May 2019 Advisory Board Report Contents

Foreword 03

Who’s who 04

FLEXIS in figures 06

Demonstration area 07 Project Manager profile 08 Setting things in motion 09 Potential projects 10 community workshops and office space 16

FLEXIS inspires South Industrial Cluster 17

International engagement 18

News of note 20

Stakeholders 21 3 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Foreword

FLEXIS is moving strongly into the second half of development, with a particular focus on the demonstration area.

We are delighted to welcome our latest recruit – our new demonstration area Project Manager, Rhys Bowley. A University graduate, Rhys has spent the past seven years at National Instruments and is relocating from Austin, Texas, to Wales to lead FLEXIS’ demonstration area work on a full-time basis. We hope Rhys will join us in June.

The FLEXIS and Port Talbot County Borough Council (CBC)Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) laying out the development of energy systems research, innovation and commercialisation activities within the demonstration area, was signed at the end of 2018. It lays out eight traction projects the Council would like FLEXIS to consider, as well as a list of proposed projects from the FLEXIS Principal Investigators and their teams. Further details are provided on p10 and a number of very positive discussions are underway.

FLEXISapp is also moving on apace with a final version of the Business Plan recently submitted to the Welsh European Funding Office. FLEXISapp is the Energy System (FLEXIS) Commercialisation Demonstrator that will develop and test individual, innovative energy technology in-situ in a whole multi- vector energy systems environment, within the demonstration area.

In December 2018, FLEXIS formed part of the official UK delegation at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Katowice, Poland. We co-hosted a workshop ‘De-risking Decarbonisation of Industry-Intensive European Regions’ with the Central Mining Institute, a leading Polish R&D organisation and a strategic EU FLEXIS partner. Our presence at COP24 resulted in shared knowledge and stakeholder co-operation, raised awareness with the UK Government’s Department for International Trade and deepened our relationship with the Royal Society.

A further collaboration with the Royal Society took place in March 2019 with a Net Zero Carbon Wales 2040 workshop at their Low Carbon Wales Creating Connections event, hosted in conjunction with The Learned Society of Wales.

The FLEXIS team would like to thank Martin Brunnock for his excellent contribution to the FLEXIS Advisory Board and wish him well in his new role as Hub Director, Tata Steel in Europe. We welcome on board our new Tata representative - Phil Clements, Director of Technical, Tata Steel UK as well as two other new Advisory Board members: Chris Harris, Head of Regulation at NPower and Francis Griffiths, CEO of Maiple.

Finally, we extend our warmest congratulations to Prof Alan Guwy following his election as a Fellow by The Learned Society of Wales.

Prof Hywel Thomas 4 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Who’s who

FLEXIS is made up of approximately 100 academics, researchers and administrative staff from three of Wales’ leading universities – Cardiff, and the University of South Wales.

Prof Hywel Thomas Lead Principal Investigator and PI of Sustainable Earth Energy

Dr Aleksandra Koj Project Manager

Principal Investigators

Prof Nick Jenkins Network & grid integration of renewables; low carbon energy infrastructure in Wales Cardiff University

Prof Alan Guwy CymruH2Wales2 – hydrogen and fuel cells University of South Wales

Prof Phil Bowen SMART-POWER: enabling integrated energy systems Cardiff University

Prof Andrew Barron Energy safety research Swansea University

Prof Manu Haddad Alternative environmentally-friendly gas for electrical networks insulation Cardiff University

Profs Nick Pidgeon & Karen Henwood Public response to energy systems technologies Cardiff University

Partners Advisory Board

John Scott (Chair) Prof Ron Loveland Director, Chiltern Power Ltd Energy Advisor to the Welsh Government Prof Paul Beasley Head of R & D UK at Siemens Dr John Newton Managing Director at ITM Motive Ben Burggraaf Energy Operations Manager at Dr Iliana Portugues Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Head of Innovation for National Grid Electricity Transmission Owner Dr Phil Clements Director of Technical, Tata Steel UK Stephen Phillips Chief Executive at Neath Port Dr Mike Colechin Talbot County Borough Council Director of Cultivate Innovation Ltd Dave A Roberts Prof Bill David Director of Smart Interventions, Professor of Chemistry at EA Technology the University of Oxford Prof David Slater Ceri Davies Honorary Professor, School of Executive Director – Knowledge Engineering, Cardiff University Strategy and Planning at Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Nick Smailes National Resources Wales Head of Business Development at Energy Systems Catapult Steven Edwards Director of Regulation & Commercial Mahesh Sooriyabandara at Wales & West Utilities Associate Managing Director at Toshiba Telecommunications Robert Harper Research Laboratory, Toshiba Gallium Nitride Programme Manager, Research Europe Ltd Compound Semiconductor Centre Dr Mark Winskel Chris Harris Chancellor’s Research Fellow Head of Regulation, NPower on Energy Innovation, Science Technology and Innovation Studies, Roger Hey University of Edinburgh Future Networks Manager at Western Power Distribution James Yu Future Networks Manager at Francis Griffiths SP Energy Networks CEO, Maiple Ltd

