Physical Sciences

Call for proposals

Cooperation India (DST): Joint Research on Smart Grids Samenwerking India (DST): Intelligente Netten013

Department of Science & Technology

The Hague, February 2013 Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Contents
1
1.1 1.2 1.3

Introduction
Background Available budget Validity of the call for proposals

1
1 1 1

2
2.1

Aim
Thematic focus: Smart Grids

2
2

3
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6

Guidelines for applicants

Who can apply? What can be applied for? When can applications be submitted? Preparing an application Specific conditions Submitting an application

4
4 4 5 5 5 5

4
4.1 4.2

Assessment procedure
Procedure Criteria

7
7 8

5
5.1

Contact details and other information

Contact

9
9

1 Chapter 1: Introduction

1 Introduction
1.1 Background
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) aim to stimulate sustainable research collaboration between their two countries by funding joint research projects. For this reason, presently, they jointly open a call for proposals. The topic of this call is Smart Grids. This program offers funding opportunities for bilateral research cooperation between Dutch and Indian research groups. Research into Smart Grids is necessary to enable a new, sustainable and more flexible energy system for a future of low carbon energy consumption, both in India as well as The Netherlands. The program focuses on topics such as how to integrate fluctuating energy sources like wind and sun power into the grid; and how to react faster to the rapid changes in production in these types of energy sources. The themes of this call have been selected during a joint Indian-Dutch workshop on Smart Grids in September 2012. This workshop was held at the Technical University of Delft and attended by some 30 scientists from both countries. This document sets out information about the possibility for submitting applications, the conditions that applications must meet and the procedure for assessing the applications.

1.2

Available budget
The budget of this call for proposals covers funding for maximum of three joint bilateral projects, jointly funded by DST and NWO. A project allows for the application of four PhD / post-doc positions: two in India (duration and fellowship rates as per terms and conditions of DST) and two in the Netherlands (duration and personnel costs as per terms and conditions of NWO). The Dutch part of the project grants are awards to a total maximum of 1,350,000. The Indian part of the grant would be as per requirements of the project team for items covered in 3.2.

1.3

Validity of the call for proposals

This call for proposals is valid until the closing date May 22, 2013, 11:59 hours CEST

2 Chapter 2: Aim

2 Aim
The aim of the call for proposals is to stimulate sustainable Indo-Dutch research collaboration by funding joint research projects on the topic of Smart Grids. This programme will contribute to the further enhancement of bilateral innovative research on new, Smart Grids that are aimed at solutions for challenges we face regarding our current and future society. Projects should contribute and foster the collaboration between the best research institutes/groups in both countries. Collaboration projects should: aim for solutions by smart grid research to the benefit of the future society; contain highly innovative research with strong components in the fields of computer science, mathematics and/or electrical engineering, aimed at smart grids; have a strong interdisciplinary character; contain highly qualitative scientific research and must be executed by researchers and institutes with excellent track records; be a cooperation between top institutes in both countries and include active involvement of at least one complementary institutes/groups in each country; aim at scientific collaboration lasting beyond the duration of the research project. Participation or involvement of industrial partners both in India or The Netherlands is encouraged. However, in both countries it is not possible to make the public funding from the present call available to the industrial partners.

2.1

Thematic focus: Smart Grids

Research into Smart Grids (SG) is necessary to enable a new, sustainable and flexible energy system for several reasons. One of the most important reasons is that fluctuating sustainable energy sources such as wind and sun power cannot be integrated easily into the current grid. Production and demand must be in balance, but the current grid cannot react fast enough to rapid changes in production caused by sustainable energy sources. Smart Grids also create new advantages for all partners in the energy value chain. For example, it can decrease the need to invest in thicker electricity cables to accommodate peaks in power demand, because the consumer can be asked to shift consumption to later or earlier on the day. In return, the consumer may be offered a lower price and so producers and consumers both reap benefits. Households can now even produce and sell electricity from e.g. solar panels on their roof to the grid (and thus become prosumers). Another, related reason to improve the current grid is the need for improved reliability and security e.g. in the face of natural disasters, cyber terrorism and illegal electricity tapping. New technology such as smart metering and sensor networks are needed to realize this new grid and its value chain. The Smart Grid research area is interdisciplinary; it requires products and concepts from different fields to make the chain work. For example, new devices are needed (electrical engineering), new coordination mechanisms are needed (ICT) and also new tools for planning electricity generation (mathematics). This leads to several research areas. Following is a non-exclusive list of themes and their potential topics for research:

