Methodology
Main Motivation
Within the field of all available energy storage technologies, lithium-ion battery (LIB) energy storage systems will play a vital role as they offer high flexibility in sizing and related technology characteristics (high efficiencies, long service life, high energy density) to store local energy. As those available battery energy storage technologies are still too expensive and face challenges regarding resource use and environmental impacts over their entire life cycle, the development and introduction of next-generation batteries with a focus on higher energy density at lower environmental footprints are necessary for market uptake.
Project Goal and Objectives
Goal
New battery technologies that are affordable and sustainable over the entire life cycle are crucial for achieving the goals of the European Green Deal. As part of the EU project TwinVECTOR, the centre of excellence at the Tomas Bata University (TBU) in Zlín, Czech Republic, is to be expanded technically and institutionally with the support of the consortium partners to enable multidisciplinary national and international project teams to network, create synergies and work together on the further development of battery energy storage. The EU is supporting the recently launched project with EUR 1.3 million over a period of three years. Five partners from the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and Austria are participating in the project coordinated by the Tomas Bata University.
Objectives
The TwinVECTOR objectives are specified within the following areas:
- Initiating excellent capacity and resources for international cooperation.
- Strengthening the engagement of TwinVECTOR partners by integrating research component.
- Enhancing knowledge transfer towards TBU.
- Enhancing of best practice sharing towards TBU.
- Establishing cooperation with industry players integrating regional battery ecosystem into national and international networks.
- Increasing high-impact research of TBU.
- Formulating TBU battery research management and administration strategy.
- Amplifying the research management capacity and administration skills of TBU.
- Stimulating research cooperation among partners.
- Mobilising and engaging TBU students in battery research.
- Boosting creativity by integrating new transdisciplinary approaches in battery science.
Socio-Economic Impact
Economic aspect is an important resultant opening new position and finding the compromise between price and electrochemical features of battery. The project will bring a strong cooperation among partners reflected in benefits at regional level, due to implementation of the project activities as well at global level, by development of new research findings. The shift from lab scale to industrial scale is therefore highly expected. Intensified cooperation with regional stakeholders of the Zlín regional innovation strategy (RIS3) and expanding of international professional networks are expected. External Advisory Board with participation of regional companies’ representation advising the consortium during the project and after the project duration with contracted research will be established with expected cooperation in the education and training in the PhD degree program. Increase of the contracted research within RIS3 domains is envisaged. Moreover, TwinVECTOR research topics aims to contribute towards energy self-sufficiency/independence of energy end-customers.