The SEAMETEC project aims to develop smart, efficient tidal-turbine blades and offshore wind-turbine blade structures at an affordable cost. The strategic objective is to increase the availability of secure, low-cost, low-carbon electricity from ocean and offshore energy. These objectives will be achieved by using a novel, but commercially proven, patented, composites manufacturing process and by adding sensor technology that reduces maintenance costs and improves reliability. The project will be delivered by ÉireComposites in partnership with EnerOcean, two companies with excellent track records in managing European projects and developing new technologies. EnerOcean has performed technology- and resource-quantification studies on a wide range of tidal technologies and offshore wind. ÉireComposites has commercialised a novel technology for manufacturing wind-turbine blades. The project will play an important role in creating a new European industry – the production of tidal stream turbines – while also giving Europe a competitive advantage in offshore wind. Offshore wind is an established multi-billion euro market. Tidal stream energy is an emerging market that will create up to 120GW of electricity and a €400bn industry. The SEAMETEC partners will access these markets by collaborating with Suzlon (a leading global wind OEM) and Marine Current Turbines (a Siemens business and key player in tidal energy). The project is a game-changing innovation for tidal energy: it will result in reliable, cost-efficient blades, without which the aggressive launch of tidal arrays may not proceed. It will stimulate the innovation potential of SMEs for a low-carbon and efficient energy system (SIE-01-2014-1) and strongly contribute to the Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge ‘Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy’. The two collaborating SMEs will develop clean, affordable technology solutions that increase security of supply of electricity, protect the environment and grow the economy.

Icing on surfaces is commonplace in nature and industry and too often causes catastrophic events. SOUNDofICE ultimate goal is to overcome costly and environmentally harmful de-icing methods with a pioneering strategy based on the surface engineering of MHz Acoustic Waves for a smart and sustainable removal of ice. This technology encompasses the autonomous detection and low-energy-consuming removal of accreted ice on any material and geometry. For the first time, both detection and de-icing will share the same operating principle. The visionary research program covers modeling of surface wave atom excitation of ice aggregates, integration of acoustic transducers on large areas and the development of surface engineering solutions to stack micron-size interdigitated electrodes together with different layers providing efficient wave propagation, anti-icing capacity, and aging resistance. We will demonstrate that this de-icing strategy surpasses existing methods in performance, multifunctionality and capacity of integration on industrially relevant substrates as validated with proof of concept devices suited for the aeronautic and wind power industries. SOUNDofICE high-risks will be confronted by a strongly interdisciplinary team from five academic centers covering both the fundamental and applied aspects. Two SMEs with first-hand experience in icing will be in charge of testing this technology and its future transfer to key EU players in aeronautics, renewable energy, and household appliances. An Advisory Board incorporating relevant companies will contribute to an effective dissemination and benchmarking. Flexibility of the R&D plan, multidisciplinarity and assistance of the AdB guarantee the success of this proposal, bringing up a unique opportunity for young academia leaders and SMEs from five different countries to strengthen the EU position on a high fundamental and technological impact field, just on the moment when the climate issues are of maxima importance

The REALIZE project aims to present a carefully selected and pre-qualified portfolio of new renewable energy generation technologies to the EU Innovation Fund (IF) through proposals resulting from successfully completed Horizon projects in Renewable Energy Sources (RES). The project will support IF project promoters to win major Innovation Fund support or propose alternative funding opportunities at EU, national and local level. Intense support will be given to ten technology partners in the consortium building on their results from 15 pre-qualified Horizon projects. From these, we will prepare seven IF proposals spanning a variety of sectors: Concentrated Solar Power, wind, solar thermal and solar photovoltaics, ocean energy and biofuels as energy-producing installations and as manufacturing projects for small-, medium- and large-scale calls. Their technology will be profiled. REALIZE will also reach out to the broader renewable energy community, with conferences and written material addressing IF’s selection criteria; sharing “lessons learnt” (including with Innovation Fund’s designers) and explaining the complementarity of different public funding programmes. Deep collaboration with other projects funded under the same call topic is foreseen but not counted upon.