As part of its first call for applications, a jury made up of representatives from GRTgaz's various businesses has selected four start-ups to benefit from a one-year support program in the new Nova incubator. Incubation began on November 7, 2022, with these start-ups being welcomed at the RICE site in Villeneuve la Garenne (92).

4 winners with complementary and varied profiles and expertise have been selected for this first promotion:

LYNX for the "Industry 4.0 and digitalization" sector

The young company is working on the design and manufacture of mixed reality goggles, which aim to enrich and augment a technician's real environment with a realistic 3D model of an infrastructure.

"NOVA gives us the chance to tackle problems in the field, in collaboration with friendly technical operators and R&D engineers. It's also a unique opportunity to access facilities and equipment reserved/exclusive to GRTgaz's research center." Chouki Hadri, VP General Manager Lynx

LIUM for the "industrial, energy and ecological transition" sector

It offers a solution based on balloons held on the ground by a cable for monitoring industrial sites. These camera-equipped balloons are designed to help manufacturers better manage safety, environmental risks and the risks associated with certain operations.

"Learning that we would be joining Nova's very first class was very exciting news. Collaborating with GRTgaz will enable us to accelerate Lium's technological and commercial development with a view to achieving our mission." Guilain Yvon, Co-founder and CEO of Lium

SOLAR FOCUS for the "new gases and start-ups" sector

It aims to develop energy production without exploiting scarce or fragile resources, such as the production of gas from waste by pyrolysis under solar radiation.

"Very happy to join the first promotion of the Nova incubator, with all that this represents in terms of opportunities and possibilities for the development of Solar Focus. Can't wait to start the next phase of the project!" Thomas Delapierre, Solar Focus project leader

YLSSEN for the "operational performance and industrial safety" division

The electronic system developed by YLSSEN makes it possible to remotely monitor the open or closed status of industrial valves in real time. It can be commissioned without having to modify existing equipment, and without having to interrupt production or distribution operations on the industrial site.

"The entire YLSSEN team is very grateful to GRTgaz and its NOVA team for choosing us to be part of this first class. We look forward to the mutual advances that our work together will bring. Stéphane Canet, CEO Ylssen

The selected start-ups now have shared workspaces on GRTgaz premises. They will also benefit from the support of its RICE (Research and Innovation Center for Energy), with access to test areas and the support of researchers to carry out in-house experiments. The Nova incubator will also offer start-ups tailor-made technical, methodological and entrepreneurial support, via its own innovation acceleration system (market research, economic studies, intellectual property, business models, etc.).

The representatives of the four startups expressed their enthusiasm at the Welcome Day on November 7, when they were welcomed to the Villeneuve la Garenne site by Pierre Blouet, Director of RICE, in the presence of Vanessa Paoli-Gagin, Senator for the Aube region and rapporteur for the Information Mission "Excellence in research/innovation, shortage of industrial champions: find the French mistake".

A look back at this first event filmed by Maddyness :

Joint opinion piece published by Energir, GRDF, GRTgaz and SoCalGas on the occasion of the meeting of their senior executives

Leveraging gas operators' existing infrastructure and expertise will help provide the most affordable and resilient path to carbon neutrality.

Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, governments, scientists and the private sector have been converging on the tools the world needs to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century. At the same time, geopolitical events have made the security of the national energy supply an urgent priority. New research and collaboration between researchers and energy companies around the world, as well as success stories in the operational development of renewable gases (energy produced from renewable sources) in many countries, are giving decision-makers a better idea of how decarbonization and energy security are within our grasp.

Renewable gases should account for almost half of net zero energy consumption by 2050*.

*According to an analysis by the Green Hydrogen Coalition, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Scientists and regulators, cities around the world and international bodies, have recognized the need for a broad set of tools to achieve the goal of zero net greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors of the economy. To meet these targets by mid-century, the world's economies will need to rapidly increase energy supplies so that they can produce and transport renewable gases at low cost and in a safe, reliable way.

