About the RLS- Energy Network

The Energy Network was initiated as a follow-up to the Regional Leaders Summit (RLS) meeting in São Paulo in 2012. It was agreed amongst the participants that renewable sources of energy are a crucial issue that requires extensive research. Due to their unique geographical composition spanning five continents, and in accordance with their research profiles, the RLS regions represent strong potential in this field. Together, the RLS regions can cover all aspects of energy, from production to usage, monitoring to efficiency. The RLS network is used as a means to bring together complementary strengths in energy research to be shared and further developed in a joint effort. These efforts will generate insights which may be useful for further developments, including policy.

Visit the RLS- Energy Network website here.

The Project
''The RLS-Energy Network''

Initiated in 2012 as a follow-up of the RLS meeting in São Paulo, the RLS-Energy Network  is committed to promoting research in the field of renewable energies. The geographical scope and diversity of the regions provide the foundation to conduct research on a wide range of topics from production through to consumption. The main objective is to create a unique, dedicated research and innovation network that secures access to knowledge over five continents, adding real value for its participants and enabling them to be more competitive in the international scientific community.

To accomplish this, the network aims to enable scientific exchange among its members, and to give privileged access to research activities undertaken by the network partners. Since 2016, the network works according to a jointly developed roadmap.  One target is the exchange of young researchers. Another objective is to generate large-scale research projects within the network.

Leveraging the scientific strengths of the regions through cooperation, the network focuses on:
  • Waste-to-Energy
  • Biofuels
  • Energy Storage and Conversion
  • Energy Efficiency

Multidisciplinary research approaches, innovative methods of cooperation, and an emphasis on being a collaborative network are the principles to which the participating researchers are dedicated. Representatives of the regional governments, funding agencies, and clusters are active parts of this unique initiative, and they cooperate according to a governance structure that has been implemented to enable interaction.

Since 2016, the Renewable Energy Network has had a website with a virtual working platform to facilitate scientific exchange. Along with this, a roadmap towards joint projects within the network was developed over the course of a series of in-person and virtual meetings. Work according to this roadmap is now underway. In 2017, a collaborative paper ‚‘‘The regional roles and benefits of wind power- a monitoring process for the partner regions Bavaria, Georgia, Québec, Sao Paulo, Shandong, Upper Austria, and Western Cape‘‘ was presented at the WindAc Africa wind power conference in Cape Town. The paper represented a joint scientific effort within the network, and offered a first look at some of the insights on energy trends and data that the Energy Network is generating. In 2018, the Energy Network also announced it will host its first summer school in Shawinigan, Québec. Additional partners have also joined the Energy Network since 2016, increasing its capacities. In May 2018, the first Monitoring Report was released ahead of the 9th RLS Conference.

The Partners

Partners of the Energy Network include (listed alphabetically by region):

Chair of Energy Process Engineering at Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (Bavaria)
Chair of Energy Systems at Technische Universität München (Bavaria)
LMU-München (Bavaria)
TZ Energie at Hochschule Landshut (Bavaria)
Georgia Centers of Innovation (Georgia)
Réseau québécois sur l'énergie intelligente - RQEI (Québec)
​Université Laval (Québec)
Université du Québec à Trois Rivières (Québec)
UNICAMP (São Paulo)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (Shandong)
Energie Institut Johannes Kepler Universität Linz (Upper Austria)
FH Oberösterreich (Upper Austria)
Green Cape (Western Cape)
Stellenbosch University (Western Cape)

Click on any partner's logo to learn more. Interested in joining the RLS-Energy Network? Get in touch here. 

News and Updates

New publication: The Role of Renewable Energy in Regional Energy Transitions
8 January, 2021

The RLS-Energy Network is pleased to announce the publication of an article in Sustainability, based on its SWOT Analysis. The paper identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of renewable energy deployment in regional energy transitions for the seven RLS partner regions. The paper represents a significant output of the entire Energy Network, with co-authors from five regions, and contributions from all seven regions.
 
As mandated by the RLS Heads of Government in 2018 in Québec, the RLS-Energy Network is working on identifying best practices for regional energy transitions. The publication builds on the existing work of the Energy Network, including the 2018 Monitoring Report which aggregated key data on renewable energy in the regions, as well as the SWOT Analysis Technical Report, which was completed in 2020. Throughout the evolution of the work, key connections have been maintained with the political level of RLS-Sciences. 
 
The Monitoring Report was presented to the Heads of Government at the 9th Regional Leaders Summit in Québec, and a summary of the SWOT Analysis Technical Report was presented at the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19. The publication in Sustainability is in continuity with these efforts, as it includes recommendations for policy makers.

Read the paper here (PDF) or here (online version).
Read the SWOT Analysis Technical Report here (PDF).