5 6 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

FLEXIS in figures

Since our launch in 2016, FLEXIS has achieved the following highlights:

M4 NEATH £13,028,693 M4 NEATH VALUE OF GRANTS AWARDED

A483 A A483 SWANSEA A SWANSEA 68 A4067 B A4067 B 86 M4 M4 RESEARCHERS RECRUITED Proposed ProposedTidal LagoonSwansea Bay GRANTS WON GRANTS Tidal Lagoon PORT TALBOT Demonstration area boundary 1O6 PORT TALBOT Demonstration SWANSEA area boundary SWANSEA BA BAY M4 Y C M4 C

186CONFERENCES D

454 SCIENTIFIC PAPERS PUBLISHED D

A • Swansea University Bay Campus B • Hydrogen Centre • Gas fired power station • Water treatment works • Council oces • Schools / Hospital EVENTS A • Swansea University Bay Campus B • Hydrogen Centre • Gas fired power station • Paper mill • Solar technology provider + • Water treatment works • Council oces • Schools / Hospital • Energy Park • SPECIFIC Buildings as Power Stations • Paper mill • Solar technology provider 5O • Energy Park • SPECIFIC Buildings as Power Stations C • Tata Steel Port Talbot D • Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardi­ University) • Cement works • Biomass power station SOCIAL MEDIA C • Tata Steel Port Talbot D • Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardi­ University) 62COLLABORATIONS WITH • Water treatment plant with • Gas & electricity networks • Cement works • Biomass power station FOLLOWERS electrical generator • Industrial gas & equipment supplier 400 ENTERPRISES • Water treatment plant with • Gas & electricity networks electrical generator • Industrial gas & equipment supplier The FLEXIS demonstration area

M4 NEATH M4 NEATH

A483 A A483 SWANSEA A SWANSEA A4067 B A4067 B M4 M4 Proposed Swansea Bay ProposedTidal LagoonSwansea Bay Tidal Lagoon PORT TALBOT Demonstration area boundary PORT TALBOT Demonstration SWANSEA area boundary SWANSEA BA BAY M4 Y C M4 C

D D

A • Swansea University Bay Campus B • Hydrogen Centre • Gas fired power station • Water treatment works • Council oces • Schools / Hospital A • Swansea University Bay Campus B • Hydrogen Centre • Gas fired power station • Paper mill • Solar technology provider • Water treatment works • Council oces • Schools / Hospital • Energy Park • SPECIFIC Buildings as Power Stations • Paper mill • Solar technology provider • Energy Park • SPECIFIC Buildings as Power Stations

C • Tata Steel Port Talbot D • Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardi­ University) • Cement works • Biomass power station C • Tata Steel Port Talbot D • Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardi­ University) • Water treatment plant with • Gas & electricity networks • Cement works • Biomass power station electrical generator • Industrial gas & equipment supplier • Water treatment plant with • Gas & electricity networks electrical generator • Industrial gas & equipment supplier

7 8 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Demonstration area: Project Manager profile

We’re delighted to welcome Rhys Bowley to the team.

Why are you interested in the role?

Even though I’m an engineer and technical at heart, the social awareness and engagement with society highlighted as part of the FLEXIS project was a major selling point for me. Especially now that governments around the world are beginning to formally recognise a state of climate emergency, I wanted to work on a project that had realistic and meaningful benefits in the near-term, rather than something that might be decades away from commercialisation.

Tell us about your engineering experience. My seven years working at National Instruments (half in Austin, Texas and half in England before that) have been incredibly fun and rewarding. I’m really lucky to have experienced the full breadth of different research projects the company is involved with, through energy, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, biomedical and 5G. Travelling the world with a major corporation has been an eye-opening experience and left me wanting to learn as much as possible about different places, people and cultures.

