Independenta energetica, cu I de la inovatie Energy Independence, Spelled with “I” Like Innovation

Ce este, de fapt, smart grid? Unde e lista de prioritati pentru perioada urmatoare? Cine plateste pentru preluarea energiei din regenerabile, care deja s-a dezvoltat peste asteptari? Si, in general, cine plateste… Multe intrebari s-au pus la seminarul “Romania isi poate asigura independenta energetica nu prin epuizarea resurselor, ci prin solutii inteligente“, organizat de KIC InnoEnergy, in paretneriat cu Energy-Center.ro.

Spun ca intrebari mai multe si mai la obiect se vor pune de acum incolo, pentru ca, in general, avem impresia ca stim cum sa fim independeti – stim cu S de la sist, sa spunem, fara sa ne gandim la o independenta cu I de la inteligenta retelelor sau cu I de la inovatia din acele proiecte care sa ne faca energia mai curata, sa ne faca sa consumam mai putin si in final sa platim mai putin. Evident, stim si e cat se poate de legitim ca nu vrem sa platim mai mult pentru o factura deja umflata, dar nu stim ca multe astfel de proiecte iti pot gasi finantare, prin fonduri europene si chiar prin investitori privati.

Spre exemplu, facand o analogie in domeniu, KIC InnoEnergy este o retea alimentata de Institutul European pentru Inovatii si Tehnologie, cu centre nodale in Suedia, Olanda, Franta, Germania si Polonia ( era sa zic “bineinteles Polonia”, pentru dinamica smart a acestei tari din ultimul timp si nu numai in domeniul energiei) si unde se fac conexiuni intre idei, tehnologie si, evident, consumatori. Se baga in priza proiecte ale oricarui consortiu care include intre trei si sapte organizatii europene, din industrie si cercetare. Doar sa aiba idei smart si cu apetenta la piata.

Pe 2014, KIC are o lista cu peste 60 astfel de proiecte, pentru care a gasit finantare si pe care le pregateste pentru lansarea pe piata. Proiecte de la cum sa-ti transformi casa intr-o minicentrala electrica sau intr-o statie de alimentarea masinii cu gaz, de cum sa faci vara rece in casa folosind sistemul centralizat de incalzire si altele asemenea.

Cum stam noi la acest capitol? Intr-o vreme in care ne trezim ca am putea ramane fara apa calda la robinet, ai zice ca doar de inovatii si chestii smart nu ne arde.

Am fi surprinsi sa aflam ca, spre exemplu, de la Valcea, de la Centrul Naţional de Hidrogen şi Pile de Combustibil, directorul Mihai Varlam si ne vorbeste nu doar de preocupari pentru acest domeniu de viitor ( cum in general se vorbete la noi de preocupari), ci de aplicatii practice, de lucruri concrete realizate sau care sunt ”pe teava”. Si, da, exista chiar o masina romaneasca alimentata cu baterii pe hidrogen si care are o autonomie nu de cateva zeci de km, ci de 250. Da, 250 de km si da, la Valcea. Si daca o tin asa, cautand inteligent fonduri si europene si de la buget si poate si de la privati, cercetatorii nostri ar putea umple drumurile cu hibride, mai repede decat o sa treaca o autostrada pe la Valcea. Sigur, cu o floare … Dar ia puneti o „baterie” de astfel de proiecte pe masa si o sa vedeti ca altfel vorbim de independenta energetica! Poate mai inteligent.

What is, actually, a smart grid? Where’s the priorities list for the coming years? Who pays for the intake of renewable energy, which already developed below expectations? And generally, he who pays… There were many questions at the Conference style “ Romania can secure its energy independence by smart solutions instead of exhausting its resource ”, organized by KIC InnoEnergy, in a collaboration with Energy-Center.ro.

I think there will be more questions, and more specific ones, as generally we think we know how to become independent – switching (spelled with “S” like shale) to other gas, for instance – but forgetting to stop (with an “S” like smart) wasting energy, or spelling “independence” with an “I” like innovation in cleaner energy projects, or in ones cutting our consumption and implicitly our bills. Of course, we know very well – and it’s very legitimate, too – we don’t want to pay more on our already exaggerated bills; we know less that such projects can get financing from European funds or even from private investors.

For instance, using an analogy in this field, KIC InnoEnergy is a grid; it is supplied by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology; its nodes are in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Poland (I was about to write “Poland, of course, because of the country’s smart dynamics in the recent past, not just in energy); they connect ideas, technology, and obviously consumers. Projects are plugged from any consortium of three to seven European organizations in industry and research. The only prerequisites are smart ideas and market orientation.

In 2014, KIC’s list includes more than 60 such projects for which it already identified financing and prepares the market launching. Projects range from the ways of turning a home into a miniature power plant or into a LPG station for the car to cooling your house in the summer using the heating installation and so on.

Where do we stand in this field? As nowadays we face the possibility of not getting running hot water anymore, you’d think innovation and smart things are hardly our concern.

You’d be surprised, for instance, when the director of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in Valcea, Mihai Varlam, does not talk about preoccupations for this promising field (as we’re used to hear promises), but rather about practical applications, about concrete things already done or impending. And yes, there actually is a Romanian car powered by hydrogen fuel cells with an autonomy of 250 kilometers, not just a couple of dozens. Yes, 250 km, and yes, Valcea. If they continue their smart research also for European, budget, and even private funds, our researchers might get the roads hoarded with hybrid cars before a motorway runs through Valcea. Of course, one flower… But put a “battery” of such projects on the table, and you’ll hear a different discourse about energy independence. Hopefully, a smarter one.