3 Chapter 2: Aim

Theme 1: DISTRIBUTED PHYSICAL NETWORK MANAGEMENT A. Integration of renewable energy, storage, adaptive loads Dynamical and statistical issues Analytical issues (transients) Stability aspects of distributed control B. AC/DC Micro-grid/nano-grid Home DC networks Efficiency issue C. Real time monitoring and Control in large grids Wide area Measurements/Synchrophasors D. Power Quality Control Standards PQC in autonomous micro-grids E. Resilience and Self Healing Fast restoration Service restoration after blackout F. Storage technology Optimal placement mAging issues Intelligent usage Theme 2: DISTRIBUTED ENERGY MANAGEMENT/COMMUNICATION GRID A. Networks Information exchange between different power networks. Protocols for information exchange Architecture; QOS, throughput, communication needs Scalability; speed of communication and topology Monitoring physical network & policies Security B. Multi agent system: Management and control Clustering distribution organization Load balancing C. Demand response D. Vehicle to grid E. Power Scheduling Smart meters Smart home/ neighborhood/villages F. Awareness Theme 3: MARKET AND SOCIETAL ISSUES A. Energy management Demand response Consumer behavior Electric vehicles Dealing with uncertainty B. Forecasting and data processing Forecasting of generation, load, price Data processing Security of data system C. Market Design Fit in DER & DR Advanced: robust, stable, scalable, etc. Agent strategies Carbon trading D. Business Models & Societal Issues Influence on traditional energy producers New business models Communities of prosumers Reliability of energy supply (storage, back-up) Modeling and social simulations Power: from product to services

4 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants

3 Guidelines for applicants

3.1 Who can apply?

Eligible research teams are composed of Dutch and Indian researchers, with active involvement in the project of a senior Principal Investigator on both the Indian and the Dutch side. As the programme is aimed at scientific collaboration between institutes, in each country at least one group or institute with complementary expertise should be involved. All criteria below apply to the main applicants as well as all co-applicants. Dutch professors, associate professors and assistant professors as well as other researchers holding a similar position can apply if they: are employed at a Dutch University or a research institute acknowledged by NWO and; have an employment contract for at least the duration of the application procedure and the duration of the research project the grant is applied for, and; have at least a PhD or an equivalent qualification. A complete list of application criteria for Dutch scientists can be found in the NWO Regulation on Granting: http://www.nwo.nl/en/subscriptiondocuments/nwo/legal/nwo-regulation-on-granting-may-2011 For Indian scientists the Indian principal investigator should be affiliated to a public funded academic or research organisation in India.

3.2

What can be applied for?

Funding can be requested for a joint research project between Indian and Dutch parties named in 3.1. Financial support for approved projects will cover: 1. Four temporal personnel positions; two in India and two in the Netherlands. Per country, either, two PhD students or one PhD student and one postdoc. The duration and personnel costs/fellowship rates are as per terms and conditions of DST and NWO, respectively. In the Netherlands the duration of a PhD assignment is 4 years and the duration of a postdoc assignment is for a maximum of 3 years. Personnel costs are subsidised in accordance with the most recent Agreement on Employers responsibilities NWO - VSNU1. An estimate of the fixed NWO-amounts is: PhD student (4 yr) k 204, postdoc 2 yr k 135, postdoc 3 yr k 201. DST works with fellowship rates as announced time to time by DST. DST grants can only be applied for NET qualified PhD students (Junior Research Fellowship) and post-doctoral (Research Associate). In addition, also House Rent Allowance and Medical budget as per host institute norms can be included. 2. Exchange visits for scientists in the research team (obligatory): maximum 4 0research visits (in total) of maximum 3 months each for PhD students/postdocs; for senior researchers the maximum stay will be 3 weeks in total.