What are your interests outside of work? Aside from eating (too much) curry, my spare time is filled mostly with a mix of interests and playing computer / board games with friends. The biggest hobby right now is an obsession with rock climbing and I’m looking forward to making the most of the summer in the Brecon Beacons and across the South Wales coast. Demonstration area: setting things in motion

By Christopher Jones, County Borough Council (CBC) Energy Manager and FLEXIS Technical Representative

We’re delighted that the FLEXIS Programme has chosen to support Neath Port Talbot CBC, which will increase momentum for moving towards decarbonising the Council’s service delivery and work activity, bringing valuable expertise and resource. For formal approval of the collaborative partnerships we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with FLEXIS at the end of 2018, which outlines traction projects we’ve formulated for consideration and development to assist our move towards a smart, low carbon and prosperous future:

1. Smart Low Carbon Town - Port Talbot (Smart Local Energy Systems)

2. Electrical Grid Constraints

3. Swansea Bay Technology Centre / USW Hydrogen Centre

4. Low Emission Vehicles / Electrical Charging

5. Cefn Coed Colliery Museum

6. Mine Water Heat Recovery

7. Real-time Energy Modelling

8. Air Quality

We’re now working on the progression and development of these projects with a view to creating a programme plan for their effective implementation, inclusive of the submission of funding bids and creation of collaborative partnerships with other organisations.

A dedicated Neath Port Talbot CBC / FLEXIS project team is starting to materialise and will take further shape with the arrival of the FLEXIS demonstration area Project Manager who will be the lead for delivering the traction projects.

Progress on our real-time energy monitoring and modelling project is well underway with the FLEXIS Integrated Energy Supply Systems team already using our local authority energy data. We have had extensive input from the University of South Wales’ Hydrogen team about using hydrogen generated from excess electricity to power vehicles from our new £7m Swansea Bay Technology Centre in Bay Energy Park. Significant progress has been made in relation to the Community Focused – Area Wide Air Quality Monitoring Programme with the project team currently writing the business case proposal. This project will also form part of the Smart Low Carbon Town initiative.

9 10 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Demonstration area: potential projects

Much effort and discussion has gone into scoping out potential FLEXIS demonstration area projects, which have formed the basis of the FLEXIS – Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council MOU. Integrated Energy Flexible Power Plant Energy Storage to Power Supply Systems

An energy audit of the demonstration area Potential projects include: Potential projects include: showing energy flows as a single node and the gas and electricity networks currently • Investigating safe limits of hydrogen and • Developing an integrated wind-power to serving the area is being conducted, with higher hydrocarbons in the gas grid. The ammonia storage to power, demonstrator, the data stored in a secure database. variability of gas in the national grid will building on the success of the world- increase considerably in the future. The first green energy pilot developed with Using historical data at 30-minute team could work with industry to establish Siemens and Oxford University at the resolution for electricity and hourly safe operational levels of hydrogen or Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Harwell, (calculated) resolution for heat, the higher-hydrocarbons in liquified natural Oxfordshire in 2018. This could use excess team is in the process of acquiring gas gas to ensure optimised efficiency of heat renewable supply and/or waste ammonia data from Wales & West Utilities. and power plant due to gas-grid variability. from Tata Steel’s Port Talbot Steelworks as Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research an energy storage medium in the Neath Potential projects include: Centre (GTRC) can employ advanced Port Talbot region. The current 20kW • Investigating peer-to-peer energy optical diagnostics to appraise and demonstrator power output would need to trading between large energy plants, optimise the performance of commercial be increased by 1-2 orders of magnitude, exploring use of blockchain and other and developmental burners for flame possibly demonstrating operation with distributed ledger technologies. stability and harmful emissions production. alternative technologies such as gas turbines, thereby increasing the range of • Providing flexibility to the power • Designing and developing novel application. This would require industrial system from multiple energy sources, in power-generation components utilising partners, alongside the redesign of engine particular, district heating, to investigate Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM). components, with the possible use of a solution to decarbonising heat. ALM has the potential to revolutionise additive manufacture technologies to the heat, power and propulsion sectors develop new, ammonia-specific burners. • Integrating gas networks – looking at through its capability to expand the how to use gas networks to accommodate potential of manufacturing complex, • Utilising hydrogen for fossil-fuel gases generated by Tata Steel’s Port Talbot materials and structures. New designs replacement in industrial and/or Steelworks and other renewable gases. and direct appraisal of performance can domestic heat. A demonstration project • Investigating the flexibility of be undertaken through the controlled, could be developed from the current provision from multi-energy systems optical facilities at GTRC, which would desktop Hy4Heat industrial review. to assist the National Grid and cut development costs and timescales, This would map tolerable H2 levels in Distribution Network Operator (DNO) leading to a paradigm shift in new gas process gas and natural gas supply in in managing their networks. turbine technologies. Current partners conjunction with scenario modelling to include HIETA and Renishaw. predict likely ranges in concentration. • Looking at opportunities regarding community energy, especially local, integrated multi-vector systems and peer-to-peer at a domestic level.

