Free Access to Europe's Leading Smart Grid Research Infrastructure

Provided Smart Grid Infrastructure

Successful applicants will gain free access to ERIGrid testing and simulation facilities, backed by concentrated know-how and best practices in the field of smart grid systems and Distributed Energy Resources (DER), for example:

• Power system components characterization and evaluation
• Smart grid ICT / Automation validation
• Co-simulation
• Real-time simulation and Power/Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and others.

“ERIGrid partners offer a wide range of installations and invaluable competencies to assist successful applicants with conducting experiments. Such a common framework of applied smart grid expertise will accelerate the development of an integrated pan-European research infrastructure,” says Thomas Strasser of AIT, Coordinator of ERIGrid.

Eligible Applicants

If you are looking for sophisticated smart grid infrastructure with top know-how and innovative installations for conducting your own experimental research, then ERIGrid offers an invaluable opportunity for you.

Up to 15 December, 2016, you can apply for the current call for researchers exchange as an individual researcher or together with colleagues as a User Group (UG).

Candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Be employed by organisations located in the European Union or associated European states. Limited access is also provided to applicants from non-EU countries and other developing countries (please visit erigrid.eu/transnational-access for more information)
• The UG leader and the majority of the UG must work in a country other than the one where the requested infrastructure is located
• Must be able to publicly report about the conducted user project

The starting time and length of the user projects are flexible. The duration of the stay at the research infrastructure is normally limited to 3 months.

The expenses, including travel and accommodation, will be reimbursed, subject to ERIGrid rules and regulations.

Application and Evaluation Criteria

To apply, please visit erigrid.eu/transnational-access for detailed specifications of the available laboratories, application guidelines and the user project proposal template.

You will be given the option to select your preferred laboratories at which to conduct your experimental research.

Some of the key assessment criteria for submitted proposals include:

• Scientific and technical relevance, originality and innovation
• Prospect of knowledge-enhancement at research infrastructures
• Compliance with European RTD policies and priorities; prospect of social impact and impact on EU industry
• General quality of the proposal: completeness and organisation of the proposal, clear definition of the objectives and expected results, relevance of the proposed dissemination actions, justified amount of requested access; preferable involvement of young researchers and female researchers

The entire evaluation process is expected to be completed one month after the submission deadline (15 December, 2016).

Calls for transnational access will be opened every 6 months, until December 2019.

The next transnational access call will be opened in March 2017.