Flasc – a renewable energy storing system project

Flasc, a renewable energy storing system stemming from a project financed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology, was launched last week.

Flasc is an interface between offshore renewables, solar, wind or wave energies, and uses compressed air for energy storage. Through storing the energy in the form of a pressurised fluid, the intermittent output of green renewable energy is smoothened and stored for a short period of time to better supply energy at peak hours.

“Malta’s geographical position places us at the forefront to be able to benefit from this. Our ambition is that Malta will become a maritime hub that spurs innovation. It is a great honour for Malta that Flasc placed second among 158 competitors in a European competition organised for new start-ups in InnoEnergy,” said parliamentary secretary Silvio Schembri.

He referred to the great opportunities the sea offers for innovation with the European Union which has just devised the Blue Growth Strategy that acknowledges the vast opportunities which European waters offer for commerce to grow in conjunction with new maritime technologies that are being developed in fields such as renewable energy, aquaculture and biotechnology. “It is through innovation built on new skills that Malta can enhance work opportunities and become more competitive in the region,” said Schembri.

This novel concept consists of a stable floating platform which uses a dual-chamber system that allows the pressure response to be controlled independently of the deployment depth of the water. One of the key challenges for efficient compressed air storage is maintaining a stable pressure. It is ideal for supporting maritime services offshore including oil, gas and aquaculture industries. It exploits existing resources and infrastructure, resulting in a cost-effective solution, beating batteries at their own game.

Executive chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said: “Flasc has become emblematic for the Fusion programme, embodying its core principals and goals. Starting from an idea, these engineers have acquired funding through the Council to sustain and develop their concept. This has finally resulted in the prototype we can see here today.”

The project, led by Prof. Ing. Tonio Sant, is a collaboration between the Faculty of Engineering and the Institute for Sustainable Energy of the University of Malta and Medserv plc. It is currently in the data collection and analysis phase. The Flasc concept has been successfully patented. It is another successful MCST-funded project which has received €193,206 over three years under the Fusion programme.

Fusion is the National Research and Innovation programme that promotes local researchers for both public and private entities. Fusion has provided funding for many eager researchers with a total budget of €7m over the past four years. These funds have gone to helping researchers from academia and private entities.