About ENERI 2010

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Programme overview

ENERI 2010 will bring together research policy stakeholders (policy-makers, industries, universities, research institutions, advisory bodies, ...) to discuss on the development of a comprehensive strategy for energy research infrastructures based on the ESFRI Roadmap and within the broader context of the Grand Challenges and of the SET-Plan.

On Day 1, keynote speeches will tackle various science policy processes like the roadmapping for research infrastructures, in particular the ESFRI process and the update 2010 of the ESFRI Roadmap in the energy field, the analysis of the scientific landscapes, the strengthening of the human capital affecting the implementation of the energy research projects and the design, construction and operation of research infrastructures.

The funding aspects and the global dimension of these processes will also be discussed. Day 1 will be concluded by a panel discussion with the keynote speakers.

Day 2 of the conference will focus on the needs of the research community in the light of the current and new initiatives and projects.

It will end with a round table of high-level actors from research, industry and policy, who will discuss issues like the complementary role of industry, universities and research infrastructures, funding mechanisms and public-private partnerships, European Technology Platforms, Joint Technology Initiatives and Research Alliances.

All presentations will be in English. Simultaneous translation English/Dutch/French will be available for the opening and concluding sessions.

More: see the Conference programme

 

Concept and objectives of the conference

The Roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) states in its 2008 update: The availability of economically competitive, environmentally friendly sustainable energy resources within the framework of a politically secure supply is key for European development. At present the EU leads the world in the efficient use of energy, in promoting new and renewable forms of energy, and in the development of low carbon emission technologies. All these aspects rely on a multitude of test facilities and Research Infrastructures. The EU needs to have a strong base in these aspects, to be able to maintain the lead in the global search for new energy solutions. (...) A sustainable energy future is possible if a large mix of energy technologies are developed and deployed. The approach to energy problems must be systematic and address the production, transport, transformation and final uses of energy.

The goals of the European energy policy are very challenging:

  • by 2020 the emission of green house gases should be reduced by 20%;
  • the renewable energy contribution should be tripled up to 20% of primary energy and the share of biofuels should rise to 10%, while reducing the foreign dependence on the supplies;
  • on the 2050 scale, new nuclear technologies such as Generation IV fission reactors and fusion energy are deemed to make important contributions in order to meet the climate and environment goals.

The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) adopted by the European Union is aimed to meet these goals and to stimulate major technology breakthroughs such as:

  • the development of second generation biofuels as a competitive alternative to fossil fuels;
  • the development of the commercial use of CO2 capture and storage technologies;
  • the doubling of the capacity of largest wind turbines for off-shore use;
  • the development of the commercial readiness of large-scale photo-voltaics and concentrated solar power;
  • enabling a single, smart electricity grid for massive integration of renewable and de-centralised sources;
  • bringing to market poly-generation and fuel cells;
  • securing the competitiveness in nuclear fission technology.

In particular the SET-Plan emphasizes the need for new research infrastructures in the field of energy. This need was also underlined by the European Council of Ministers which in March 2008 asked : to improve and enlarge the Community's world-class knowledge base of energy researchers and research institutes ('capacity building'), including by reducing barriers to mobility, attracting world-class human capital, improving science education, and by asking the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) to identify the need for European research infrastructures in the field of energy technologies, such as renewable energy technologies.

The Energy section of the ESFRI Roadmap 2008 identified four mature projects and referred to three emerging ones. Considering the strategic importance of the European energy agenda ESFRI decided to continue and strengthen its dialogue with the countries and energy agencies on new research infrastructures of European relevance soon after the publication of its Roadmap 2008. A Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Energy was set up and given the mandate to pay particular attention to the definition and assessment of research infrastructures as distinguished from testing facilities and research programmes/projects and to evaluate proposals for research infrastructures, with a view towards their being included in an update to the ESFRI Roadmap 2008 in the field of Energy.

Furthermore ESFRI underlined that increased efforts in R&D and energy technology innovation will be necessary to meet the European energy and climate goals as well as to improve the industry competitiveness: This will require stronger cohesion among the European research actors in energy but also much better performance in the commercialisation of new technologies. For research infrastructures, this will mean that stronger industrial orientation would be beneficial, but also employing research infrastructures more effectively in the innovation chain, for example demonstration or pilot plants serving as research infrastructures. Public-private partnership would be quite essential in realising such innovation driven research infrastructures. Potential vehicles for this development are the Technology Platforms and the Joint Technology Initiatives. It would be highly advantageous for the Member States to coordinate their efforts, to avoid redundancy, and to join forces in new research infrastructures.

The publication of the update of the ESFRI Roadmap is planned for the end of 2010. Organising a conference on infrastructures for energy research at the end of November 2010 fits thus particularly well with this timetable. In the wider context described above the other major objectives of the conference are to contribute by a series of keynote speeches and project presentations, a panel discussion and a round table with high level actors from research, industry and policy, to:

  • the development of a comprehensive strategy for research infrastructures in the energy field at pan-European level, based on the ESFRI Roadmap and within the broader context of the Grand Challenges and of the European SET-Plan;
  • the analysis of the impact of research infrastructures (including e-Infrastructures) on the implementation of energy policies and sustainable development;
  • the identification of possible actions to increase the human capital affecting the implementation of the energy research projects.

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