08/05/2019 Electricity

Annual domestic heat demand Annual domestic gas demand Annual domestic electricity demand

1/1

Intensity maps showing annual demand for heat, gas and electricity in Neath Port Talbot CBC At the £1.5m world-first green ammonia demonstrator in Harwell May 2018 Advisory Board Report

Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Energy Storage Sustainable Production and Storage - Integrated Power Purification of Hydrogen, & Alternative Fuels Syngas, BioH2, BioCH4

Potential projects include: Potential projects include: Potential projects include: • Reducing or eliminating flaring at Tata • Working with Neath Port Talbot • Renewable hydrogen and oxygen Steel’s Port Talbot Steelworks. Taking a CBC on the development of the new product off-take with potential supply for current FLEXIS - Tata Steel Port Talbot Swansea Bay Technology Centre at Welsh Water, for waste minimisation and project further to assess the increased use Baglan Energy Park (see p9). displacement of diesel fuels for transport. of BOS and blast furnace gas enrichment • A novel wind turbine, PV integrated • Expansion of a small pilot plant for process utilisation rather than flaring. energy supply and balancing system A wider range of by-product gases can for biological production of green demonstration. The proposal is to chemicals from CO and CO2 which is be utilised to fuel process operations demonstrate the novel, robust and at the Tata power station, which would currently being developed to utilise efficient CrossFlow Energy wind turbine, these gases from steelmaking. lead to improved efficiency, a lower together with local PV and a hydrogen carbon footprint and the reduced energy balancing system in Port Talbot. • A hydrogen purification / recovery test production of harmful emissions. This combination would be demonstrated facility using gas arising from steelworks • New international explosive area for immediate industrial use, but is also – a demonstrator which aims to enhance classification standards for storage and relevant to industry, power and water and capture hydrogen available in gas transportation of high-flashpoint fuels and provision for remote communities, military arising from steelworks, particularly their mitigation. Ongoing work at the Gas compounds and for disaster relief. coke-oven gas and blast furnace gas. Turbine Research Centre (GTRC) aims to • In response to UK Government • Extending the range of feedstocks for an develop practical guidelines applicable to programmes, the University of South integrated biorefinery for the production all power and industrial process plants. Wales (USW), Cardiff University, Tata Steel of biohydrogen and either platform • Developing European standards for Port Talbot and Wales and West Utilities chemicals or biomethane, using a small environmental emissions (NOx, CO, PM) are developing proposals for the use of pilot at the University of South Wales. and performance of aero-engines using hydrogen for domestic, commercial and industrial heat in . This has the • A further potential development, subject alternative fuels. GTRC has designed to funding, would be a pilot to investigate and built the EU reference systems for potential to be a major demonstration as hydrogen for heat in the UK. the water gas shift of blast furnace gas particulate (PM) emissions from aircraft to enhance hydrogen production and with funding from EASA and Rolls-Royce. • A new demonstration facility for convert CO to CO2 enabling carbon Ongoing and future studies will assess the testing new fuel cell stack configurations capture and storage. This would be emission performance of aero-engines for automotive and stationary of significant impact to the region. utilising various alternative fuels. power application, integrated with • Novel industrial carbon capture and existing hydrogen systems at the storage (CCS) cycles. This is aimed at long USW Hydrogen Centre, Baglan. term future ultra-low carbon ironmaking • Assisting with the Y Bryn project which as an alternative to the blast furnace. seeks to use the Penhydd and Bryn forest • Enhancing performance of blocks for renewable energy generation carbon capture technology in with potential hydrogen linkage. industry and power sectors.

Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research Centre (GTRC) Site of the new Swansea Bay Technology Centre

11 12 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Demonstration area: potential projects

Hydrogen and Syngas: Smart Thermal Energy Grid Unconventional Gas Efficient Use

Potential projects include: Potential projects include: The geochemistry and hydrogeology of the South Wales coalfield within • The University of South Wales (USW) are • Based on the successful demonstration the demonstration area have been working with the Welsh Government and of the viability of using mine water investigated representing the baseline Neath Port Talbot CBC on the development as a local heat source at Llwyn-Lanc data for any future industrial exploration of the Centre of Rail Excellence in the Uchaf farm in village, Cardiff or development activities. This Dulais Valley on the Neath Port Talbot University’s Sustainable Earth Energy expanded current knowledge of the – Dulais border. USW have advised team is working with Neath Port Talbot local geology of the area, hydrogeology on the potential to deploy hydrogen CBC to scale up the experience and and surface environments. train refuelling on the site in order to evidence base data from a single building test new fuel cell rolling stock, thereby into a community-scale, district heating Potential projects include: creating a unique facility in the UK. scheme. The demonstrator currently comprises a 30kW heat pump and two • Providing further understanding of the • USW is also in discussion with Transport 65m boreholes which meet all of the gas and water migration in the seams for Wales to consider future deployment heating and hot water demands of a large for potential coal bed methane (CBM) of fuel cell trains as a lower carbon farmhouse, farm workshops and adjoining extraction in a reliable and sustainable alternative to overhead electrification. physiotherapy centre in the Dulais Valley. way from coal deposits, potentially in the vicinity of the Tata Steel Port Talbot site. • Power generation and heat recovery • Sharing the practical experience and The results would be used to improve the from biomass with advanced CO2 skillset gained while working on Bridgend’s efficiency of the steel-making processes thermodynamic power cycles. USW are Upper Llynfi Valley Heat Network Project by considering the utilisation of the gases installing a small-scale biomass power funded by the Heat Networks Delivery extracted and their integration into the generation demonstrator with advanced Unit and the Intelligent Bridgend Energy overall process, with potential savings CO2 supercritical/transcritical power Systems Design (funded by Innovate UK’s available for both fuel cost and emissions. cycles at the Baglan Hydrogen Centre. Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund). • Demonstrating the potential of • A high pressure hydrogen component • Contributing to the development and utilising the existing coal resources development and test rig, part-funded design of the integration of the energy within the demonstration area through by Innovate UK, which will enable vectors (heat, power and transport) underground coal gasification (UCG) demonstration of the safety and to make the renewable energy system technology. A bespoke high pressure functionality of high pressure hydrogen more efficient and economical. Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) components with industry partners. system can provide gasification- • Working with industrial partners to related energy and environmental data explore and demonstrate the use of heat demonstrating the relevance of ex-coal pump technology more innovatively mining regions for application of low within the FLEXIS demonstration area emission, clean, coal energy technologies. to de-risk the decarbonisation of heat Findings from MEGAPlus - a Research energy. The work has particular focus Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS)-funded on a multi-faceted and integrated project (€2.9m) - to evaluate the use of approach to energy that encompasses deep-lying European coal deposits for renewable generation, energy efficiency utilisation of CBM-UCG technologies and the electrification of heat. with Tata Steel UK can be used in the potential demonstration projects.

Hydrogen Centre (University of South Wales) Crynant mine water site May 2018 Advisory Board Report

Carbon Sequestration Geoinformatics and Carbon Capture in Coal and Soil Environmental Monitoring and Utilisation Potential projects include: Potential projects include: Potential projects include: • Pilot testing of CO2 sequestration in • An agreement in principal is in place Swansea University’s Energy Safety coal to establish the storage potential with Neath Port Talbot CBC to gain access Research Institute (ESRI) is working of the region’s remaining coal deposits. to their spatial data repository. There are with Apache Corporation to assist in This project is seen as particularly approximately 1000 different GIS layers the development of a Pressure Swing relevant to South Wales and other similar in this resource covering a wide range of Adsorption (PSA) System called BECAUSE regions around the world that lack easy domains. The Cardiff University-based (Bespoke Carbon Separation). The access to the more conventional CO2 Sustainable Earth Energy team plans to system will be flexible to allow testing storage reservoirs. It is proposed that mine this big spatial data with the aim of a wide range of emissions, a range of coal seam storage can at least reduce of uncovering useful information to help adsorbents, and process conditions. the amount that needs to be shipped the Council make informed decisions. Potential projects include: and so contribute to the plans of the This evidence-based, decision-making emergent South Wales carbon capture, can be used to map the future energy • BECAUSE will be provided as a resource utilisation and storage (CCUS) cluster. outlook, environmental improvement, to all industries with Wales, including business generation, job creation and within the demonstration area. Each • A field trial using perennial grass and socio-economic uplift of the area. industry can share their low, high and fungal mycelium to estimate soil carbon average emissions from any source, sequestration potential and enhance • Assisting with other geoinformatics and BECAUSE determines the optimum the storage of recalcitrant carbon in studies across the demonstration conditions and range required to separate short rotation energy cropping. A site of area including baseline monitoring, the CO2 (and other desired gases) from non-arable or abandoned land within the resource mapping and spatial planning the particular flue stream. This data will FLEXIS demonstration area is preferred to of future smart energy infrastructure. be provided to the industry to keep as broaden the scope of the project towards • 3D GIS modelling with mixed reality their own IP. The industry can then use this soil regeneration and to collocate the trial to visualise future energy infrastructure bespoke IP to design individual systems for with energy and CO2 intensive industry. within the demonstration area for their own needs. This will save time and public outreach and acceptance. investment in refining systems to meet industry needs without significant post- instillation development, therefore saving costs in the implementation of carbon capture.