Yes, there will be more renewable and decarbonized electricity. But much more attention is being paid these days to renewable, lower-emission gases (such as biomethane produced by decomposing organic waste) and green hydrogen (hydrogen produced by electrolysis from a renewable source). It will be necessary to make renewable energy available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and to supply industries that cannot be electrified. For example, the European Commission has set a target of 35 billion cubic meters in annual biomethane production and 20 million tonnes in consumption of renewable, low-carbon hydrogen by 2030 as part of its "REPowerEU" plan.

Make no mistake: the energy transition requires a reliable, flexible and resilient infrastructure, as well as the ability to leverage and reuse our existing energy infrastructure and know-how to make our current systems work seamlessly with new technologies. It requires a skilled workforce, as well as collaboration and planning between governments, residents, environmental groups, businesses and key sectors of our economy, such as manufacturers, power generators and transmission providers.

Leveraging the size and scale of the existing infrastructure, expertise and industry is key to accelerating the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Today, numerous projects around the world are demonstrating that existing natural gas infrastructure - and the skilled workforce that builds, operates and maintains it - can also safely supply cleaner molecules such as renewable gas or renewable hydrogen.
Whether it's the leaders of our countries or local decision-makers worried about how best to balance our needs for energy supply security and decarbonization, the consequences are clear:

It will take continued investment in energy infrastructure and in our energy workers, as well as integrated planning to offer the most affordable, resilient and technologically proven path to total carbon neutrality.

In the absence of diversified decarbonization options, any unilateral path risks missing our mid-century decarbonization targets, compromising energy reliability and exposing millions of energy consumers to high and unpredictable utility costs.

In the long term, leveraging our existing infrastructure systems and decades of expertise can make the transition to a decarbonized energy system by mid-century easier and more affordable for our customers, rather than starting from scratch.

In Europe, for example, more than a dozen companies working together as part of the Hydrogen Backbone Initiative have demonstrated that 70% of the infrastructure needed to transport green, renewable hydrogen to European Union hubs could be developed by redirecting existing infrastructure.

According to the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), France has demonstrated the potential for 100% renewable gas by 2050, and can achieve at least 20% gas consumption by 2030.

In the United States, the federal government has introduced incentives for hydrogen and clean fuel cells to reduce production costs and accelerate the adoption of these clean fuels. The federal government is also investing billions of dollars to develop regional hydrogen and carbon management centers across the country.

Last year, regulators made California the first state in the country to adopt a Renewable Gas Standard, requiring utilities to replace at least 12% of the conventional gas they deliver to their major customers with renewable gas by 2030.

UNE SOLUTION DE MAINTENANCE PROPRE ET INNOVANTE POUR LIMITER LES ÉMISSIONS DE MÉTHANES

C’est une technologie sans équivalent en Europe pour cette taille d’équipement : le Quick Booster Access 500 (QBA 500), développé par GRTgaz, permet le transfert d’un gaz d’un point du réseau à un autre lors de travaux de maintenance. Patrick Prunet, manager des projets innovants à RICE (GRTgaz) nous dévoile les atouts de cette solution.

A quoi sert le Quick Booster Access 500 ?

Patrick Prunet (P.P) : À l’heure où la limitation des émissions de méthane est devenue un enjeu climatique et un axe stratégique majeur pour les acteurs de l’énergie, GRTgaz fait évoluer ses pratiques de maintenance avec la mise au point d’une solution innovante et vertueuse : le QBA 500. Cette technologie, développée en partenariat avec Eiffage Métal, permet d’aspirer le gaz d’un ouvrage pour l’envoyer dans un autre ouvrage de service sans le rejeter à l’atmosphère.

Comment ça marche ?

P. P . : Trois grandes opérations sont nécessaires lors d’une intervention sur le réseau de gaz : une fois que les vannes de la canalisation à inspecter sont fermées, la section est vidée par aspiration du gaz ; celui-ci est ensuite recomprimé, à l’aide d’un compresseur mobile ; puis réinjecté, via des canalisations flexibles, en amont ou en aval de la canalisation coupée. Le temps consacré à chacune de ces étapes conditionne le temps d’indisponibilité du réseau.

Quels sont les avantages de cette technologie ?

