- The launch of these challenges is part of the #SuperLabPorts initiative, in which the Fundación Valenciaport is co-funding aid for start-ups in the EIT Climate-KIC Business Acceleration Programme, with the collaboration of the Port Authority of Valencia.
- The start-up that best suits the challenges defined in the call will receive up to 30,000 euros to develop its activity and could test its solutions in the form of pilots in the port of Valencia.
- The main objective of this initiative is to attract talent to the logistics-port sector and thus promote the culture of open innovation in the area of Valenciaport.
Valencia – 29.06.20. The Fundación Valenciaport, in collaboration with the Port Authority of Valencia, has launched two specific challenges to the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator Open Call, with the objective of co-financing 2 start-ups aimed at improving sustainability in the logistics-port sector in the different phases of the aforementioned acceleration programme. In phase 2, the aid reaches up to 15,000 euros for the validation of the business model and in phase 3 up to 30,000 euros to support the start-up in the preparation for investment.
The selected start-ups will be able to access Phase 2 or 3 of the EIT Climate-KIC Business Acceleration Program according to their degree of maturity and will have the possibility of working closely in the port environment of Valenciaport during the last months of 2020 through the #SuperLabPorts initiative (https://superlabports.com/), the first Hub specialized in innovation and entrepreneurship in climate action for the maritime-port sector, which is intended to be the meeting place for the different agents that make up both the industry and the innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
One of the main purposes of this initiative is the application of an open innovation strategy in the Port of Valencia, in alignment with one of the major demonstrators in the new EIT Climate-KIC strategy (Deep Demonstration Net-Zero-Emissions for Resilient Maritime Hubs), where the co-design of innovative solutions by the actors involved can be developed and implemented in the port area, thus contributing to achieving its challenge of zero net emissions in 2030.
This is a pilot project as it is the first time that the Fundación Valenciaport collaborates as an organizing partner of the Spanish edition of the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator and, moreover, co-finances 3 projects. In fact, currently in phase 1 of the Accelerator, one of the start-ups that are being accelerated is being co-financed with a grant of 5,000 Euros, which arose from the previous open call launched by EIT Climate-KIC and in which Valenciaport also participated. Specifically, this is Greenovation, a project developed by the Greenb2e group, which is developing a platform that would allow any measure susceptible to energy assessment through blockchain technology to be certified in future renewable energy facilities to be implemented in the port of Valencia.
This new call, which will remain open until 26 July, as well as being open to any start-up that is developing solutions related to any of the deep demonstrations of EIT’s new Climate-KIC strategy, presents 2 priority sustainability challenges facing the port logistics cluster in order to achieve the objectives set for 2030 and which will serve as a guide for the Fundación Valenciaport when selecting the 2 winning start-ups, which will be those that can resolve one or both challenges and will become part of the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator, either in phase 2 or phase 3, co-financed by Valenciaport.
Both challenges were defined through a co-creation process, with the aim of aligning the different priorities and lines of work in terms of sustainability, during the meeting of the “Climate Change and Zero Emissions” Group of the Innovation Committee of the Valenciaport cluster held last Monday 22 June, which was also attended by some members of Ecoport. The challenges defined are as follows:
Challenge 1: Innovation in photovoltaic installations in ports
The installation of photovoltaic energy in ports presents specificities such as the high level of salinity and humidity, difficult access for installation and maintenance on cranes or breakwaters and vibrations that require materials, types of plates and structures that take these particularities into account.
This challenge is looking for start-ups that can provide solutions that maximize the performance of the installation using specific materials, types of plates especially well adapted to the port environment and structures that allow installation on ship-to-shore cranes and RTGs, as well as on breakwaters.
The clients/users of this solution would be the Port Authority of Valencia and the terminals operated under concession by different operators in the Port of Valencia.
Challenge 2: Virtual battery for renewable energy storage in an internal network
In every renewable installation for self-consumption there is a temporary disconnection between the energy generated and the energy consumed, which can only be solved if there is some element to absorb the surpluses and provide energy in the periods of deficit. If the system is connected to a network with other consumers, this can be achieved through intelligent network management, in which the surpluses of some producers can be used by other consumers. A key aspect of making investments in renewables attractive to grid members is that these energy flows are reflected in the energy bill of the energy producer, so that both consumed and discharged energy is taken into account. From the point of view of energy management, the rest of the network would act for the electricity producer as an element of electricity storage that has been physically installed, so it can be considered as a virtual battery.
This challenge seeks start-ups that provide both technical and operational solutions, for the creation of a virtual battery system that allows the proper management of electricity produced locally by users of the port of Valencia.
The clients/users of this solution would be the Port Authority of Valencia and the terminals operated under concession by different operators in the Port of Valencia.
The objective of this call, in addition to attracting talent to the port logistics sector, is to be able to demonstrate the functions and potential of the #SuperLabPorts initiative to the agents of the cluster, thus instilling a culture of open innovation in the port community, which will be made to participate in the winner of the challenge, its journey through the accelerator, as well as the possibility of benefiting from its solutions through the implementation of pilots in its facilities.
More information about the call:
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