#INNOVATION FOR THE REGION DEVELOPMENT

New energy and resources

Current environmental and geopolitical circumstances are inevitably leading to a paradigm shift in the ways in which human society produces, distributes, stores and consumes energy. In the European Union (EU) it is now impossible to see the need for this change in any other way than through the prism of the existing energy crises and continuing Russian aggression in Ukraine. Paradoxically, however, the unreliability of some non-bohemian suppliers of energy commodities opens up new paths and directions that will make it possible to set up progressive patterns for energy management in the Usti Region.

ICUK perceives the existence of the potential of relevant innovative patterns as crucial for achieving not only unprecedented energy self-sufficiency and resilience of the Czech Republic and the Usti Region, but also for decarbonising the energy sector and maximising regional energy efficiency and effectiveness. Topics addressed by ICUK in this context include Renewable energy sources, accumulation or storage of energy produced for later use or decentralisation of the energy sector, for example by creating local and self-sustaining energy communities. Therefore, ICUK has been and will continue to strive to establish and facilitate partnerships and projects in this area, as well as to create appropriate conditions for their implementation, so that the energy sector in the Ústí Region becomes modern, innovative and environmentally friendly.

For the most optimal energy management from the point of view of economy and emission load, it is also advisable to consider the introduction of an energy management system with the aim of managing and optimising the reduction of energy consumption. Currently, ICUK is working closely with the Energy Centre of the Ústí Region (ECUK) and the Data Centre of the Ústí Region (DCUK) to develop the analytical software of the Regional Energy Management (KEM). It is a key tool for the implementation of the energy management system across the Ústí Region and therefore for the optimization of the regional energy economy.

In order to develop the application of the most innovative energy solutions in the Ústí Region, it is also absolutely necessary to find out how neighbouring European countries deal with similar energy situations. ICUK continuously cooperates with a number of partners in establishing international partnerships for the exchange of knowledge and its subsequent practical use in regional or international projects. The relevant projects range from research to actual applications.

ICUK IS INVOLVED IN SOLVING TOPICS:

  • renewable energy sources
    • geothermal energy
    • photovoltaics
    • wind power plants
    • biogas plants
  • energy storage for later use
    • battery storage
    • hydrogen and fuel cells – energy storage and conversion back to electricity
    • other storage methods – underground heat storage, pumped storage hydroelectric power plants
  • decentralisation of the energy sector
    • switching from large system energy sources to smaller local sources
    • community and municipal energy
  • implementing an energy management system
    • Regional Energy Management (KEM) – cooperation with ECUK
    • virtual and more efficient management of energy consumption in the region
  • circular economy
    • the use of waste heat, for example for growing crops

HYDROGEN IN THE ÚSTÍ REGION

In November 2019, 18 entities including the Ústí Region, cities, key companies, research organisations and supporting institutions signed a Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation for the development of comprehensive use of hydrogen as a clean energy source in the Ústí Region.

The aim of the cooperation is the preparation and implementation of activities supporting the comprehensive use of hydrogen,especially that generated in the technological process of companies in the Ústí Region, which would be processed by liquefaction and distributed as a clean, carbon-free fuel for a wide range of applications in the field of its energy use (e.g. for the development of emission-free transport in the Ústí Region).

The project is unique in the Czech Republic in that it offers a complete closed circuit from the use of existing hydrogen production capacities in the region, through hydrogen processing, distribution and efficient energy use. The whole project not only has a highly positive ecological potential, but also creates significant economic benefits for companies in the Ústí Region egion in the area of current progressive global technological trends.

HYDROGEN STRATEGY OF THE ÚSTÍ REGION

The Ústí Region is the first Czech region with its own hydrogen strategy.

Hydrogen in particular has the ability to store energy produced from renewable sources and thus contribute to the stability of energy supply, but it can also be used as a completely emission-free fuel or clean energy solution for buildings. In the Ústí Region, it has a tradition and apparently a bright future. The Hydrogen Strategy of the Ústí Region, the first document of its kind in the Czech Republic, was created in order to preserve the importance of this region as to preserve the importance of this region as the energy heart of the Czech Republic in the context of the energy transition.

Download the strategy HERE

Martin Balej

bývalý rektor UJEP

„Vodík má skvělý potenciál a jeho aplikace představuje velkou výzkumnou výzvu. Ve spolupráce s VŠCHT, ČVUT, případně dalšími vysokými školami se proto, mimo jiné, zaměříme na základní výzkum v oblasti bezpečného ukládání vodíku. Připravujeme rovněž specializaci studijního programu Energetika zaměřenou na čisté energie.“

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