This document summarizes a workshop on establishing a Future Cities Resilient Energy Catapult. The workshop discussed:
1. Defining "Resilient Energy" and establishing scenarios for energy needs in future cities considering sustainability, demand, policy, technology changes.
2. The Catapult's role in coordinating partners like cities, universities, industry to develop integrated solutions through test beds, standards, and skills training.
3. A proposed multi-year program including scenario mapping, component development, feasibility studies, test beds, and skills training to establish Future City Energy systems and export UK models worldwide.
The success of the Catapult will depend on leveraging significant non-government funding
1. Future cities resilient energy workshop
Date: 11th September 2012
Location: Manchester
Attendees:
Eddie Townsend ICT KTN
Mike Perry MBE KTN
Adam Green National Grid
Vincent Thornley Siemens
Sacha Meckler WIPRO
David Healey WIPRO
Luis Ochoa University of Manchester
Pierluigi Mancarella University of Manchester
Dave Carter Manchester City Council
John Parsons BEAMA
Steve Connor Creative Camera
Jessica Symons Clicks and Links
Jacqueline Homan Birmingham City Council
Steven lesser Arup
Martine Tammis Manchester City Council
2. Key policy drivers with focus on growth
The Catapult will at the outset need to establish a framework for Energy in a Future Cities
environment and establish a new framework that takes account of the following drivers. The energy
needs of a city will be complex and there is a requirement to define a number of scenarios in
establishing the framework for business models and R&D.
• Sustainability – economics (short term vs long term)
• Demand
• Policy at a city and national level
• Electrification of transport
• Flexibility
• New business models in the energy sector
• Affordability
• Customer behavior response
• Growth in global infrastructure
The framework will result in a multi level road map addressing industry and communities.
With Future Internet style systems driving behavioral change there is an opportunity to use an
Internet of things pilot to provide real time data feeds to enable modeling of behavioral change.
Consumers need to be more engaged and responsible with energy.
Changes in manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing technology enabling home manufacture
will have a significant impact on behavior and energy needs. The Catapult should embark on
foresight ting and relate these ideas to practical application.
Water systems are a major user of energy and need to be considered in any resilient energy
scenario.
There is also the tendency to view cities as isolated entities but of course they fit into a national
framework and rather that view the solutions from an independence perspective there should be an
emphasis on collaboration at a national or even an EU level.
Definition of “Resilient Energy”
The problem with any term like Resilient Energy is that it means different things to different people
in different contexts and the Catapult should agree a definition upon which any activity can be
based. Any definition should consider different forms of energy, electricity, gas, heat and kinetic
energy, etc., It is not sufficient to say that it should be fault tolerant, it should also address
affordability as well as technology. There is also the challenge of providing high levels of resilience
whilst at the same time meeting aggressive national, EU and international low carbon policy
objectives and targets. Any energy system should therefore take a long view around the drivers
from climate change. If carbon emissions are to be considered in any model then they should also
include the emissions resulting from the supply chain of goods coming into the city.
Evidence from other cities in the UK and internationally have shown that there is more than one
solution for a city or community. A single solution is too narrow and rather we need a road map that
can cater for different scenarios. Putting intelligence in the network and taking into account the
needs of existing building stock are major factors.
3. Who owns the challenge
The future is less clearly defined as we move to these new energy structures and ownership will be
more diverse and vary with the different levels, from national government to city level to industry
and citizens. This diversity will mean that responsibly will lie at a local level with the emergence of
Community Energy Systems. There will no longer be a single point of ownership with different sets
of owners for different scenarios. With reference to the road map in “Definition of Resilient Energy”,
different aspects of ownership at different levels of the challenge. Budget owners at the different
levels, suppliers, citizens and business, along with city planners will all play a part in the ownership
and management of this complex emerging energy system.
Whatever the ownership structure is at present it will become more complex in the future due to
diversification and devolution of energy sources. Governments set rules and local ownership needs
to ensure the coordination and joint ownership of the “Future Cities Agenda”, taking into account
the regulatory impact.
New Intellectual Property will be generated and the Catapult has an important role to play in taking
the lead on how these IP issues are to be managed by providing working models. The Catapult
can also coordinate the cross sector test beds and act as a driver for early adoption. By taking on
this role solutions can be developed to respond to UK requirements and then be adapted for
export.
Catapult to act in a coordinator role
What partners need to be included
It is essential that cities are involved from the outset in the establishment of priorities. City groups
similar to those led by the Manchester Digital Development Agency are key Catapult partners. In
fact the Catapult has the opportunity to become part of a worldwide partnership of cities developing
solutions and creating market entry points for UK innovation and solutions.
