Welsh researchers use H2020 funding to develop energy ‘super-grid’

Researchers at Cardiff University in the UK are working on technology that will contribute to the development of a large-scale electricity grid for sharing renewable power across Europe after receiving a grant from Horizon 2020.

The team hope to develop ways of better bringing renewable energy into homes and businesses and will investigate ways of sharing offshore wind power via a grid system. The ‘Multi-terminal DC grid for offshore wind’ (MEDOW) project is working to develop a DC grid, a more efficient way of transmitting and sharing power, and researchers hope their research to develop a pan-European electricity transmission network will help deliver a single European electricity market, increase reliability, develop sustainable energy technology, create jobs and help balance power supply and demand.

MEDOW is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Initial Training Network and is co-ordinated by the Welsh university. The team is working with five institutions of higher education and six industrial organisations with expertise in the manufacturing, design and operation of multi-terminal DC grids. The project is also helping to train early career researchers and will create a pool of researchers and expertise from academia, research institutes, manufacturers and operators developing DC grids.

Dr Jun Liang, principal investigator of MEDOW, said: “Thanks to collaboration with other partner universities, including KU Leuven, regular technical discussions have inspired our ideas. We’ve been able to introduce each other to our industrial partners which broaden the vision of our research and help share the outcomes.”

Academic and research management staff from Cardiff and KU Leuven met in Cardiff for a Vision2020 Policy Hub Event. Vision2020 is a collaboration platform for research organisations and companies participating in Horizon 2020.