VG CoLAB is the first collaborative laboratory to join the European Battery Consortium
VG CoLAB is the first collaborative laboratory to join the European Battery Consortium
Installed at UPTEC, Vasco da Gama CoLAB focuses on energy storage, and joins the consortium funded by the European Commission to the tune of almost 3 billion euros
The Vasco da Gama CoLAB Collaborative Laboratory (VG CoLAB), housed at UPTEC — Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto and PORTIC — Porto Research, Technology & Innovation Centre—has become the first Portuguese innovation incubator to join the European battery consortium IPCEI EuBatIn, which the European Commission funded with 2.9 billion euros.
By participating in IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) EuBatIn (European Battery Innovation), VG CoLAB aims to accelerate internationalisation, leverage technological innovation, and develop Portuguese exports in the energy storage media sector, which is necessary for the new green economy and energy transition.
As part of IPCEI EuBatIn, VG CoLAB, which focuses on battery innovation, mainly promotes its R&D activities in the PRR NGS (New Generation Storage) and CVB (Battery Value Chain in Portugal) Mobilising Agendas. It stands out for the development of modular and agnostic energy conversion technologies and the design and construction of a sodium-ion battery pilot production line in Portugal.
VG CoLAB will thus assume a prominent role in the European energy storage ecosystem by becoming an associate member of this transactional project, which will contribute to the growth, employment, and competitiveness of the European Union’s industry and economy.
Cipriano Lomba, Chairman of VG CoLAB’s Board of Directors, says that ‘this approval puts VG CoLAB on the right path to becoming relevant in the context of the European Energy Storage community, as we committed to in the strategic plan we drew up almost two years ago, but it’s only the beginning. Now, we must accelerate the development of the collaborative ecosystem we aspire to for VG CoLAB and contribute to the challenges and opportunities that IPCEI EuBatIn represents. VG CoLAB Associates and scientific, technological and innovation partners have an exciting opportunity here to contribute to European affirmation in the field of batteries.”
Founded in 2019 in Porto, VG CoLAB is a private non-profit association that brings together public and private partners from academia and industry, namely EFACEC, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Instituto Superior Técnico, A400 – Projetistas e Consultores de Engenharia, Visblue Portugal, EDP Inovação, INESC TEC, C2C-New Cap, Laboratório Ibérico Internacional de Nanotecnologia and Simoldes Plásticos. It is also a member of BEPA – Batteries European Partnership Association, which focuses on providing information and advice to the European Commission to identify priorities for research and innovation activities in the field of batteries.
VG CoLAB is at the centre of the electrochemical energy storage value chain, focused on developing technologies and prototypes and providing high-added value services. The institution develops innovative technological solutions applied to energy storage, techniques to facilitate the use of equipment after its first life of use and customised conversion technologies. In its developments, it always endeavours to make the solutions as modular and agnostic as possible so that they can be adapted to existing and future technologies.
VG CoLAB is involved in several national and European projects to affirm the value of energy storage for a greener, more efficient and fairer transition.
June 7, 2024