EUR2.4 Million for Green Energy Research

The title of the research project is "Development and  demonstration of a dynamic, web based, renewable energy rating platform" and is funded by the Commission of the European Communities under Framework Programme 7. Framework Programmes (for Research and Technological Development) are  funding programmes created by the European Union to support and encourage research. The total fund awarded is EUR2.4 million commencing from the project start, which will be before the end of 2011.

Bluesky will be  working with organisations from across Europe including the Solar Trade Association in the UK, Svensk Solenergi of Sweden, Solar Macedonia, Alemanys Saludes Asociados from Spain as well as the Universities of Leicester, Karlsruhe in Germany and Selcuk in Turkey. The project will be  coordinated by the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) with Bluesky acting as lead for the technical aspect.

The research will initially focus on the exploitation of geographic data, such as aerial photography and Lidar, for the automatic extraction of information relating to the suitability of a property for renewable energy production. This will in turn look at ways to include a variety of other types of data from across Europe and potentially globally. The second element of the project is to create a web-based portal to deliver this information to energy companies, government organisations, installers and even individuals providing unbiased  information on every property in the EU. Initially focused on solar generation, it is expected the project will also encompass other types of renewable energy such as wind, hydro and ground source heat, making it the primary renewables portal.

Image: In foreground, managing director Rachel Tidmarsh, with back row left to right non-executive director Oliver Rothschild, operations director Simon Tidmarsh, technical director James Eddy, sales director Ralph Coleman and finance director David Hodson.