P. P . : Lors des opérations de maintenance sur le réseau de transport, les avantages du QBA sont de réduire les émissions de méthane et sa facilité d’installation.

Comment le QBA est-il perçu par vos clients ?

P. P . : Avec le plus grand intérêt ! Dans un contexte de transition écologique et à l’approche de nouvelles échéances réglementaires sur les rejets de méthane, les transporteurs gaziers et entreprises de stockage de gaz choisissent de se tourner vers des technologies innovantes pour limiter les émissions de gaz pouvant découler de leurs activités de maintenance et de réparation.

Après l’expérimentation réussie du QBA 500 sur 8 chantiers GRTgaz – dont 6 en 2022 -, sa commercialisation a été lancée cet automne auprès de nos partenaires européens, via des contrats de prestation de service ou la vente d’unités.

D’autres champs d’application du QBA 500 sont actuellement à l’étude, notamment en lien avec l’injection du biométhane dans le réseau de transport national. Le QBA 500 est une solution très prometteuse, qui plus est au cœur dans notre démarche de développement durable !

An attack on a buried network by a construction machine is a scenario that infrastructure operators treat as a priority. They therefore need to constantly pinpoint the precise location of their works and guide contractors to limit this risk.

New technologies offer a real opportunity to prevent these network attacks. One of the challenges is therefore to identify the most innovative technologies and mobilize all available resources to lead our teams towards this goal.

As part of the research program dedicated to designing tomorrow's operational equipment, RICE teams and various gas infrastructure operators are exploring tools for detecting and visualizing buried networks. New technologies in the fields of detection, geomatics and augmented reality are key activities, facilitating the collection and interpretation of information, and making it available in the field.

• Geospatial data for operations

A reliable, high-performance geographic information system (GIS), available everywhere in real time and delivering quality data.

Network geolocation data can be judiciously supplemented by adding depth, flow rate, pressure or time data. This information will bring value to the teams, such as tackling uncertainties and removing doubts about a section, enabling GRTgaz to improve its operational performance.

• Network detection, a safety issue

Reliable and precise detection of a network's position enables us to significantly reduce damage to buried pipes. With this in mind, RICE and its teams continue to monitor technology and test pipe detectors at its dedicated test areas in Villeneuve La Garenne and Alfortville. Recently, the question of how to capitalize on detection data collected in the field has given us food for thought when it comes to developing innovative solutions for field operators. Thanks to new telecommunications resources and the increasing power of mobile terminals, it is now possible to store all this field detection data and make it instantly accessible to the greatest possible number of people. This not only improves the performance of our field teams in their marking operations, but also contributes to the enrichment of our GIS data.

For example, manufacturers of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) or electromagnetic detectors now offer integrated couplings with IOT (*) and/or GNSS rtk (*). These developments encourage and facilitate the emergence of solutions such as those described above.

From an ergonomic point of view, augmented reality also appears to be a tool that operators will be able to use in the field in the near future.

Transparensee is the application developed by RICE to display underground networks in augmented reality. This application, which can now be used in the laboratory, enables our GRTgaz teams and our customers to project themselves towards the use of new technologies with complete peace of mind. By using GIS data through these augmented reality tools, operators can reduce the risk of network damage.

Augmented reality is now joined by connections to sub-centimeter geolocation systems. With precise geo-referencing information at your fingertips, a number of uses can be realized:

• Survey points in the field without the need for surveyors (who are not always available at the right time) to share precise data,
• Couple detection data (electromagnetic sensor and georadar) with geolocation data to enable the operator to locate networks in real time and in situ,
• On-site comparison of reference data (from GIS) with actual site layout. Flush surfaces, ground/air and air/ground transitions...
• Capture the environment using optical photogrammetry or LiDAR tools. The data makes it easy to visualize important details in the office, without having to move,
• And of course, the networks will appear in augmented reality, regardless of the operator's position...

Augmented reality is also about hardware. RICE is experimenting with mixed reality headsets, as well as LiDAR and related applications.

All these uses and all these service configurations will enable us to improve gas accident prevention, but also to offer our customers the best technologies and proven technical devices.

