Festival Area: Meet the Researcher

Department Description

Department of Mechanical Engineering, faculty of Engineering University of Malta: The Department of Mechanical Engineering encompasses and instils the fundamental classical Mechanical Engineering science, knowledge and understanding, applicable to a wide range of industrial sectors. Our Department participates in various research projects carried out through industrial collaborations, national and EU research frameworks.

The renewable energy potential at sea is enormous. In fact, the renewable energy potential available in Maltese territorial waters in the form of wind and sun exceeds the countries overall demand for energy by far. However, such resources are intermittent and there is often a mismatch between the supply of offshore wind and solar power and demand by the end consumers. Energy storage is now regarded as essential to decarbonise our economy through a high penetration of renewables. By storing energy when produced and using it when needed, a solution for the said mismatch between energy supply and demand is found. FLASC (Floating Liquid-piston Accumulator using Seawater under Compression) is a technology currently being developed at the University of Malta which can be co-located with renewable energy farms at sea to provide a scheduled supply of clean power. Energy storage is carried out by pumping water into a closed chamber, thus pressurising the air within the chamber. Once energy is required, the water inside the closed chamber is released through a hydraulic turbine to generate electricity.

The first FLASC prototype was deployed in the idyllic Grand Harbour of the Maltese Islands, back in 2017, where system performance and efficiency were analysed in detail throughout an extensive experimental campaign. Since then, two follow-up projects titled MUSICA (Multiple Use of Space for Island Clean Autonomy) and FLASC-Optima have been underway. MUSICA, funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme, involves the design and construction of a larger prototype which will be integrated in a multiple purpose offshore platform to be deployed in the close vicinity of Innousses island in Greece. FLASC Optima is funded through the University’s Research Excellence Fund and involves the development of advanced software, used for the design and performance modelling of FLASC systems.