The Energy ECS consortium recently convened in Reykjavík, Iceland, for a M36 consortium meeting that underscored the strength of in-person collaboration. Hosted by Strætó bs, the event was primarily attended face-to-face by our partners, fostering various discussion and idea exchanges.
This meeting, while offering remote participation, was marked by a significant in-person presence, allowing for a more direct and engaging interaction among partners. The demonstration site for UC1 provided a hands-on experience, enabling partners to witness the practical application of the collaborative work, such as e-bus rooftop, PV charging station, and simulating to charge drones. After the test run, there were valuable feedbacks from partners.
The UC3 software demonstration by Tietoevry offered a glimpse into the future of intelligent microgrid management as a part of a wider smart mobility ecosystem. Planning exploitation/dissemination sessions for all use cases were geared towards the final stretch of our project, with a clear focus on the steps towards commercialization during the final 6 months until the conclusion of the extended project timeline.
Daði Áslaugarson from Straeto, our host of the M36 meeting, commented that “There were several highlights in the M36 consortium meeting. The first one, as always, was seeing and speaking to the colleagues in the same physical space. This always creates new dynamics on several levels and of course networking across projects and nationalities is very often crucial for cooperation now and down the road.
The WP and UC overviews were deeply impressive and great to see how much work has been done over the last 3 years. We could see how important it is to look up every once in a while and see what has been achieved instead of the constant focus on things left to be done and things that have gone wrong, as is the day to day reality in all innovative projects.
Another highlight was the start of the conversation on further cooperation on both ongoing projects and future ideas started with a presentation on the CHIPS JU funding overview by our Project Officer and continued through the day including a superb overview of the Horizon opportunities led by Spinverse.
The demonstrator of UC-1 was also a big milestone. The UC-1 teams arrived 2 days earlier to Iceland to make final preparations for the demonstration, both to place and fasten the new ultra-thin PV cells to a bus roof-top, to connect the battery charging electronics to the PV cells and the final preparation of wireless charging in the landing dock. Connectivity for the RTK2 sensor in the landing dock and on the drone was completed and autopilot prepared (though not tested at this time). This was demonstrated with great success in the Strætó bus depot driving the bus while charging through PV.
Lastly, we must mention the incredible highlight of a volcanic eruption in the middle of day 1 of the meeting. As a joke, an eruption was promised from the start of the project 3 years ago, but no one expected this promise to be delivered of course. But lo and behold, a powerful eruption broke out only 50 kilometers from our meeting place and some even got to see it in real life. A truly magnificent experience.“
Tryggvi Stefánsson from Svarmi ehf., who supported the hosting dinner and drone testing UC 1 commented on the event, said “It was great everyone was so willing to assist on all tasks regardless if it was their task or not. Very positive atmosphere and everyone happy about this being accomplished.“
The meeting was not just about work; the real time volcanic eruption in Iceland provided a dramatic and unforgettable experience for all guests, adding to the memorable nature of the event.
As we advance, the Energy ECS consortium is committed to fostering innovation and driving sustainable solutions in the energy sector. We are pleased to announce that the Energy ECS initiative has been extended for an additional six months, now concluding in M42, November 2024. We look forward to sharing our continued progress as we approach the project’s finalization and beyond