Swansea University’s Energy Safety Research Unit (ESRI)

13 14 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Demonstration area: potential projects

Energy Vectoring Environmentally-Friendly Social Acceptability and Through Hydrogen Electrical Power Plant & Responsible Development Insulation of Energy Systems

Potential projects include: The Cardiff University-based social A catalyst able to convert CO2 to , science team is undertaking original, a precursor to many large-scale products • A demonstrator in the form of a empirical research in three areas linked like plastics, surfactants, detergents video or graphics showing changes that to specific demonstration projects has been developed by Swansea could be brought in by gas insulated in Neath Port Talbot and other parts University’s Energy Safety Research systems. These will include gas insulated of the West Wales priority area. Institute (ESRI). Work is underway to substations to replace existing air improve the performance and scale insulated substations which require large Current project: of this catalyst in parallel to designing land footprint and gas insulated lines • Communities, Energy Controversies and electrolysers to optimise ethylene to replace overhead lines and cables in Risk Governance. production, including other chemicals. specific areas to minimise visual impact. Community workshops are underway in Potential projects include: The added environmental benefit of using Neath Port Talbot, working in collaboration new environmentally-friendly gases and with Tata Steel Port Talbot and Neath Port • The scaling up of the catalysts through their application could be described, Talbot CBC, with involvement from the new collaborations with partners with with the potential to link in future to Energy Saving Trust and National Energy expertise in industrial electrolysis, a laboratory and substation setup. Action. such as Siemens and De Nora, in the demonstration area. Outcomes: The goal is to integrate new CO2 1. Identify potential areas of controversy conversion technologies expanding the and possible unintended consequences of CO2 utilisation capabilities of the area proposed energy technology developments beyond the biorefinery approach. in the Neath Port Talbot demonstrator area. 2. Provide a nuanced understanding of what issues, whether energy-related or not, matter to people within Neath Port Talbot (e.g. air quality and other environmental concerns, community resources, local employment etc.). 3. Identify key priorities for future energy research, or how subsequent developments in the demonstrator area might be enhanced in ways that benefit local people, through social intelligence gained from the workshops.

Prototype of a textured insulator The St Paul’s Centre, Port Talbot, one of the venues of the FLEXIS community workshops May 2018 Advisory Board Report

Smart Energy Management

Potential projects include: • Power quality monitoring of the demonstration area to assess the level of harmonics and other disturbances such as voltage fluctuations. Power quality meters could be installed at different voltage levels and various locations across the transmission and distribution system to monitor different types of customers (industrial, residential and commercial). Power quality measurements will result in a better understanding of the quality of electricity supply in the region, and if issues are identified, this could lead to other projects investigating mitigating solutions. • A study of the impact of renewables in the demonstration area. • Deployment of energy storage in the demonstration area. Currently, the South Wales export capacity at peak generation is curtailed due to transmission limits. Therefore, one aspect to investigate could be optimal sizing and placement of energy storage to minimize the cost, size and impact on power systems operation. This would tie in well with other FLEXIS work investigating energy storage. • Energy storage in the form of using batteries from EV as ‘distributed storage’. The feasibility of this option depends on the number of EVs expected to be used in the demonstration area.

