ROBINSON’s objectives and KPIs

ROBINSON’s objectives follow the main structure of the project and its pillars, and are therefore divided into technological objectives, demonstration objectives, replication objectives, and objectives related to the impact. From the development, optimisation and validation of new innovative technologies, to large-scale applicability, from the replicability of the system, to positive impact on the environment and on the human health, every aspect of ROBINSON is structured so to help islands achieve their decarbonisation goals. In the meanwhile, ROBINSON supports islands and Europe by contributing to Europe’s technological advancement, improving quality of life, protecting the environment, and being cost-competitive and market-ready.

Technological objectives

OB 1: Develop and validate a modular and flexible Energy Management System (EMS)

ROBINSON will develop an EMS including an adapted Model Predictive Control (MPC) able to stabilise the grid and ensure energy security by well managed energy fluxes and balanced energy demand and generation. The a modular and flexible EMS will integrate different energy vectors and local energy management systems depending on each islands’ needs. It is expected to reach TRL 6.

  • OB 1.1: Develop a control and management system considering electrical and thermal needs, weather forecast, electricity cost, demand-side response and market functions to minimize the system operative
    KPI 1.1: Overall efficiency: >20% compared to standard energy management approach software stability for wrong input data >5 (as measure of robustness obtained in laboratory) and continuous operations for >1 day (as measure of reliability obtained in the lab)
  • OB 1.2: Integrate digital and cybersecurity technologies in the EMS for anomaly detection, interoperability, integrity and traceability of the collected data
    KPI 1.2: obtain false positive and negative rates for anomaly detection in the input data of the EMS < 10%.
  • OB 1.3: Validate the EMS for each island
    KPI 1.3: Validation of the EMS for 1 demo island and for 2 Follower islands. Operations for >100 hours with the EMS

OB 2: Optimise, validate and integrate innovative technologies

ROBINSON aims to optimise, validate and integrate innovative technologies for energy and heat production as well as for long-term energy storage, using local renewable resources aiming to abandon usage of fossil fuels.

  • OB 2.1: Adapt a 400 kWel flexible gas turbine-based Combined Heat and Power unit (CHP) for extended fuel flexibility to run on syngas, bio-methane and green hydrogen also used as innovative energy storage.
    KPI 2.1: 40% of electrical efficiency, 90% of availability, up to 90% of overall efficiency in CHP mode running with syngas, bio-methane and hydrogen mix up to 30%.
  • OB 2.2: Develop Anaerobic digestion system assisted by a Bioelectrochemical unit (AD+BES) enabling conversion of liquid waste from fish industry into biomethane to be used as fuel.
    KPI 2.2: 70% conversion efficiency (supplied energy to methane) and bio-methane purity of >95%.

Demonstration objectives

OB 3: Demonstrate the large-scale applicability of the ROBINSON system

The integrated ROBINSON system, including the novel technologies and the validated EMS software, will be demonstrated on the island of Eigerøy (Norway). Eigerøy’s existing infrastructure and pre-installed technologies will be integrated and combined with new technologies for energy storage, such as power-to-hydrogen, and thermal storage, to allow balancing and storage for different time scales – even long-term seasonal variations of peak demand of electricity and process steam for seasonal industries.

  • OB 3.1: Integrate and demonstrate a prototype of the adjusted 400 kWel gas turbine CHP unit.
    KPI 3.1: target production is ~5000 MWh/year of heat and ~9000 MWh/year of electricity generated; ~21% of wood biomass used for local syngas production to fuel the CHP instead of exporting it (4 000t/year); at least 18,5% of LNG replaced by heat from the CHP and green hydrogen corresponding to an equally high reduction of CO2 emissions from fish industry.
  • OB 3.2: Integrate and demonstrate a prototype of the AD+BES unit (1 m3).
    KPI 3.3: 900 litres/day of biomethane produced and integrated in the system; 100% of waste water from fish industries used locally instead of releasing to the ocean.
  • OB 3.3: Integrate and demonstrate the novel EMS in Eigerøy connected with the electrical, thermal and gas grids and with the fish industry, optimising the operation based on the weather forecast and the RES availability and run the whole pilot on the demo site of Eigerøy for one year under different seasons’ weather conditions
    KPI 3.3: Total hours of continuous operation: 1000 hours; reliability of the plant: 95%.

Replication Objectives

OB 4: Demonstrate the replicability of the system

Demonstrate the replicability of the modular EMS and the developed concepts depending on the islands’ needs on the Follower islands (Western Isles of Scotland and Crete).

  • KPI 4.1: At least 2 replication plans prepared by the Follower Islands in northern and southern Europe.

OB 5: Wide dissemination

Attract interest of other islands with similar characteristics

  • KPI 5.1: At least 10 more islands represented by municipalities and end-users in the Replication Advisory Board

Objectives related to the impact

OB 6: Demonstrate a significant positive impact on human health and environment

The objective of ROBINSON will be to prove that, once fully operational, it will enable a 100% coverage of the current and future energy demand of the demonstrating island with non-fossil resources and associated technologies.

  • KPI 6.1: At the project end, CO2 emissions from energy sector reduced by 20% (Expected 7000t/year in 2030 = 100% of the CO2 produced by industry), fossil fuels used by industrial heat reduced by 18,5% (Expected 100% in 2030), renewables used for boats for loading and unloading cargo increased by 20% (Expected 100% in 2030), 40% of cars fuelled by electricity or H2 (Expected 80% in 2030), overall energy system related environmental footprint of the island reduced by 50%.

OB 7: Demonstrate the system cost-competitiveness

A techno-economic analysis will be performed to demonstrate the cost-competitiveness of the full-scale ROBINSON system. The ROBINSON concept will be cost-competitive when benchmarked with potential alternative technologies, and especially when compared to conventional, fossil-fuel based energy supply solutions. It will provide the required operational flexibility satisfying industrial and residential energy demand in a reliable way.

  • KPI 7.1: Reduction of levelized costs of energy on the islands by at least 30%

OB 8: Development of Business models

In close collaboration with local communities and with other European actors, such as the BRIDGE initiative, ROBINSON will develop and apply relevant business cases for the Eigerøy island resulting from the use of the ROBINSON system after the project completion. The business models will also take into account social acceptance and local ecosystem as well as all applicable regulatory aspects.

  • KPI 8.1: At least 5 case studies developed for the demo island and 2 theoretical ones for the Follower islands, related to lower costs for more energy, use of energy by households and industries and greener road and marine transport.
Flag of Europe This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 957752.
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