An offshore energy storage technology currently under development by the University of Malta has placed second in the PowerUp! competition, facing 11 of the best energy start-ups from the central and eastern European regions.
The 12 teams were the winners of regional finals, which had been contested by 158 contenders from 24 EU countries.
FLASC is being developed with financial support from the Malta Council for Science and Technology, using the FUSION Programme. Medserv plc is an industrial partner in the project.
Beyond the cash prize of €10,000, the event was an opportunity to network with potential customers and prospective investors.
FLASC uses pressurised seawater and compressed air to store energy from offshore renewable resources. It is best suited for floating systems since it integrates directly into the platform itself. Potential applications include floating wind, solar PV, wave and tidal energy systems, along with liquefaction of natural gas, water injection in oil wells and desalination.
A small-scale prototype was recently deployed in the Dock 1 area of Cospicua.
The research team includes Tonio Sant from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Robert Farrugia from the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Post-Doctoral Researchers Daniel Farrugia and Federica Strati, student Luke Aquilina and engineering graduate Daniel Farrugia.