New supply chain dynamics can be created by enabling cities to see energy production as a profit
making endeavor, rather than a supply issue and waste as a resource rather than a disposal issue.
There are exemplars of new style supply chain implementation such as Linkoping in Sweden that
the Catapult can learn from. How supply chain partners are required to develop these new
business models. Cities are best placed to lead the development of new supply chains.
The central government contribution is through OfGem, but there is a role for the Catapult in acting
as a facilitator, bringing together the stakeholder community, developing UK and international
standards and acting as a hub for the SME community. Catapult can develop a tool box of
integrating solutions and standards that will allow SMEs to operate
Catapults working together can be instrumental in system integration, energy generation and
developing a joined up strategy for services such as transport and health.
Catapult to bring system and market understanding to the table, commercial
and legal understanding.
4. Programme steps and time scale
First 12 months
Scenario mapping
Programme steps are to include scenario mapping, the development and production of components
leading to solutions. All of which will be supported by business models that will enable additional
investment to flow into the catapult and city.
Developing top down scenarios and priorities that can be integrated into solutions will take between 9 and
12 months, during which time the Catapult will engage with communities and identify the “touch points”
between energy systems and other services and how commercial models may be developed.
The development of scenarios will be a continuing role of the Catapult beyond this initial stage
given that we are dealing with an ever changing context.
EU Collaboration
One third of the Catapult funding will come from publically funded development programmes and a
priority in the first 12 months will be to secure this funding through the development of an EU
funded project aimed at connecting cities across Europe.
For UK technology to be used worldwide, cities in the UK see the catapult as a resource.
Integration of other cities systems with energy
Training and Education
The Catapult will in itself be a centre of excellence, but it will also develop links with Universities
and through these establish training programmes to build a UK skill base in the corporate and SME
community. It is important to the success of the Catapult that it is a leader in the areas of energy
sector regulation, knowledge and energy business models, with a cross sector understanding of
energy markets
The skills will encompass technology, system integration marketing and commercialization.
Catapult to act as an intelligent broker and for cities to act as an intermediary expert.
2 to 4 year programme
Feasibility studies will contribute substantially to the laying down of test beds and demonstrators
which have to be complete by March 2014. Convergence and coordination of programmes to
achieve sensible time scales will be important. Also there will be major challenges around scaling
the test beds and transferring the models into a full scale real time city environment
5 to 10 years
UK models and IP exported word wide and the creation of a Future Cities industrial sector.
Improved understanding of market application of Future City Energy systems and the practicalities
of full scale integration in a range of contexts and environments.
Catapult role: Advocacy and leadership to achieve outcomes of Future City
Energy Systems
5. UK Products and Solutions
Even with the level of funding at around £30M the Catapult will need to pursue activities that will
leverage investment of several orders of magnitude greater to establish Future Cities across the
UK providing internet style services. Therefore the most important aspect will be to encourage
inward investment to the UK to support development and manufacturing of resilient energy
systems.
This will be achieved by establishing the Catapult as the centre of excellence, provision of
consultancy services. SMEs who innovative ideas will be able to use the Catapult facilities to test
their concepts, receive technical, market and investment advice and thereby reduce the risk to
potential private investors.
Network components to international standards, finance packages encouraging investment and
developing commercial models.
Catapult role: Developing the commercial model, systems design
consultancy.
Success factors
Achieve the goal of two thirds funding from non Technology strategy Board sources, one third from
private industry and one third from other public funding sources, e.g. EU Commission FP7.
Market uptake by achieving replication of city energy projects
Increased activity of SMEs in the supply chain and engagement with large companies.
Objective measurements of knowledge transfer resulting in a UK based centre of excellence,
resulting more SME involvement in the sector with significant commercial benefit
Successful submission of UK Patents and IP
Measureable progress towards more efficient cities with the replication of integrated solutions.
It is not possible to describe the perfect delivery mechanism or process and there has to be an
acceptance of the risk of market failure. However the identification and quantification of risk will aid
the ability of SMEs and cities to gain the required inward investment.
Delivery
The Catapult will in effect be a living laboratory to enable innovation to be tested against realistic
models and standards criteria.
However there are still some significant questions around this section. What is the funding to
support and what are the risks.
Catapult to establish financial business model.
Test bed SME proposals to reduce risk
Need funding framework to support SME development.
6. Context
The drive towards a Future City concept with new models for energy supply is not isolate to the UK but is a
worldwide objective. The Catapult will have to be constantly aware of the latest state of the art and in fact
be a market leader if the UK is going to gain commercial advantage.
Other programmes
Smart Grid
Low Carbon Network Fund
Other opportunities
Fraunhofer model of branding and selling concept overseas
Shaping strategy
System integration
Dependent on scheduling the correct demonstrator