Tariffs as of 1 July 2011. The VSNU tariffs include a personal fee for congress travel and fees (bench fee)

Documentation VSNU tariffs: http://www.nwo.nl/financiering/hoe-werkt-dat/Salaristabellen

5 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants

3.

Minor equipment/consumables/accessories (for the Netherlands at a max. of 10,000 in total for the runtime of the project; for India around 500,000 rupees per year for equipment and around 200,000 rupees per year for consumables).

4.

Annual project meetings (obligatory!) to enhance the exchange of ideas, experiences, knowledge and skills between the research teams.

In the Netherlands a maximum budget of 450,000 per project can be applied for.

3.3

When can applications be submitted?

The closing date for the submission of proposals is May 22, 2013, 11:59 hours CEST. Additions or changes after this deadline are not possible. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

3.4

Preparing an application
Your grant application has two parts: a fact sheet and the application form. You complete the fact sheet directly in NWOs electronic application system Iris. Use the correct application form for the drafting of your proposal. Application forms can be downloaded from the NWO website: (www.nwo.nl/financieringsmartgrids-india). As soon as you have completed it you can add this form to the Iris fact sheet as a PDF file. Research teams submit one single joint Indo-Dutch research proposal. The proposal must be submitted electronically to NWO (see 3.6). The Indian researchers need to submit by 22-5-2013 as well a separate electronic copy (pdf version) to skvdst@nic.in and a paper application (4 copies, dispatched no later than 22-52013) to DST through proper channel to the following address: Dr. S.K. Varshney, Department of Science & Technology, International Division, technology Bhawan, New Mehrauli Road, NEW DELHI 110016. Please note that all applications are to be written in English.

3.5

Specific conditions
For Dutch researchers, this Call for Proposals is subject to NWOs general terms and conditions. For Indian researchers, General & Financial Rules (GFR) for the grants given by Government of India would be applicable. Additionally, publications resulting from the research project should be jointly published by the researchers from India and the Netherlands.

3.6

Submitting an application
An application can only be submitted to NWO via the electronic application system Iris. Applications not submitted via Iris will not be admitted to the selection procedure. A main applicant is obliged to submit his/her application via his/her own Iris account. The operating procedure and instruction manual for Iris can be found at http://www.iris.nwo.nl.

6 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants

If the main applicant does not have an Iris account yet then this should be created at least one day before the submission. Then any possible registration problems can still be solved on time. If the main applicant already has an Iris account then he/she does not need to create a new account to submit a new application. For technical questions, please contact the Iris helpdesk (iris@nwo.nl). An application consists of two parts: a factsheet containing the key details of both the applicant and the application, and the research proposal itself; The factsheet is completed and submitted electronically using the Iris system. One of the parts of the factsheet is a summary of maximally 300 words, which is the same as the English scientific summary in the proposal; When you electronically submit this factsheet, you also submit the proposal as an attachment in pdf-format;

