Recently, the word “hub” has been used to refer to such concepts as an activity center, an event center, a platform for implementing projects, ideas, etc. However, the functioning of the Energy Innovation Hub (hereinafter referred to as EnInHub) of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (or Sikorsky Energy Innovation Hub), which was founded in February 2024, significantly expands the meaning of this word. The Center for Energy Efficient Construction (rebuilding Ukraine after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war) using the latest standards and technologies, which we discussed with Olena Shevchenko, a senior lecturer at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute's Educational and Research Institute of Nuclear and Thermal Energy, has been operating for over a year. Therefore, we can summarize the preliminary results of the activities of this energy cluster, which unites three powerful scientific schools - the Educational and Research Institute of Nuclear and Thermal Energy, the Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management, and the Faculty of Electric Power Engineering and Automation. In addition, the Energy Hub includes the Energy Manager Training Center and the Energy Decarbonization Center. The list of departments shows that when the hub was founded, its organizers sought to create a center that would bring together scientists and engineers in the field of energy efficiency.
In December 2023, within the framework of the European Union project “Promoting Energy Efficiency and Implementation of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive in Ukraine” implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation, the NGO Energy Efficiency School announced a competitive selection of Energy Innovation Hubs to be established on the basis of five higher education institutions in Ukraine. Such a partnership opens up new opportunities for the development of energy efficient technologies and the sustainable restoration of Ukraine's energy system. Therefore, a team of scientists from the Institute of IATE, the Institute of IEE and the Faculty of Electric Power Engineering and Automation of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute consisting of Olena Shevchenko, Inna Bilous, Yevhen Pysmennyi, Valerii Deshko, Olena Borychenko, Yurii Veremeychuk, Anatolii Cherniavskyi, Yevhen Trotsenko, Vasyl Budko prepared an application for the competitive selection and won it.
- And today, Olena Shevchenko shares information, "together with colleagues, we are working on solving problems of increasing the level of energy efficiency in the operation of the building stock and industrial complex, on the introduction of renewable energy sources, on the creation and implementation of smart city technologies. We are talking about a number of technologies that transform the old-style energy infrastructure into a modern digital system called SmartGrid, as well as Microgrid (a local power grid with defined electrical boundaries that operates as a single unit). A system of connected devices capable of performing actions and solving certain everyday tasks without human intervention (or Smart Home) is also within the scope of our scientific and technical interests. We are engaged in researching intelligent networks for managing engineering systems, accrediting specialists in the field of energy audit (Energy Manager Training Center), etc.
- “Our goal is to turn the surrounding space within the EnInHub into an energy-efficient demonstration center where visitors will learn about the laws of nature and the way of life that protects the environment,” Olena Shevchenko continues, "Because curious people can be interested if we demonstrate a model of a room or building that does not use any mineral sources or centralized energy sources for heating and lighting, but meets its energy needs through its own generation from renewable sources. Moreover, all the processes that will take place in this "smart home" can be analyzed, diagnosed, and innovative models and startups can be created based on research for further implementation. Creating an energy-efficient zone where the process and possibilities of implementing the principles of a climate-neutral city can be studied/worked out in a micro-environment, in particular at the Kyiv Technical University. For example, from the problems of managing the distribution of energy resources to the use of industrial waste. We plan to create a zone for demonstrating modern operating energy equipment (heat pump, solar power plant, solar collectors, etc.), classrooms, a library, a reading room for reading periodicals from partners, and a practical energy efficiency coworking space, that will work as a maker space open to the ideas of target audiences and turn the space of the EnInHub into a living laboratory, so to speak, where you can study the processes of heat and mass transfer in building envelopes, manage the operation of engineering systems, equipment, etc.
- The functioning of the Energy Innovation Hub will create conditions for scientific and engineering youth and experienced professionals to gain practical experience in implementing their own ideas in the field of energy efficiency. And it's not just about Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. We want to create a training base for specialists from all over Ukraine. Initially, we are organizing a platform for meetings of energy efficiency stakeholders in the northern region of Ukraine. In this way, we will help to eliminate the problem of the shortage of professional staff by introducing certain developments into the university's educational process and programs of professional development courses for specialists. Our immediate plans include the creation of a consulting center to provide services to the target audience in the field of energy efficiency. The Energy Innovation Hub's strategic areas of activity include the operation of training and consulting centers and a startup support center. Among the target audiences of the Energy Innovation Hub are students of general secondary, vocational and higher education, local governments, representatives of small and medium-sized businesses, industrial and energy facilities," O. Shevchenko shares his plans.
- Now about the team's victories and new projects. The Center for Energy Decarbonization and the Energy Innovation Hub of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute are developing intensively. “In a little over a year of its existence, the Hub has already achieved a number of strategic successes,” says Olena Shevchenko, “The Center's team, led by Associate Professor of the Department of Thermal and Alternative Energy Inna Bilous, won the competition for youth research projects and received funding for the project ”Development of a set of recommendations for the renovation of historical buildings to achieve nZEB indicators based on energy modeling. What is nZEB? This is a building with close to zero energy consumption, in which the building envelope has thermal performance above the established minimum regulatory requirements, and whose engineering equipment provides for human needs and optimal microclimatic conditions for their stay and/or living in the premises of such a building through the use of renewable energy sources. The research will be conducted on the example of the building of the 6th building of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, where the Hub itself is located in one part of the building. We have also resumed cooperation with BOSCH and Viessmann, which allowed us to resume the operation of laboratory stands. In the near future, these stands will be used again in the educational process of the university.
- Among other important achievements of the Energy Decarbonization Center, I will mention the following: we received a demonstration stand from HERZ, performed a digital scan of the Hub space to create a BEM model, and completed the project "Development of an intelligent low-temperature building heating system based on a condensing modular boiler room", within which the Center has a prototype of an intelligent condensing modular boiler room. We are expanding our material and technical base. The latest significant event is the receipt of modern energy audit equipment from GIZ partners within the framework of the project "Engaging Girls and Women in Ukraine's Energy Efficient Recovery through Energy Efficiency Training" implemented by the International Development Foundation.
This will significantly enhance the Hub's training and research capabilities.
And this is just the beginning! There are even more new projects, cooperation, and innovations ahead.
Kyiv Polytechnics will overcome the consequences of russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian energy sector.
KPI will open the Sikorsky Energy Innovation Hub, a place that will unite all KPI energy schools, scientific, educational and innovative resources for the energy-efficient reconstruction of our country. The space will be open to students, schoolchildren and businesses.
As part of the hub's work, it is planned to modernize and create new educational programs for training future energy managers and energy auditors, taking into account the needs of the Ukrainian market.