Renewable energy and distributed solutions

The energy sector is one of the pillars of the economy in Ida-Viru County. The aim of the research area of renewable energy and distributed solutions is to provide knowledge to companies in Ida-Viru County and to help develop solutions to promote locally produced renewable energy and community energy. The University of Tartu is leading two research projects on the development of energy conversion devices.

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Development of low-temperature electrolysers and green-hydrogen thin-film storage devices 

The European Union has set a target to achieve a climate-neutral economy by 2050. This is only possible with the widespread use of renewable energy. The development of new energy storage devices will play a key role, as wind and solar power generation depends on the weather, not on consumption needs.

The research group is working on the development of more efficient and safer low-temperature electrolysers and fuel cells. Electrolysers enable the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, which is used as an energy carrier in fuel cells. The hydrogen fuel cell in a hydrogen vehicle produces electricity from water and atmospheric oxygen, with only pure water as a by-product. 

Safe storage of the hydrogen produced is essential in hydrogen production. The group is also developing materials based on carbon and metal hydrides that are able to reversibly bind and release hydrogen.

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High-temperature electrolysers, CO2 and H2O co-electrolysers and NH3 synthesis reactors

Energy storage and conversion equipment is needed for more efficient and large-scale deployment of wind and solar energy. The production of hydrogen, synthesis gas or ammonia by high-efficiency solid oxide electrolysers is a good way to store green energy. At present, the limited lifetime of such systems hinders their widespread implementation.

The aim of the research project is to develop perovskite ceramic electrodes for high-temperature solid oxide electrolysers capable of producing hydrogen, synthesis gas and ammonia, with the same or better activity and equivalent stability compared to existing metal-ceramic hydrogen electrodes. Such novel electrodes would increase the performance and reliability of the equipment. By the end of the project, we want to implement the technology in demo systems for hydrogen, synthesis gas and ammonia production.

Specialists with the relevant skills will also be trained for companies in Ida-Viru County in the course of the project.

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