1/2022 Next Level Energy Setup investointi

In the next few years, the pace of change in electricity systems will in general be accelerated
further globally, but especially in Europe due to the security policy situation, with the call for a
green transition and increased energy self-sufficiency. The need for change is driven by global
megatrends, such as the need to reduce emissions, increasing energy and cost efficiency,
increasing energy self-sufficiency, and critical infrastructure reliability and crisis preparedness
requirements. For example, in electricity networks, renewable, decentralized generation, which replaces traditional centralized electricity generation, is more challenging in its characteristics, as it is both more variable (weather-dependent) and more dynamically sensitive due to inverterbased connection of renewable and distributed energy resources. In the future, the growing needs for flexibility and reliability of energy systems will require the rapid development of various new management, control and protection solutions as well as decentralized energy / flexibility resource technologies and concepts (including microgrid solutions). Various energy storages, such as battery technology, as well as cyber-secure ICT solutions and data analytics / optimization will play a key role in enabling future energy systems, both in intelligent and flexible electricity grids and in various transport applications (electric cars, ships and work machines). In order to make the best possible use of the potential of decentralized, flexible energy resources (production, storage, freight, electric cars) and other forms of energy (heat, gas, transport) in the future, integrated, intelligent, active and coordinated management using telecommunications connections is needed.

This Next Level Energy Setup investment project is closely connected to the Next Level Energy Setup development project. This investment project supports the achievement of the goals of the development project by acquiring a network emulator and battery and integrating them as part of the R&D environment built around the real-time simulation equipment of the Future Reliable Electricity & Energy System Integration (FREESI) laboratory of the Vaasa University’s VEBIC research platform. The goal of developing the RDI environment is to create conditions for RDI activities that meet the increased flexibility and reliability requirements of energy networks and help companies develop, test and more quickly commercialize new innovations, products and solutions.

This project promotes the Vaasa Innovation ecosystem agreement. www.vaasa.fi/innovaatioekosysteemisopimus

More information

Director Suvi Karirinne
suvi.karirinne(at)uwasa.fi