Tata Steel’s Port Talbot Steelworks

15 16 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

Demonstration area: community workshops and office space

FLEXIS runs workshops with Port Talbot community

The FLEXIS Social Science ‘whole energy system’ avoid risks and enhance team have started running future scenarios to the value to project a series of linked interviews stimulate discussion with stakeholders including and workshops aimed at members of the public. the wider community. providing social intelligence They will explore with on how future changes participants how everyday to energy infrastructures life may change with a in Port Talbot might decarbonised system and impact on communities. document their findings. Facilitated by members of The results will be fed the Social Acceptability and back to other FLEXIS Responsible Development colleagues, in all likelihood of Energy Systems work in the form of responsible stream, the workshops innovation, intended to will use four possible help demonstrator projects

FLEXIS heads west Our new office space in Baglan Bay Innovation Centre is up and running. As well as being home to demonstration area staff, the space has hot-desking and meeting room facilities for any team members requiring short stints in Port Talbot. Facing the University of South Wales’ Hydrogen Centre, we’re sure that this location will prove useful for our demonstration area work.

Address: Room 28A, 3rd Floor, Baglan Bay Innovation Centre, Baglan Energy Park, Central Avenue, Port Talbot, SA12 7AX.

Prof Karen Henwood and Dr Christopher Groves at the first Energy Futures workshop Baglan Bay Innovation Centre, Port Talbot FLEXIS inspires South Wales Industrial Cluster

At FLEXIS’ inception, Chris Williams of Tata Steel Port Talbot was seconded to the project. Through Chris’ involvement in devising the FLEXIS demonstration area and the project’s regional modelling approach, Chris began to visualise how FLEXIS could help Tata’s Port Talbot plant with de-risking decarbonisation.

Exploration into hydrogen, carbon capture and utilisation and waste heat recovery as well as the possibility of working with other industries around Wales gave rise to the idea that industry can be part of the solution and not just part of the problem.

Chris said: “Following this I got involved in the Royal Society’s sustainability programme, initially for exploring the use of CO2. Through those events we started to become involved in the UK Government’s Clean Growth programme.”

The UK Government’s Clean Growth Strategy identified the need for the creation of industrial clusters, which group together significant CO2 emitters, particularly for industries such as steel, cement, oil and chemicals which face challenges in decarbonising.

Industrial clusters already existed in St. Fergus and Grangemouth in Scotland, and in Teesside, Humberside and Merseyside in England, each with a different focus – for example, the Scottish cluster has the key North Sea gas terminal and potential access point for CO2 storage.

Chris seized the opportunity to start a South Wales cluster, canvassing opinion from different companies and extolling the benefits of one voice for industry as well as the potential UK Government funding opportunities for developing energy efficiency and decarbonisation. At the kick-off meeting held in January 2019, representatives of 28 companies attended from the industrial, energy and academic sectors. Natural Resources Wales and the National Farmers Union Cymru have since also entered the mix.

In support of the Cluster, National Grid have sponsored an overview report by consulting firm Progressive Energy, which will start to explore what South Wales could look like in 2050 in a decarbonised world. The report will feed into their distribution networks planning.

With the objective “to develop a world-leading, truly sustainable Industrial Cluster befitting the societal needs of 2050 and beyond”, the South Wales Cluster is now in talks with the North West Cluster to offer the UK Government an attractive and speedy option for reducing CO2 emissions.

Chris says that momentum is picking up through work with the Welsh Government on their decarbonisation programmes. The next step is to define a vision for the Cluster before developing its roadmap, demonstrators, incentives and policies to make that vision a reality.

17 18 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

International engagement

Sweden Belgium Norway Iceland Finland Scotland Denmark Latvia England Lithuania Canada Wales Netherlands Northern Ireland Poland Ireland Germany France Hungary Serbia Switzerland Macedonia Italy USA Turkey Spain China Japan Greece Cyprus Portugal Iran Tunisia Israel South Korea Croatia UAE Shanghai Egypt India Saudi Arabia Africa Oman

Malaysia Brunei

Sri Lanka Nigeria

Maldives Indonesia

Brazil Singapore Mexico

Australia Chile

South Africa Argentina Publicity

Conferences

Collaborations Sweden Belgium Norway Iceland Finland Scotland Denmark Latvia England Lithuania Canada Wales Netherlands Northern Ireland Poland Ireland Germany France Hungary Serbia Switzerland Macedonia Italy USA Turkey Spain China Japan Greece Cyprus Portugal Iran Tunisia Israel South Korea Croatia UAE Shanghai Egypt India Saudi Arabia Africa Oman

Malaysia Brunei

Sri Lanka Nigeria

Maldives Indonesia

Brazil Singapore Mexico

Australia Chile

South Africa Argentina

19 20 May 2019 Advisory Board Report

News of note

FLEXIS formed part of the official UK delegation and hosted a workshop on ‘De- risking Decarbonisation of Industry-Intensive European Regions’ at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP24) in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018.

