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New sustainable concepts and processes for optimization and upgrading municipal wastewater and sludge treatment (NEPTUNE)

The scope of sewage treatment is changing: Up to date municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were seen as an end-of-pipe treatment just before discharge, having the aim to avoid eutrophication and hygienic health hazard in surface water. Due to the global demographic trends as well as new legislations (e.g. the Water Framework Directive, WFD) increased focus is put on quantity and quality of effluents: WWTP are more and more seen as interface between sanitation and environment, delivering resources to the environment or human activities (recharge of drinking water reservoirs, recycling of nutrient, efficient energy use). This focus shift has implications on the quality goals set for WWTP products: land requirement, effluent N, P load, effluent pathogen load, energy optimization. New focus: nutrient recycling, micropollutants: ecotoxicology of the effluent energy production. NEPTUNE is focusing on technology solutions allowing to meet present and future standards via upgrading of existing infrastructure (new control strategies with online sensors; effluent upgrading with oxidation, activated carbon or wetland treatment; sludge processing for safe nutrient recycle) as well as via new techniques (fuel cell applications; new oxidative agents; polymer production from sludge). By including pathogen and ecotoxicity aspects into life cycle assessment studies (LCA), the project is helping improve the comparability of various technical options and propose a suitability ranking. The new focus given by the WFD and the emerging interest on organic (eco-)toxic compounds requires characterizing treated effluent and treatment technologies concerning ecotoxicologic aspects and micropollutants. The project is contributing to this discussion by ecotoxicity assessment and micropollutant fate studies.

FP6-SUSTDEV, Netzwerk für die Entwicklung einer nachhaltigen Methode zur großangelegten Einführung von Sanitäreinrichtungen in Afrika (NETSSAF)

Ohne einen kurzfristigen erheblichen Fortschritt wird die Welt das Hygieneziel der Jahrtausendentwicklungsziele (MDG) um eine halbe Milliarde Menschen verfehlen. Betrachtet man etwa die subsaharischen Länder Afrikas, dann hat fast zweidrittel der Bevölkerung (64 Prozent) keine ausreichende Versorgung mit Sanitärenanlagen. In den afrikanischen Ländern schwankt die Menge der Wohnungen und Häuser mit Sanitäreinrichtungen zwischen 84 Prozent in den städtischen Gebieten und 45 Prozent in den ländlichen Gebieten. Um bis 2015 das Ziel einer flächendeckenden Wasserversorgung zu gewährleisten, müssen in den nächsten 15 Jahren für 210 Millionen (194 in den ländlichen Gebieten) Menschen zusätzliche sanitäre Einrichtungen gebaut werden. Das Ziel dieser Koordinierungsmaßnahme ist der Aufbau einer multilateralen, interdisziplinären Interessengruppe von subsaharischen und europäischen Fachleuten für die nachhaltige Entwicklung von Sanitäranlagen. NETSSAF fördert internationale Zusammenarbeit zwischen Forschungsinstitutionen, Verbänden, Universitäten sowie Gesellschafts- und Regierungsinteressengruppe in einem europäischen und subsaharischen Zusammenhang mit einer speziellen Ausrichtung auf die Westafrikanischen Länder. Eine beständige Plattform für Experten und Forschung im Sanitärsektor und ein Sachverständigennetzwerk werden eingerichtet, um nutzbringende Forschung und strategische Aktivitäten zu koordinieren, zu bestimmen und zu leiten, mit dem Ziel einerseits ein optimales Verfahren, Wissenslücken und Grenzen für das weitere Vorgehen zu bestimmen und andererseits Vorschläge für die Richtung zukünftiger Forschungen zu unterbreiten. Das Ziel des vorgeschlagenen Netzwerkes ist es ein Vielfalt an innovativen, anwendbaren und wiederholbaren Ansätzen für eine nachhaltige Sanitärentwicklung zu liefern, welche preiswerten Technologien mit einem auf der Kommune basierendem Management und den unterschiedlichen in den Regionen Afrikas vorherrschenden Bedingungen verbindet. Das Hauptergebnis wird die Entwicklung eines partizipativen Hygiene-Management-Unterstützungsinstruments für mehrere Benutzer sein, das für die Endbenutzer darauf abgezielt, sie in die Lage zu versetzen groß angelegte Hygienekonzepte und Technologien anzuwenden und sie den unterschiedlichen Bedingungen, die in Afrika vorherrschen, anzupassen.

