EC offers $150-mil for research to integrate renewables, cut cost
Brussels (Platts)--11Jul2005
The European Commission is offering funding of up to Eur125-mil ($150-mil) for research into sustainable energy systems in its final call for proposals under the 2002-06 sixth framework research program. "In the short to medium term, the goal is to pave the way for the introduction of innovative and cost- competitive renewable and energy efficiency technologies into the market as quickly as possible through demonstration and other research actions," it said Monday. In particular, it wants to support projects that will cut the cost of renewable energy technologies so that they can compete in the EU's future liberalized energy markets with "substantially reduced" subsidies. The priority technologies are biomass, solar heating and cooling, geothermal energy, innovative wind farms, small scale hydropower, photovoltaic and ocean/marine energy. The 2001 EU renewables directive set a non-binding target of 12% of the EU's total energy to come from renewable sources by 2010. But the EU is expected to miss this, mainly because of slow biomass take-up. Wind is already the most mature renewables technology, and so the EC is looking for proposals to make it easier to develop large scale wind farms in unconventional sites, including offshore, extreme climates and complex terrains. In biomass power generation, the EC is looking for projects to optimize the fuel supply chain, develop combinations with fossil fuels (eg co-firing) and develop innovative technologies for large scale electricity generation, such as integrated gasification combined-cycle plants and biomass boilers. Another priority are projects tackling grid issues, such as how to manage power grids linked to large scale decentralized wind power generation--a controversial issue in countries linked to Germany's northern power grid. The EC also wants proposals for integrating renewables and energy efficiency, such as developing combined heat and power/polygeneration systems and eco-friendly buildings. The EC plans an information day Sep 21, 2005 in Brussels. The closing date for proposals is Dec 22, 2005. For more information about renewables, take a trial to Platts Renewable Energy Report at http://renewableenergyreport.platts.com.
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