A £1.5m world-first green energy system using ammonia as an energy storage system opened in July 2018. FLEXIS researchers worked alongside Siemens, Oxford University and the Science and Technology Facilities Council to create the brand new system which generates power when required, while storing energy in the form of ammonia when demand for, or price of, electricity is low.

Through FLEXIS, Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research Centre will play a major role in an EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems in partnership with the universities of Nottingham and Sheffield.

Prof Alan Guwy, Professor of Energy and Environment and Head of the Sustainable Environment Research Centre at the University of South Wales, has been elected as a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales for his contribution to the world of learning as a researcher, academic and professional.

24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Launch of the green ammonia power demonstrator at the Rutherford Appleton Climate Change Our stakeholders include:

3M Electronic Systems Loughborough University Swansea Bay City Deal Design Centre (ESDC), ABB Group Swansea University Low Carbon Swansea Bay Swansea University Akzo Nobel Energy Systems Catapult Materials Processing Tampere University Institute of Technology Airbus Energy Saving Trust Minister of State Tata Steel UK Amazon Engineering and Physical for Climate Change Tecnalia Bangor University Sciences Research and Industry Council (EPSRC) The Behavioural BIS Group National Grid Energy Technologies Insights Team National Physical Bridgend County Institute (ETI) Tianjin University Borough Council Laboratory (NPL) Future Generations Tidal Lagoon Power BP Commissioner for Wales Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Torfaen County Calon Energy Baglan Global Challenges Borough Council Bay Power Station Research Fund (GCRF) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Toshiba Carbon Conversations General Electric (GE) Newcastle University TNEI Cardiff County Gexcon AS Borough Council Port of Milford Haven UCL (University Grid Solutions College London) CCS (Carbon Capture & Port Talbot Waterfront Storage Association) GW4 Alliance (Bath, Enterprise Zone UKCCS Research Centre Bristol, Cardiff & Celsa Steel UK Exeter Universities) Power Networks Research UK Energy Research Academy (PNRA) Centre (UKERC) Centre for Radiation, Honeywell Chemicals and Ofgem (GB Electricity UK Power Networks Environmental Hazards Indian Institute of Distribution Network) (CRCE), Public Technology Roorkee UK Research and Queen’s University Belfast Innovation Health England Initiative for Managing REHAU CIIIA (Centro de Policymaker-Academic Uniper SE Investigacion e Innovacion Cooperation and Renishaw University of Bath en Ingenieria Aeronautica), Transfer (IMPACKT), UANL (Mexico) Swansea University Rhondda Cynon Taf University of Bristol County Borough Council Climate Change, Imperial College University of Edinburgh Ricardo plc Environment and Rural Innovate UK University of Leeds Affairs Committee, RICE National Assembly Institute of Electrical University of Manchester for Wales and Electronics Riversimple University of Nottingham Engineers (IEEE) Compound RMIT University University of Reading Semiconductor Centre Institute of Welsh Affairs Rolls-Royce University of Sheffield Cranfield University Council on Large Electric Royal Society Systems (CIGRE) University of Southampton Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / RRI Tools Natural Resources Wales Integral University of Strathclyde RWE nPower Department for Intellectual Property Office University of Warwick Environment, Food & Rural Schneider Electric Affairs (UK Government) International Energy Virgin Atlantic Agency (IEA) SSE plc Department for Business, Wales Council for SP Energy Networks Energy & Industrial ITM Power Voluntary Action (WCVA) Strategy (UK Government) Jaguar Land Rover SER Cymru II Wales and West Utilities Department for Transport Khalifa University Severn Trent Water WEFO (EU funds in Wales) (UK Government) Kingsmill Industries Shell Welsh Government DNV GL (UK) Ltd Siemens Westminster Energy, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water KU Leuven SINTEF Environment and Transport Forum EA Technology Lancaster University SPECIFIC Buildings Western Power EERA (European Energy Life Sciences Hub Wales as Power Stations Research Alliance) Distribution Liverpool John SP Energy Networks WRAP Cymru eCORP International, LLC Moores University Stainless Metalcraft Ltd ZF Ecole Centrale de Lyon Local Partnerships LLP Supergen Bioenergy

21