CARTIF facilities in Spain hosted the launch meeting of the TALENT project this October. This project, financed with European funds, will last three years and aims to help the transition to a more sustainable energy system through the transformation of energy infrastructure throughout the phases of generation, transport and distribution.

In recent years, the global shift towards a more sustainable energy system is becoming a reality. However, now more than ever it is necessary to make a greater effort to undertake this transition as quickly as possible.

This change necessarily comes through a full transformation of the energy sector, which must take into account energy in all its forms. In particular, the electricity sector is required to adapt to the expected penetration of renewable energy generation by increasing the flexibility of the grid, ensuring its stability and security of supply and improving energy for all citizens.

This transformation involves taking advantage of local renewable resources and converting the current model of energy generation into a new, more decentralised one.

The main objective of TALENT is to increase the penetration of batteries in the network through cost reduction in two main components: power electronics for batteries and software for managing hybrid decentralised energy systems. In the case of power electronics, cost reduction will be achieved mainly through new designs and architectures, while in the case of software cost reduction will be achieved by offering it as both interoperable and service (iSaaS).

The developments to be achieved are mainly:

Power electronics is based on new scalable architectures and new types of electronic devices;
Modular battery systems adaptable for 800V, 1.500V and 3.000V;
Interoperable software as a service for decentralized hybrid power management sources capable of interacting with virtual power plants.

TALENT is a European-funded project that has received 3,974,906 euros from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. The consortium is formed by the following partners: Rina Consulting SpA (IT), Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique et Aux énergies Alternatives CEA (FR), CEGASA (ES), Universidad de Oviedo (ES), cyberGRID GMBH (AT), Gamesa Electric (ES), with its third parties Siemens-Gamesa Renewable Energy (ES), European Association for Storage of Energy EASE (BE), Fundación CIRCE (ES), Deloitte (ES) and Mitsubishi Europa Eléctrica (MEE), with its third parties Siemens-Gamesa Renewable Energy (ES), European Association for Storage of Energy EASE (BE), Fundación CIRCE (ES), Deloitte (ES) and Mitsubishi Europa Eléctrica (MEE).

The results of the project will be validated in relevant environments of the University of Oviedo, Gamesa Electric and CEA.