Page 53 - European Energy Innovation magazine - autumn 2022 edition

Autumn 2022 European Energy Innovation
ENERGY TRANSITION 53

Breaking down silos to unlock the energy transition

By Dr Vicky Stratigaki of Ghent University in Belgium; Professor João Murta Pina, from NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal and Mr Carlo Battisti, Living Future Europe, Italy

temperature of (cheap and abundant) liquid nitrogen.

These properties enable the development of technologies
and devices that are more efficient with smaller footprints
and reduced weight and/or offer unique and potentially
disruptive solutions.

These can be integrated into all aspects of the electric
power systems – from generation to transmission and
distribution, energy storage and end-use – to improve
their safety, security, reliability, and sustainability and to
accelerate decarbonization efforts.
Mr Carlo Battisti
However, despite all the potential benefits and successful “With so many partners from different disciplines and
demonstrators of numerous HTS technologies, they cultures our first challenge was to find a common
still lack mass penetration in the power system. This language for sustainability,” says Carlo Battisti. “And
COST Action aims at developing systematic approaches we took a holistic approach: not just achieving carbon
to create pathways between materials research and neutrality, but also covering issues such as loss of
real-world devices and foster improved modelling and biodiversity too. We looked to provide a paradigm shift
advanced computation paradigms. Methodologies and to deliver built environments that are environmentally
demonstrators will be provided to address industrial positive across multiple indicators.” The knowledge
challenges and applications, as well as tools for the gained in RESTORE is being continued through the
economic and sustainability assessment of HTS activities of the Living Future Europe association and the
technologies. Action’s members.
“The Action has helped close the gap between research
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIA FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILT and the practitioners on the ground. There is now a
ENVIRONMENT huge network of professionals that can take advantage
COST Action networks also provide a safe and fruitful of the results.” says Mr Carlo Battisti.
space where Academia and Industry can meet to work
together and successfully address the range of challenges “The academic side has better understanding of the
facing our society. In particular Small or Medium Sized relevance of their research to the market, while the
Enterprises (SMEs) have the capacity to deliver innovative commercial side has better understanding of the
results by themselves and research organisations get technologies that are available and the current research
the chance to fully test their results in ‘real world’ that may become commercially relevant,” he concludes.
applications. COST Action ‘REthinking Sustainability
TOwards a Regenerative Economy’ (RESTORE), which
ended in 2021, was ahead of the field with 28 SMEs
involved. RESTORE strived to cover all sustainability
aspects of the built environment including environmental,
economic, and social angles.
“It is one of the first COST Action to research sustainability
in the built environment,” claims Action Chair Carlo
Battisti.” And the first Action to engage with a process View the Action websites
to offset its CO emissions, reducing and completely
2 COST Action: A pan-European Network for Marine
offsetting them in the end. l
Renewable Energy
COST Action: High-Temperature SuperConductivity for
(*) A round robin test is an interlaboratory test (measurement, analysis, or
experiment) performed independently several times. AcceLerating the Energy Transition.
COST Action: REthinking Sustainability TOwards a
Regenerative Economy

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