Calcium cycle for efficient and low cost CO2 capture in fluidized bed systems (C3-CAPTURE)

Objectives: The project aims on developing a dry CO2 capture system for atmospheric and pressurized fluidized bed boilers. The atmospheric option will be developed towards a pilot plant application. For the pressurized option the project seeks for a proof of principle to determine if the advantages of a pressurized capture system can balance the problems known from existing PFBC systems. The quantifiable objectives are: - Low CO2 capture costs (less than 20 Euro/t for atmospheric, less than 12 Euro/t for pressurized sy stems) - Acceptable efficiency penalty for CO2 capture (less than about equal to 6 percent nel). - greater than 90 percent carbon capture for new power plants and greater than 60 percent for retrofitted existing plants - A purge gas stream containing greater than 95 percent CO2 - A solid purge usable for cement production - Sim ultaneous sulphur and CO2 removal with sulphur recovery option Approach: Limestone is a CO2 carrier. The CO2 can be released easily in a conventional calcination process, well known in the cement and lime industry. By integrating a closed carbonation/calc ination loop in the flue gas of a conventional CFB-boiler, the CO2 in the flue gas can be removed. The heat required for calcination is released during carbonation and can be utilised efficiently (high temperature) in the steam cycle of the boiler. Concent rated CO2 can be generated when using oxygen blown calcination. Because the fuel required for supplying heat for calcination is only a fraction of the total fuel requirements, the required oxygen is only about 1/3 of the oxygen required for oxyfuel process es. The work programme: 1.Definition of the technical and economic boundary conditions 2.Selection and improvement of sorbent materials 3.Lab scale and semi-technical scale process development (experimental work) 4.Technical and economic evaluation 5.Des ign of a 1 MWth Pilot plant.

Integration of Renewable Energy Sources and Distributed Generation into the European Electricity Grid (IRED)

Objective: Background: There are seven projects running which are supported by the European Commission under FP5 dealing with the integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Distributed Generation (DG). This cluster represents a total budget of about 35 million? More than 100 participating institutions from research, industry and the utility sector are contributing. Proposed Actions: The subject of the proposed CA is to extend the existing cluster activities in such a way that a real European added value by mobilising research will be obtained as a major contribution to the ERA. This extension will be realized by the inclusion of forthcoming projects supported by FP6 by national and regional activities. 1. A systematic exchange of information by improving links to relevant research, to regulatory bodies and to policies and schemes on the European, the national, the regional and the international level. 2. Set-up of strategic actions such as trans-national co-operation, the organization and a co-ordination of common initiatives on standards, testing procedures and the establishment of common education. 3. Identification of the highest priority research topics in the field of integration and formation of appropriate realization schemes. a) The establishment of an expert-group covering important cross-cutting areas such as power-quality, ICT/IST, laboratory experiments est.) The formation of a group of contact persons to national, regional and international policy). Set-up of a full data- and information-exchange system with links to national, regional and international information systems).

Realising Reliable, Durable Energy Efficient and Cost Effective SOFC Systems (Real-SOFC), Realising Reliable, Durable, Energy Efficient and Cost Effective SOFC Systems (REAL-SOFC)

Objective: The aim of the proposed Integrated Project is to solve the persisting generic problems with planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) in a concerted action of the European fuel cell industry and research institutions. Main topics addressed include decreased ageing, cost effective materials, low cost components and manufacturing processes, highest electricity generation efficiency in pressurised operation and waste heat utilisation. In close co-operation between industry and research institutions the following steps are accomplished: *improved understanding of ageing in planar SOFC stacks considering all modes of operation, including pressurised, long-term testing over 10.000 hrs., thermal cycling up to 100 cycles, and the influences of fuel composition; these results will flow into *adaptation of materials and protective coatings in order to reduce ageing to well below 0,5Prozent/1000 hrs., introduction of requirements from pressurised operation to materials and cell development; the modified materials then are used in *manufacturing of improved components under commercial conditions and subsequent characterisation in long- term and cycling tests. Two proofs-of-concept including laboratory equipment tests will address * the pressurised operation of stacks coupled with gas turbines (including pressurised stack development in the 5 and 50 kW range) and *the utilisation of the high-value waste heat for industrial processes , namely sorption cooling. The project addresses the topics of Life Cycle Analysis as an essential tool for assessing the environmental impact and recycling of the materials used, industrial standardisation as a means of lowering costs, and training and dissemination as a tool of human resource management and gender equality. The structure of the project is similar to the U.S. American SECA programme targeted at decisive cost reductions in SOFC systems.