RLS-Energy Network at the 2020 Forum Econogy
14 September, 2020, virtual and in-person, Linz, Upper Austria

The Energieinstitut at the Johannes Kepler University Linz hosted its 2020 Forum Econogy on 14 September, 2020 with a combined virtual-and-live event. This year's Forum Econogy was on the theme: "Big Challenges / Common Solutions -No recovery without a sustainable energy system". As part of this year's event, there was a dedicated RLS-Energy Network session, featuring presentations from Bavaria, Georgia, Québec, São Paulo, and Western Cape. The session was recorded, and can be viewed below (the RLS-Energy Network session starts at time 1:07:20).
Introduction to the RLS-Energy Network (starts at 1:07:20)
Dr. Sebastian Goers (Energieinstitut at the JKU Linz, Upper Austria)
Research for Future Energy Systems (starts at 1:15:16)
Prof. Hartmut Spliethoff, Dr. Sebastian Fendt (Technical University of Munich, Bavaria)
Resource recovery and and renewable energy production with smart governance and people (starts at 1:32:15)
Prof. Simon Barnabé (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec)
Energy transition in Brazil with social inclusion and gender equity (starts at 1:41:10)
Prof. Gilberto Jannuzzi (UNICAMP, IEI Brazil, São Paulo)
Carbon footprint reduction through economic development (starts at 1:55:28)
Costas Simoglou (Georgia Center of Innovation for Energy Technology, Georgia)
Enabling green economic recovery through the adoption of alternative energy in a post-COVID-19 Western Cape (starts at 2:05:26)
Reshmi Wolvers (GreenCape, Western Cape)
Review the programme here.
Read about the 2020 Forum Econogy here and learn more about the Energieinstitut at the JKU Linz here.

WSED 2020: Young Energy Researchers Conference
4-6 March, 2020, Wels, Upper Austria

As part of its ongoing support for young researchers, the RLS-Energy Network invited young researchers from their networks to apply to the Young Energy Researchers’ Conference (YERC) at the World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED) in Wels, Upper Austria. The WSED is an event comprised of 6 parallel conferences, including the Young Energy Researchers’ Conference, a trade show, and workshops. Nineteen young RLS-Energy Network researchers from four RLS regions (Bavaria, Québec, São Paulo, Upper Austria) successfully applied to showcase their work as an oral or poster presentation during the YERC. At the invitation of the WSED organizers, the Upper Austrian Energy Agency, young researchers from the RLS regions met with representatives of the Upper Austrian government, RLS-Sciences, and the Upper Austrian Energy Agency. The young researchers were able to hear about the Regional Leaders Summit, RLS-Sciences, and the Energy Network, and exchanged their thoughts on the concept of a smart energy transition.
 
​There are also two awards given at the Young Energy Researchers’ Conference: one for energy efficiency research and one for biomass research. Noémie Chagnon-Lessard from Université Laval, won the Best Young Energy Efficiency Researcher Award. The award has a prize of 1000 EUR and is chosen by the scientific committee.
Learn more about her research in her conference article or by reviewing her presentation.
Review the work of the RLS-Energy Network young researchers by clicking on their name(s) below.

RLS-Energy Network meets in Québec for workshop with RQEI
18-21 November, 2019, Québec City, Québec

As part of a follow-up to the 2018 Regional Leaders Summit in Québec, scientific and political partners of the RLS-Energy Network were jointly invited to Québec by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of International Relations and the Francophonie, and the University of Québec in Trois-Rivières. Researchers from across the RLS regions joined in person and virtually in collaboration with the Réseau québécois sur l’énergie intelligente (RQEI) to exchange on key energy topics with leading Québec experts and to share their progress on the regional SWOT analysis.
Photo Credit: Ministry of Economy and Innovation of Québec
The discussions identified new cooperation pathways, funding opportunities, and institutional mechanisms for supporting international projects and mobility in the RLS regions. A summary of the workshop, including information on the activities undertaken since the RLS-Sciences Conference in São Paulo, was also presented to political coordinators from all seven regions in a dedicated session. Moreover, partners from Québec and from abroad joined the 40th Québec Mines + Energy Congress, held from 18 until 21 November in Québec City.
 
Learn more about the workshop on international collaboration in energy research and the RQEI here. (French)

RLS-Energy Network at the 2019 RLS-Sciences Conference
27-31 May, 2019, São José dos Campos, São Paulo

The Energy Network met at the 2019 RLS-Sciences Conference in São José dos Campos. The group exchanged on a variety of interlinking topics, including climate change and energy, biofuels, smart energy grids and storage, and energy efficiency. These exchanges also addressed topics such as interdisciplinarity in research, and the social acceptance of new energy technologies. The group also discussed the progress of their Joint Roadmap, including the status of the SWOT analysis of the energy transition in the regions and a feedback round on the pilot matchmaking database for researchers on solar energy. The group will continue to progress along the Joint Roadmap, and is looking to develop joint project proposals in the coming months.

