Collaboration
National laboratories exist across the world to deliver cutting-edge science to solve some of society’s biggest problems. Ahead of COP27 a group of national laboratories have established a global collaboration on Integrated Energy Systems.
This includes eight partners across five countries:
- Canada: Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)
- France: The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
- Japan: Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ)
- UK: National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Energy Systems Catapult (ESC)
- US: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Summary of the paper
Integrated Energy Systems will be essential to the delivery of net zero, enabling renewables, nuclear and energy storage technologies to work together to provide clean electricity, heat, hydrogen and more. A group of eight national laboratories across five countries are collaborating on this important topic and here we share highlights of our work and recommendations for advancing RD&D in Integrated Energy Systems.
Summary of recommendations
A focus on nuclear-renewable hybrid systems, with storage and flexibility, supports the decarbonisation of an increasingly electrified energy system.
Beyond electricity, broaden the consideration of energy vectors to include heat, hydrogen and synthetic fuel.
Deepen engagement with end users to optimize the outputs from integrated energy solutions.
Take an integrated approach at multiple spatial scales and ensure consistency between national strategies and local energy planning.
Take an integrated approach at each stage of system deployment, from long-term planning to operational control.
Ensure the integration readiness of physical system components through development and demonstration.
Facilitate the economic assessment of integrated energy systems to inform business planning by future owner/operators.
Contact
Scott Milne, Integrated Energy Systems Lead at NNL: scott.milne@uknnl.com
