scientific fields and also on the public was achieved through the below actions over the course of NextMGT:
• Research output that has been disseminated widely through a well-defined plan. To this end, the project outcome and results were disseminated through the following means:
- 55 scientific publications,
- 7 public reports,
- participation in one white paper on the decentralised power generation with focus on MGTs
• Fifteen highly trained ESRs ready to join a workforce the implements the EU principles including clean affordable and secure energy through increased innovation capacity.
• The wide-ranging involvement of industry and the commercial dimension of the programme will facilitate bringing ideas to market.
• NextMGT outcome on the policy side made a clear emphasis and link to EU research/policy goals e.g. Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges or Industrial Leadership Pillar, Research Roadmaps, EU sectoral policies
Further, the project has a clear and positive impact on the ESRs’ employability and development. The aim of this project is to contribute to the EU agenda on the European Research Area by training “a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers”, who can face future challenges and to “convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit”. In addition, support to and compliance with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been at the heart of the training of ESRs and the scientific and economic outcomes of this research. This has been achieved through the extensive nature of the training programme offered to the ESRs.
