The Portuguese Government has approved the Industrial Strategy for Ocean Renewable Energies (EI-ERO) with the aim of developing the country's offshore wind potential. According to EI-ERO, offshore renewable energies have the potential to supply 25% of the electricity consumed annually in Portugal and create a new export chain in these new technologies. The government envisages that potential exports in this field could increase up to ten times the current employment in the active sectors, with the greatest potential for exports seen in the development of the floating wind technology.
The overall objective of TWIND is to create a network of excellence that will dynamize a pool of specialized research professionals and trainers in the domain of offshore wind energy to support an emerging industry in Portugal in a field with a very strong anticipated growth and no dedicated existing training curriculum.
WavEC will be the pivot research institution of the low performing Member State (Portugal) coordinating efforts with internationally-leading counterparts at the EU level (Spain, UK and The Netherlands) and enhancing its excellence and innovation capacity through the exchange of knowledge with these leading research organizations. The combining capabilities of partners will open the grounds to exploit existing research results and invest in developing more knowledge.
These objectives will be fulfilled through a set of strategic activities well-structured throughout the project including specific training programmes on thematic topics, short-term scientific meetings, long-term staff visits, networking meetings, attendance to relevant conferences in the field, knowledge transfer workshops with stakeholders and an annual event.
The networking activities and exchange of knowledge will stimulate research activities and highly qualified services that impact the economy and the society, thus benefitting not only WavEC and the partner organisations, but in general Portugal.
The overall aim of the project is the upgrade of knowledge, skills and social capacity of UNSFA in the field of environmental sciences, with special focus on agrometeorology and related ecosystem sciences (such as plant physiology, crop management). The main tool for reaching that aim will be establishment of the AgMnet+ research network at UNSFA in collaboration with leading international research institutions BOKU and UNIFI. As a strategy to improve S&T capacities of UNSFA, AgMnet+ will introduce the concepts of small study groups (SSGs) of UNSFA, BOKU and UNIFI students and develop joint study teaching material in English and native languages. BOKU and UNIFI partners will implement goal-driven measurement and modelling training in the selected research fields for AgMnet+ members. Additionally, EU partners will organise expert training related to preparation of research project proposals for AgMnet+ researchers. Intensive exchange of short term scientific visits, guest lectures and students visits among partner institutions will contribute to improved eligibility of AgMnet+ members for participation on EU projects, increased number of papers in peer-review journals and increased citation. Finally, AgMnet+ will serve as a robust basis for the further sustainable development of the selected research fields at UNSFA, in Serbia and wider region of Western Balkan Countries. Strategic partnership with BOKU and UNIFI, initiated by this project will significantly enhance the research and innovations capacities of UNSFA and help to upgrade the knowledge and skills of both of its students and researchers. Additionally, it will reduce potential 'crowding out' effect at BOKU and UNIFI and increase research and social capacity of all project participants