(*) IOT: Internet of Things

(*) GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite Systems

(*) rtk: Real Time Kinematic

GRTgaz's RICE R&D center takes part in the European OPTHYCS project

Optic Fibre-Based Hydrogen Leak Control Systems (OPTHYCS): assessment of the first year of the project

Hydrogen has established itself as the fuel and raw material needed to decarbonize energy production, distribution, storage and consumption. The boom in hydrogen production and its introduction on the energy market have raised a major challenge: to reinforce the safety of hydrogen and prevent potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout its value chain.

With this in mind, GRTgaz, through its RICE R&D center, is taking part in a European project launched last year and funded by the European Commission, called OPTHYCS (Optic Fibre-Based Hydrogen Leak Control Systems). This project received funding from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under grant agreement no. 101101415. This partnership is supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program, Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Europe Research.

The OPTHYCS project aims to develop new sensor technologies for the continuous detection of leaks, based on fiber-optic sensor technologies, which will make it possible to anticipate and therefore minimize H2 releases and limit any impact on the climate. The project will cover the entire hydrogen value chain, from production to storage and distribution, both in new infrastructures running on pure H2 and in facilities and pipelines reused for natural gas, thus contributing to the safe and economically viable implementation of H2 production, transport and storage processes. The sensors developed will be tested in several use cases with pure H2 and H2 mixed with natural gas: open and closed pipelines, H2 refueling stations (HRS). The results obtained in these use cases will be used to adapt the solutions to safety, environmental and economic considerations.

The project is led by Enagas and includes R&D centers and companies from Spain, France and Belgium: GRTgazGAZ, Lumiker, Febus, FHa, Ttecnalia, GERG.

The OPTHYCS project revolves around 3 conceptual axes:

- Analysis of technological pillars and definition of a new sensor technology,

- Validation of the main use cases (pipelines, hydrogen filling stations and intermediate sites such as compressor and metering stations) for new technologies at three different controlled validation sites, and

- technology aspects derived from use cases, including safety and environmental risk assessment and regulatory framework, as well as a study of scalability and cost-effectiveness.

3-year project, from TRL 3 to TRL 6

The project is also divided into 6 work packages (WP), as shown in the figure below.

The project was launched at the beginning of 2023 and will run for a further two years, until the end of 2025, with the aim of taking sensors from TRL 3 to TRL 6. In this way, these new sensors will be able to adapt to existing installations and new infrastructures, and analyze and classify leak types and sources according to risk, location, leak impact, severity probability and predictability, thanks to continuous predictive maintenance combined with faster response.

optical sensor characteristics

• intrinsically passive sensors
• remote monitoring
• high sensitivity
• immunity
• low weight and compact dimensions

• Work module 1 (1 to 9 months)

technical requirements, regulatory framework, use cases and definition of key performance indicators (KPIs)

• Work package 2 ( 4 to 24 months)

Development of detection solutions

• Work package 3 ( 4 to 26 months)

Interrogator and interpretation software development

• Work package 4 ( 4 to 36 months)

Use case validation, impact analysis and scalability

• Work module 5

Distribution, communication and operation

After 11 months of work, several objectives have been achieved:.

- Launch of the OPTHYCS website: https://opthycs.eu/

- Finalization of WP1, which included visits to demonstrators and industrial sites.

- Progress of work in Working Groups 2 and 3, focusing on the sensor itself.

- Participation in 2 conferences

- Organization of the annual consortium meeting (photo below, with project members).

What is GRTgaz's involvement?

GRTgaz's R&D center, RICE, will be in charge of WP4, dedicated to the testing and validation of use cases. The tests will be carried out at the sites of three partners: RICE's facilities (Jupiter1000 https://www.jupiter1000.eu/english), the Hydrogen Foundation of Aragon's fueling stations and Enagas' compressor stations. At each site, the optical fibers developed will be tested.

"GRTgaz is delighted to be involved in this project. We can't wait to continue planning the tests! In the coming months, we will be testing the performance of optical fibers at Jupiter 1000, on buried and overhead pipes. Cristina Lopez - RICE R&D Engineer GRTgaz, WP4 leader...