7 Chapter 4: Assessment procedure

4 Assessment procedure
4.1 Procedure
Research teams submit one single joint Indo-Dutch research proposal. NWO collects the digital proposals and sends the proposals to DST. The assessment procedure includes (1) eligibility check, (2) peer review, (3) scoring and ranking by an assessment committee of independent scientific experts, (4) funding decision by the Indo-Dutch Joint Committee. Step 1: Eligibility of Joint Research Projects The first step in the assessment procedure is to determine the admissibility of the application. This is done using the conditions stated in Chapter 3 of this call for proposals. The eligibility of the proposals is checked by both NWO and DST. Eligible proposals enter the assessment procedure, non-eligible proposals are rejected and will not enter the assessment procedure. The NWO Code of Conduct on Conflicts of Interest applies to all persons and NWO staff involved in the assessment and/or decision-making process. After the first step NWO and DST will assess the proposals in parallel. This means NWO and DST both follow their own assessment procedure. The assessment procedures of both NWO and DST include (1) peer review and (2) scoring and ranking by a committee of scientific experts. As a last step a funding decision is made by the Indo-Dutch joint committee. Step 2 and 3 describe the procedure followed at NWO. Step 2: NWO Peer Review The quality of the proposals will be assessed by (international) referees, according to the criteria specified (see 4.2). NWO makes sure that each proposal is reviewed by a minimum of two experts. DST and NWO will exchange the review reports of the referees. The anonymous written reviews collected by NWO are sent to the Dutch Principal Investigators. The research teams are given the opportunity to provide a written reply to the review reports (rebuttal). This reply may not exceed two pages. Step 3: NWO Assessment Committee The Assessment Committee comprises independent scientific experts. The Assessment Committee convenes once to moderate, rank and recommend proposals for funding on the basis of the criteria specified in 4.2. The Board of Physical Sciences will subsequently confirm the funding recommendation. Step 4: Joint Committee/Decision Making The results of the Indian and Dutch assessment committees (scores and ranking) will be combined by the Indo-Dutch Joint Committee into a single ranking of projects to be funded. The Joint Committee decides which projects will be funded. I NFORMATION ABOUT THE NWO-QUALIFICATION SYSTEM CAN BE FOUND ON THE
WEBSITE :

http://www.nwo.nl/en/funding/funding+process+explained/nwo+qualification+syste m

8 Chapter 4: Assessment procedure

Timetable

Mid-February 2013 22 May 2013 June-July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013

The opening of the call for proposals is announced Deadline for the submission of joint proposals to NWO (by the Dutch Principle Investigators) Consultation of referees Obtaining rebuttals from Dutch applicants (2 weeks to give a response) Meeting of the Assessment Committee Funding decision by the Joint Committee

4.2

Criteria
The following assessment criteria apply: Thematic approach Projects should aim at research which holds promising solutions to the challenges in setting up grids. See 2.1. Scientific quality and innovative character of the research proposal Challenging content; Originality of the topic; Innovative elements; Potential to make an important contribution to the advancement of science and/or technology in smart grid research; Interdisciplinary approach; Suitability of proposed method; Suitability of the approach/plan incl. time scheme/milestones. Quality of the research groups Research groups should be top in the field; track records of the institutes/research groups/applicants should be excellent. Indo-Dutch co-operation Added value of Indo-Dutch cooperation to the research project, including the complementary expertise of the national and bilateral research teams; The degree of inter-institutional cooperation between the project partners, and the prospects for scientific collaboration lasting beyond the duration of the research project.

9 Chapter 5: Contact details and other information

5 Contact details and other information

5.1
5.1.1

Contact
Specific questions For specific questions about Smart Grids and this call for proposals, please contact: The Netherlands NWO- Chemical & Physical Sciences Division programme website: ww.nwo.nl/ses dr. Mark F.J. van Assem, tel.: +31 (0)70 344 0915, m.vanassem@nwo.nl India Government of India Department of Science and Technology programme website: http://www.dst.gov.in/whats_new/main-new.htm dr. S.K. Varshney, tel.: +91 11 26590489, skvdst@nic.in (email preferred)

5.1.2

Technical questions about the electronic application system Iris For technical questions about the use of Iris please contact the Iris helpdesk. Please read the Iris manual before consulting the helpdesk (see http://www.iris.nwo.nl). The Iris helpdesk is available from Monday to Friday from 11.00 to 17.00 hours on +31 900 696 4747. Unfortunately not all foreign phone companies allow you to phone to a 0900 number in the Netherlands. You can also send your question by email to iris@nwo.nl.

Published by: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Visitors address: Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indi 300 2593 CE The Hague January 2013