Assessing and forward planning of the Geodetic And Geohazard Observing Systems for GMES applications (GAGOS)

Substantial improvement of our present knowledge of Earth System dynamics is paramount for the development of reliable strategies for actions vital to the human society in terms of achieving sustainable development and ensuring security. This requires for the various system components long-term integrated global data series from a large variety of sensors and networks combined with high performance rapid computing and a uniform and efficient access to distributed data archives and data information systems. The SSA proposed here aims (1) at assessing the status quo situation of two major components of the Earth observing system, namely the global geodetic and global geohazards observing systems as indispensable prerequisites for the consistent global monitoring of the Earth system environment and security aspects of population and (2) identifying deficiencies and gaps in both components and providing advice for the implementation of necessary adaptations and potential new developments in network-, shared computing-, and information/data management task for the observing techniques involved.

POLYCITY - europäische Energieforschung für Kommunen

Die Projektgebiete liegen in Deutschland, Italien und Spanien. Deutschland: Scharnhauser Park: In Ostfildern am südlichen Rand von Stuttgart entsteht auf einem ehemaligen amerikanischen Militärgelände der Stadtteil Scharnhauser Park für rund 10.000 Bewohner und mit etwa 2.500 Arbeitsplätzen. Zu rund 80 Prozent soll der Energiebedarf aus erneuerbarer Energie gedeckt werden. Kern des Energiekonzeptes für den Stadtteil ist ein Biomasse-Blockheizkraftwerk mit 1 MW elektrischer und 6 MW thermischer Leistung. Die Anlage wird optimiert, eine Ist-Analyse ist bereits erstellt worden. Mit der im Sommer ungenutzten Wärmeenergie soll künftig Kälte für die Klimatisierung von Gewerbebauten erzeugt werden. Neben der ganzjährigen Nutzung erneuerbarer Energien für die Kraft-Wärme-Kältekopplung ist auch Energiespeicherung (zentral und dezentral) und ein kommunales Energiemanagementsystem auf der Basis modernster Informationstechnologien vorgesehen. Das zafh.net liefert Know-how der simulationsgestützten Regelung von Anlagen und setzt betriebsbegleitende Simulationen ein. In Echtzeit soll aus den klimatischen Randbedingungen der optimale Betriebszustand berechnet und mit den real gemessenen Werten verglichen werden. Als Basis ist ein Geoinformationssystem entwickelt worden, mit dem die Energiedaten der Gebäude erfasst und ausgewertet werden können. Die Gebäude unterliegen einem hohen Dämmstandard (25 Prozent unter den in der Wärmeschutzverordnung 1995 geforderten Werten). Bei den im Projekt neu dazukommenden Wohn- und Gewerbebauten wird der Transmissionswärmeverlust um weitere 20-30 Prozent gesenkt. Die ersten Wohnbauten wurden im Herbst 2005 vom Siedlungswerk Stuttgart erstellt. Mit Argon gefüllte Fenster mit erhöhter Rahmendämmungund Kunststoff-Abstandhaltern erreichen einen Gesamt-Wärmedurchgangskoeffizienten von 1,1 W m-2 K-1. In diesem ersten Bauabschnitt sind reine Abluftanlagen ohne Wärmerückgewinnung installiert worden, in späteren Bauabschnitten sollen Anlagen mit Wärmerückgewinnung einer Vergleichsanalyseunterzogen werden. Die Gebäudedichtigkeit wird mit Blower-Door-Tests experimentell untersucht. Der Energiestandard wird bei allen Bauten dokumentiert. Messgeräte für die Fernauslese und Auswertung (Smartbox) sind bereits installiert. ImGewerbegebiet wird im März 2006 ein erstes Demoprojekt zur innovativen Gebäudetechnologie (Heizung, Lüftung, Klima) mit etwa 4.000 m2 Nutzfläche erstellt. In der Ausführungsplanung enthalten sind: thermische Kühlung, Erdreichwärmetauscher, Betonkernaktivierung (zur Kühlung) ein Unterflurkonvektions-Heiz- und Kühlsystem, ein Tageslicht-Lenksystem. Nicht nur das Biomassekraftwerk liefert Strom, sondern auch gebäudeintegrierte PV-Anlagen. Ziel ist eine Leistung von insgesamt 70 kWp. Zudem wird die kinetische Energie des Wassers genutzt: Das aus den Hochbehältern ins Netz abfließende Trinkwasser treibt eine 80-kW-Entspannungsturbine an.

