T. +31 (0) 40 247 31 82
[email protected]
KIC InnoEnergy SE
Kennispoort 6th floor
John F. Kennedylaan 2
5612 AB Eindhoven
The Netherlands
InnoEnergy Innovation Doctorate 2017 – Energy Challenges
A. Energy from chemical fuels
 A1. Conversion processes of biomass-based feedstock into chemicals (in replacement of
fossil-based fuels)
 A2. Biomass-based solid fuels, especially from biogenic residues such as straw (wheat or
rice), which also include biogas from bio-waste fractions
 A3. Second-generation biofuels, via pyrolysis and/or gasification
 A4. Use of surplus energy from renewable energy sources (wind, photovoltaic) in
electrochemical conversion processes for producing chemical energy carriers (power to
gas/liquid)
B. Clean coal and gas technologies (challenges ranked from most to least important)
 B1. Increasing operational efficiency, safety, and flexibility for both fossil-fuel-based energy
production and related industrial processes
 B2. Enabling coal power plants to adapt to time-specific technology options (advanced super
and ultra-super critical, IGCC) with regard to efficiency, CO2 capture potential, and
operational effectiveness
 B3. Development of advanced energy and syngas production technologies enabling
optimised use of available fossil fuel resources, biomass, wastes, and unconventional gases
 B4. Development of a widely accepted and economically justified strategy for CCS/CCU and
distributed energy production (based on fossil fuels, biomass and waste)
C. Renewable energy
Wind
 C1. Innovations in wind farm development.
 C2. Innovations in wind turbine nacelle and wind turbine rotor.
 C3. Offshore wind: Innovations in balance of plant and in wind farm construction.
 C4. Innovations in operation, maintenance and service.
 C5. Onshore wind turbines: end-of-life solutions (re-use and recycling)
Solar photovoltaic
 C8. Innovations in c-Si PV cell manufacturing and in c-Si PV module manufacturing.
 C9. Innovations in Thin Film module Technology.
 C10. Innovations in inverters.
 C11. Innovations in operations, maintenance and service.
D. Nuclear instrumentation
 D1. Instrumentation, measurement for nuclear plant safety and maintenance (for example,
fibre detectors, wireless detectors)
E. Storage
 E1. Solutions for remote/off-grid sites
 E2. Solutions for mobility/on-board energy storage
 E3. Li-ion batteries with improved lifespans, new approaches to materials design to boost
anode efficiency
 E4. Fuel cell technology: new approaches to materials design (membrane) to reduce costs
F. Energy efficiency
 F1. Heat recovery and conversion: for example, high-performance, low-cost thermoelectricity
for industry and transportation
 F2. Energy-management sensors and solutions for industry
G. Smart grids and storage
 G1. ICTs: optimal design of robust, secure, interoperable, and scalable ICT solutions that
enable active distribution networks and facilitate new models for customer involvement
 G2. GSmart components: innovative power and system components with advanced control
and monitoring
 G3. Storage: solutions to bridge the increasingly non‐deterministic relationship between
supply and demand
 G4. Materials: optimal usage and utilisation of system components from small semiconductors to intercontinental transmission cables and systems
H. Smart and efficient buildings and cities
 H1. Achieving comfortable, affordable, nearly zero-energy buildings (reduction of energy
demand and new integrated HVAC, integrated compact storage, and smart energy
management systems)
 H2. Creating local energy flexibility (effective integration of RES in the energy system and the
built environment at a reasonable cost, distributed and integrated storage systems, etc.)
 H3. Interconnected urban energy networks: for example, by upgrading the ageing energy
infrastructure and integration across different energy carriers and communication/ICT
infrastructures at city level
 H4. Storage: increasing scope and resources allocated, both regarding thermal and electrical
storage
 H5. Energy systems: projects about micro grids on a district level
 H6. Smart, energy-efficient cities, especially through use of Big Data; Big Data has emerged
as a major trend in recent years, and there is a growing need for expertise in Big Data and
energy systems
Transversal:
 H7. Effective business creation in a highly-fragmented and locally-oriented market
 H8. Building momentum and transitioning to an effective rollout of market-ready products
and services
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