European Energy Storage R&D Project Launched

Iberdrola Ingeniería and a high-profile group of industry partners and international research centres recently launched a European R&D project called “SIRBATT”.

The goal of this initiative, launched by the participating partners at a kick-off meeting held in Aveiro (Portugal) last weekend, is to create a high performance battery for storing electricity.

Lithium-ion batteries will be used, as they are the most promising technology at the moment in the large-scale energy storage sector. The ultimate aim of SIRBATT is to achieve battery designs that are more durable and with better features, by improving the chemistry of the electrolyte components.

Under the auspices of this project, Iberdrola Ingeniería will be studying the use of batteries as back-up systems in highly demanding settings, such as major energy generation plants (nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, etc.). The research will also include analysing their usefulness as back-up when integrating renewable energies.

SIRBATT is a project that is co-funded by the European Union as part of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), with a total budget of €4.5 million. The initiative is coordinated by the University of Liverpool, with the participation of various international companies and seven European research centres, with support from other centres in the U.S. and Japan.

This project is proof of the commitment of IBERDROLA’s engineering subsidiary towards the development of new R&D technologies in the electricity sector. In fact, on the basis of its technological know-how, Iberdrola Ingeniería is now one of the leading engineering firms in the energy sector worldwide.

With headquarters in the town of Erandio (Biscay), Iberdrola Ingeniería is one of the most international companies in its sector, with operations in almost 40 countries. Its main activity is the completion of “turnkey” projects, both for other companies in the Iberdrola Group and for third parties in the generation, nuclear, networks and renewables sectors.

Press release, October 3, 2013; Image: Iberdrola