Climate Change and Variability: Impact on Central and Eastern Europe (CLAVIER)

Objective: Observational records show that the global climate is changing and ongoing changes are also visible in Central Eastern Europe. About 64Prozent of all catastrophic events in Europe since 1980 can directly be attributed to weather and climate extremes. Climate change projections show even an increasing likelihood of extremes. Certainly negative impacts of climate change will involve significant economic looses in several regions of Europe, while others may bring health or welfare problems somewhere else. Within CLAVIER three representative Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) will be studied in detail: Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Researches from 6 countries and different disciplines will identify linkages between climate change and its impact on weather patterns with consequences on air pollution, extremes events, and on water resources. Furthermore, an evaluation of the economic impact on agriculture, tourism, energy supply and the public sector will be conducted. This is of increasing importance for CEEC, which are currently facing a rapid economic development, but also for the European Union as e.g. Romania's and Bulgaria's high vulnerability from extreme events such as floods will impact not only the respective economic goals for joining the EU but also the EU solidarity fund. CLAVIER will focus on ongoing and future climate changes in Central and Eastern European Countries using measurements and existing regional scenarios to determine possible developments of the climate and to address related uncertainty. In addition, climate projections with very high detail will be carried out for CEEC to fulfil the need for a large amount of detail in time and space, which is inherent in local and regional impact assessment.

Hydrogen for clean urban transport in Europe (HyFleet:CUTE)

The HyFLEET:CUTE project involves the operation of 47 hydrogen powered buses in regular public transport service in 10 cities on three continents. The Project aims to diversify and reduce energy consumption in the transport system by developing new, fuel efficient hydrogen powered bus technology, and clean, efficient and safe ways of producing and distributing hydrogen fuel. Objectives: - Develop hydrogen powered bus technology in order to reduce the consumption of fuel and energy in the whole transportation system. - Develop efficient and environmentally 'friendly' ways to produce hydrogen. - Research the technology and development needs to establish a hydrogen refueling infrastructure. - Inform the community and key decision-makers about the potential advantages of a hydrogen-based transport system and how they can help to develop it.

Models for Assessing and Forecasting the Impact of Environmental Key Pollutants on Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity - MODELKEY

MODELKEY comprises a mulitdisciplinary approach aiming at developing interlinked and verified predictive modelling tools as well as state-of-the-art effect-assessment and analytical methods generally applicable to European freshwater and marine ecosystems: 1) to assess, forecast, and mitigate the risks of traditional and recently evolving pollutants on fresh water and marine ecosystems and their biodiversity at a river basin and adjacent marine environment scale, 2) to provide early warning strategies on the basis of sub-lethal effects in vitro and in vivo, 3) to provide a better understanding of cause-effect-relationships between changes in biodiversity and the ecological status, as addressed by the Water Framework Directive, and the impact of environmental pollution as causative factor, 4) to provide methods for state-of-the-art risk assessment and decision support systems for the selection of the most efficient management options to prevent effects on biodiversity and to prioritise contamination sources and contaminated sites, 5) to strengthen the scientific knowledge on an European level in the field of impact assessment of environmental pollution on aquatic eco-systems and their biodiversity by extensive training activities and knowledge dissemination to stakeholders and the scientific community. This goal shall be achieved by combining innovative predictive tools for modelling exposure on a river basin scale including the estuary and the coastal zone, for modelling effects on higher levels of biological organisation with powerful assessment tools for the identification of key modes of action, key toxicants and key parameters determining exposure. The developed tools will be verified in case studies representing European key areas including Mediterranean, Western and Central European river basins. An end-user-directed decision support system will be provided for cost-effective tool selection and appropriate risk and site prioritisation.

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