Learn more about the RLS-Energy Network here.

Young Energy Researchers Conference
27-28 February, 2019, Wels, Austria ​

As part of the World Sustainable Energy Days, seven young researchers from three RLS-Sciences regions participated in the Young Energy Researchers Conference. From Bavaria, Mr. Robert Bauer and Mr. Maximilian Mock, as well as Dr. Madhav Singh and Ms. Barbara Poisl (Technologiezentrum Energie at Hochschule Landshut) presented two posters. From Québec and Western Cape, Mr. Pierre-Olivier Lemire (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières)  and Mr. Ashton Mpofu (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) each presented their research during the Young Energy Researchers Biomass Conference. Another young RLS-Sciences researcher from Bavaria, Ms. Amarachi Kalu (LMU Munich), also participated in the Young Energy Researchers Conference.

The young RLS-Sciences researchers had the opportunity to meet with RLS and RLS-Sciences representatives from Upper Austria and Bavaria, as well as network with each other and other young researchers from around the world. With ­over 650 participants from over 50 countries each ­year, the World ­Sustainable Energy Days are one of Europe's largest annual conferences on sustainable energy. The conference has two tracks: energy efficiency and biomass. The posters, conference papers, and presentations from the young researchers from RLS-Sciences can be reviewed below.

Presentations:
Biomethanation of tannery sludge: Optimisation of initial pH and temperature and evaluation of kinetics (Mpofu et al.)
Associated conference paper available here.
Design and Economics of an Advanced Biomass Processing Depot: Case Study in Southern Quebec (Lemire)
Associated conference paper available here.
Posters:
Used lithium ion battery: State of health data for its second life (Sighart, Singh, Poisl, Pettinger)
Piping renewable energy: Utilizing methanogen and organic waste (Bauer and Mock)

Previous Events

RLS-Energy Network presentation at the 9th RLS Conference

On Friday, 18 May, 2018 , Dr. Sebastian Goers presented on the topic of renewable energy in the RLS regions to the Regional Leaders Summit Conference at the Château Frontenac in Québec. This was part of the RLS-Sciences presentation segment of the conference. The presentation offered an overview of the recently published first Monitoring Report of the RLS-Energy Network.

Review the RLS-Energy Network presentation here, and review the Monitoring Report here.

RLS-Energy Network presentation to Heads of Government at the 9th RLS Conference

The RLS-Energy Network was presented to the RLS Heads of Government as part of the political programme. This presentation showcased the strengths of the RLS regions in renewable energy developments and research via a short video, which can be viewed below. Energy Network researcher Dr. Sebastian Goers then gave a presentation outlining one of the network’s latest outputs, the RRA Monitoring Report. This allowed the heads of government to have an overview of the current state of renewables across the RLS regions, which is key information for policy creation.

Finally, Cristina Cavalcanti, a PhD student from São Paulo, presented one of the project proposals developed during the Energy Network summer school, addressing the water crisis in Cape Town, Western Cape. This was one of the proposals developed by groups of students in the inaugural RLS-Energy Network Summer school.
Picture
Photo Credit: Laurence Gosselin
Review Dr. Goers’ presentation here, and the first Monitoring Report is available here.

RLS-Energy Network Workshop at the 9th RLS Conference

The Energy Network held a meeting with external guests to facilitate exchange between the regions and with organizations in the renewable energy field in Québec. This exchange included presentations from existing bi-and multilateral collaborations, as well as illuminating the specific opportunities for further collaborations. The network then held an internal meeting to discuss next steps following the publishing of its first Monitoring Report.
Picture
Photo Credit: Véronique Baril
Review the presentations:
IREQ: Setting New Sights With Our Clean and Renewable Energy (Ahmed Daoud, Québec)
CIRAIG: Supporting a successful energy transition (Sophie Fallaha, Pierre-Olivier Roy, Quebec)
The BELT Biorefinery Project: The first Canadian renewable fuels biorefinery challenges and solutions (Patrice Mangin, Québec)
TEQ: Québec's journey toward energy transition (Mathieu Payeur, Québec)
Research on Power-to-X Concepts (Robert Tichler, Upper Austria)
Monitoring on Renewable Energy in the RLS regions (Sebastian Goers, Upper Austria)
Shandong Renewable Energy Outlook: Low Carbon Initiatives (Keng H. Chung, Shandong)
ClimEx: The sensitive interface of climate change and energy systems- perspectives from the ClimEx-initiative (Alain Bourque, Québec, Ralf Ludwig, Bavaria, Anton Frank, Bavaria)

Inaugural RLS-Energy Network Summer School 2018

Ahead of the 9th RLS, the RLS-Energy Network co-organized its first ever summer school with the Université du Québec à Trois Rivières and the Fonds de recherché du Québec. The summer school was hosted in Shawinigan and Québec from 9 May until 18 May. Students from across the RLS regions collaborated on joint project proposals throughout the course of the summer school, which culminated in several presentations during the 9th RLS Conference. Read more about the summer school here.

