Research Centre for Sustainable Energy (FOSS)- University of Cyprus

		Country: Cyprus Website
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Description: Within the University of Cyprus, FOSS is the center of excellence focusing on renewable energy sources (RES) and in particular solar energy, energy efficiency and smart electricity grid. The centre is currently equipped with a state-of-the-art facility for monitoring and evaluation of PV technologies and Advanced Metering Infrastructure and is currently progressing with further installations for completing a large microgrid covering the energy needs of the University. This will transform the University campus to one of the few green campuses in Europe.

FOSS was created in order to play a key role in research and technological development activities in the field of sustainable energy within Cyprus and at international level with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the relevant energy and environment objectives set out by Europe. In particular, FOSS strives to become a centre of excellence in energy that will act as a structure where world‐standard R&D work can be performed, in terms of measurable scientific production (including training) and technological innovation.
The selected thematic priorities include:

• Renewable energy sources (RES) with an emphasis on solar energy
• Distributed generation and new technologies for electrical power systems
• Smart electricity networks
• Enabling technologies including energy storage and ICT, which are necessary for developing a smart grid environment
• Energy efficiency and energy saving
• Energy efficient buildings
• Energy Policy and Energy economics
• Education and awareness work on sustainable energy matters and promotion of active involvement of consumers in demand response and local energy production using RES

FOSS has gathered significant research expertise from the University of Cyprus as well as from industry that spans a host of fields: from electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, chemical engineering from to physics, chemistry, economics, finance and architecture. The FOSS team aims, with the development of the necessary synergies, to create the impetus for the advancement of the field of energy.
The centre is currently assembling a large smart grid test bed for storage and PV as well as conducting the work making the university campus as one of the few green campuses in Europe.
Current capabilities include:

• Outdoor PV grid connected inverter testing facility comprising a PV array connected to a programmable grid-connected inverter and a high resolution data acquisition device. Research on grid integration issues of renewables is facilitated by configuring the inverter to operate at different grid settings in order to emulate different grid conditions.
• CPV cell/module/system outdoor testing facility comprising a high pointing angle accuracy CPV tracker (< 0.1°) of 2 kWp capacity, sensors to evaluate the accuracy of the tracker, global and direct irradiance and other meteorological sensors and a data-acquisition system. The developed apparatus facilitates research in the area of CPV characterisation and performance assessments.
• Outdoor PV module HV experimental PID testing facility comprising a HV source meter, data-acquisition meteorological sensors and a data-acquisition device. With the apparatus any PV cell/module can be tested at HV for PID, while continuously acquiring and analysing measurements of the leakage current.
• Professional state of the art training laboratory for supporting professional and educational training programmes in the field of RES and smart grids. At present, the laboratory supports the “PV system and designer” professional training programme which is the only certified vocational training course in this field in Cyprus.
• Low Voltage Smart Grid Emulator: The facility is a flexible and scalable R&D smart grid infrastructure that is fully equipped with distributed generation test-benches, battery storage, DC and AC programmable loads, smart meters, data acquisition devices and a home energy management system.
• Photovoltaic (PV) power production forecasting platform: A web-based tool that calculates forecasted power of PV systems (point and aggregated sites day- and hour-ahead forecasts).
• Indoor PV potential induced degradation (PID) testing: The PID testing infrastructure comprises of a HV source-meter, data-acquisition system and environmental chamber for indoor PID tests according to IEC62804.