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As part of its second call for applications, a jury made up of representatives from GRTgaz and the UI-Investissements investment fund has selected four start-ups to benefit from a one-year support program in the Nova incubator. Incubation began on January 9, 2024, when these start-ups were welcomed at GRTgaz's RICE research center in Villeneuve-la-Garenne (92).

"RICE combines cutting-edge skills and expertise with equipment and testing facilities that are unique in Europe, to design, manage and carry out R&D projects. The incubation of these 4 new start-ups will open up opportunities for cross-fertilization between GRTgaz experts and these innovative entrepreneurs."

Pierre Blouet

Director of RICE

Through its Nova incubator, GRTgaz offers start-ups working on solutions linked to the industrial, energy and ecological transition the opportunity to accelerate their development while sharing their expertise. This year of incubation will enable start-ups to immerse themselves in the world of a major European gas transporter, which has embraced the energy transition thanks to renewable gases, low-carbon hydrogen and the transport of_CO2 for recovery or storage. For its part, GRTgaz will benefit from the entrepreneurial experience and creativity of these start-ups.

4 winners with complementary and varied profiles and expertise were selected from 27 candidates:

• SeADvance is a Marseille-based start-up that introduces next-generation predictive maintenance for industrial electromechanical equipment such as batteries, alternators and pumps, with the aim of eliminating breakdowns and unscheduled maintenance. Right from the maintenance period, their solution anticipates breakdowns and the need for maintenance and spare parts over the following 24 months of operation. To achieve this, SeADvance introduces an innovation that breaks with conventional datascience approaches by taking a key step forward in the use of ageing simulation technology.
• Mirega (based in Saint-Martin d'Uriage - 38410) aims to develop, produce and sell sensitive, robust and compact gas analyzers for industrial and academic customers. Thanks to innovative optical cavity technology, these analyzers will enable precise measurement of low gas concentrations in open spaces.
• Revcoo is a start-up created in 2019 in Vourles (69390), developing a patented carbon capture technology called CarbonCloud®. This clean, efficient solution, combining anti-sublimation and continuous carbon separation, enables all industrial emitters to capture_CO2 cost-effectively, even at low concentrations.
• Finally, Safehear is a young innovative company based in Lyon, developing audio and radio technologies to help people's hearing. Their first product is Louis: a communication system capable of connecting to hearing protection, enabling factory operators to communicate easily through noise while remaining protected from hearing risks.

As of January 9, the selected start-ups will have access to shared workspaces on GRTgaz premises. They will also benefit from the support of its Researchand Innovation Centerfor Energy (RICE), with access to test areas and the support of researchers to carry out in-house experiments. The Nova incubator will also offer start-ups tailor-made technical, methodological and entrepreneurial support, via its own innovation acceleration system (market research, economic studies, intellectual property, business models, etc.).

At the end of the jury, chaired by Pierre Blouet, Director of RICE, GRTgaz's research and development center, he declared: "RICE combines cutting-edge skills and expertise with equipment and testing facilities that are unique in Europe, to design, manage and carry out R&D projects. The incubation of these 4 new start-ups will open up opportunities for cross-fertilization between GRTgaz experts and these innovative entrepreneurs."

On 25/01, RICE (Villeneuve La Garenne site) hosted the kick-off meeting for the PilgrHYm project, coordinated by GRTgaz. This pre-normative research project, funded by the European Union as part of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, aims to develop protocols and guidelines for converting existing gas pipelines to hydrogen. With a strong consortium of project partners and Advisory Board members, it brings together more than twenty major players in the gas transportation, academic and standardization fields.

On 26/01, participants also had the opportunity to visit GRTgaz's facilities in Alfortville, including FenHYx, a leading test platform dedicated to research into materials and equipment under hydrogen.

Thanks to all the partners present and to the Clean Hydrogen Partnership for their participation.
The RICE teams are proud to be leading this major project, and more generally to be promoting ambitious international R&D collaborations, with over 15 programs currently underway through various European and American funding schemes. We are firmly committed to accelerating the energy transition and preparing for tomorrow's H2 and CO2 networks and storage.