Regional Renewables Alliance releases first Monitoring Report

The Regional Renewables Alliance (RRA) has published its first Monitoring Report ahead of the 9th Regional Leaders Summit in Québec. The report gives a preliminary overview of the renewable energy capacities across the seven RLS partner regions, based on existing data. It also describes ongoing research and development activities in renewable energy, as well as socioeconomic and geographic contexts of the regions. The report was prepared under the coordination of the Energieinstitut at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz.

Review the Monitoring Report here.

Inaugural RLS-Energy Network Summer School announced

The RLS-Energy Network is pleased to announce the inaugural international summer school on renewable energy from May 9 to 18, 2018, in Shawinigan City and Québec City (QC, Canada). The Summer School is jointly organized by the RLS-Energy Network, the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Researchers and coordinators from each RLS region are invited to nominate students to attend.

Find more information here, or on the Summer School page from FRQNT here. ​​
Researchers or students from São Paulo may find additional information on funding for students to attend the school via FAPESP here. 

RLS Energy Network at WindAc Africa 2017

​​The paper “The regional roles and benefits of wind power – a monitoring process for the partner regions Bavaria, Georgia, Upper Austria, Québec, São Paulo, Shandong and Western Cape” was presented at the wind power conference WindAc Africa 2017 in Cape Town, in the session “Global Outlook” on 15 November. The report was generated in cooperation with RLS scientists from different institutions from Shandong (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shandong University), Upper Austria (Energy Institute at the Johannes Kepler University Linz) and the Western Cape (Stellenbosch University) and presents wind power highlights, objectives, statistics, trends and research activities of selected RLS regions compiled during a monitoring process of the RLS Energy Network’s roadmap.
 
Review the presentation here.

RLS-Energy Network meets in Montréal

The RLS-Energy network met in Montréal from 9-10 April, 2017. Researchers and representatives from each RLS region were in attendance, and new members were welcomed. On 10 April, Québec Minister for Natural Resources Pierre Arcand, attended the meeting and spoke to the group. 

RLS-Energy Network presentation at the 8th RLS Conference

On Friday, 15 July, 2016 , Prof. Dr. Jürgen Karl, the Bavarian coordinator of the RLS-Energy Network, presented on the energy challenges of the future, and the next steps for collaboration within the Energy Network to the Regional Leaders Summit Conference at the Residenz in Munich. This was part of the RLS-Sciences presentation segment of the conference. Bavarian State Secretary for the Ministry of Economy and Media, Energy and Technology, Franz Josef Pschierer gave the welcoming address. Québec Minister for Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister Responsible for the Digital Strategy Dominique Anglade gave the closing remarks.

Review the RLS-Energy Network presentation here.

RLS-Energy Network Panel at iSEneC 2016

The Integration of Sustainable Energy Conference was held from 11 to 12 July, 2016 in Nuremberg, Germany. As part of the conference, the RLS- Energy Network held a panel from 14:00 - 16:00 on 12 July. Senior researchers from across the RLS regions offered presentations on innovative renewable energy research and regional perspectives on energy policy. 

Energy Network meets in Québec
November 23-25, 2015

Members of the RLS Energy Network met in Montréal, Canada, from the 23rd to the 25 of November, 2015. Topics of discussion included network management, structure, and roles.

Energy Network hosted for internal workshop in Upper Austria
23 June, 2015

In a collaborative effort, the Energy Institute at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz, the province of Upper Austria, and the Johannes Kepler University of Linz jointly hosted an internal workshop on, ''Economic and technological challenges of energy-system research in Upper Austria.'' Members of the Energy Network were invited to participate. The workshop was held 23 June, 2015, at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz.

Energy Network meets in Cape Town
12 March, 2014

Members of the Energy Network met in Western Cape for a workshop on second generation biofuels and to explore the technical cooperation amongst the RLS member states. Expert presentations from researchers throughout the RLS regions were given, and cooperation opportunities were discussed.

Energy Network established

The Energy Network was initiated as a follow-up to the Regional Leaders Summit (RLS) meeting in São Paulo in 2012. The representatives of São Paulo have been playing a leading role in the creation of this network. Soon afterwards, it was agreed amongst the participants that renewable sources of energy are a crucial issue that require extensive research. Due to their unique geographical composition over five continents, and also in accordance with their research profiles, the partner regions have strong potential in this field. Together they can cover the all aspects of energy, from production, to usage and monitoring, to efficiency strategies. The RLS network is used as a means to bring together complementary strengths in energy research to be shared and further developed in a joint effort.

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Dr. Florence Gauzy
wks (at) bayfor.org
tel.: +49 (0) 89 9901 888-0