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Found 128 results.

European Assessment of the Transport Impacts on Climate Change and Ozone Depletion (ATTICA)

The ATTICA consortium offers to provide the European community with a coherent series of assessments of the impact of transport emissions on climate change and ozone depletion. Three assessments will cover the emissions of single transport sectors, viz. of aviation, shipping, and road and rail traffic. Another assessment deals with metrics that allow to describe, quantify, and compare in a fair way the effects of the transport emissions in the atmosphere. Finally, a synthesis of the foregoing assessments will be written that will provide the overview of the impacts of the emissions of all transport sectors on climate change and the ozone layer. For the first time, different modes of transport will be consistently assessed. The consistent assessment allows the interested citizen to estimate in principle their own contribution to environmental problems and to compare it to that of others. Apart from policy and decision makers, the synthesis assessment will help journalists, teachers, and others, to digest the results and to present them in public media, in schools and universities, ensuring wide spread of the results. The assessments and the synthesis report will inform the EU in developing its policy and will strengthen its position in international climate conventions and other international agreements. It will help finding emission reduction and mitigation strategies, and give advice for industry on design of future engines and vehicles, thereby strengthening the European position.

A European Network for Atmospheric Hydrogen observations and studies (EUROHYDROS)

We propose to initialise a European Network for observations of molecular Hydrogen and to put in place a new and consistent calibration scale for molecular Hydrogen. The observational network will have 12 continuous measurements sites in Europe, 7 flask sampling sites in Europe and 6 global flask sampling sites. Concerning the European sites, a range of observation from clean air stations for measurements of atmospheric background to moderately polluted (e.g. urban outflow) and urban (i.e. polluted) sites was chosen. This will enable to improve the understanding of hydrogen in the global background atmosphere and of the impact of European emissions on the present day atmosphere, e.g. using local modelling techniques and radon flux calculations. We further propose to perform budget studies of molecular hydrogen (on a global and regional scale) and to study sinks and sources. Especially the important soil sink will be studied (mechanistically and experimentally). A first systematic study of isotopic composition of molecular hydrogen in the atmosphere is proposed, using observations from global and European flask sampling sites and global models, which hydrogen isotope fractionation processes will be incorporated. Global and regional models will be used to investigate the budget of atmospheric hydrogen, by comparing mixing ratios and isotope ratios between model and observations and by varying underlying model emission patterns. The Proposal further includes some studies to assess the impact of atmospheric hydrogen on the present day atmosphere, i.e. the influence on the oxidation capacity of the troposphere, the lifetimes of greenhouse gases like CH4 and on the stratospheric budgets of water vapour and ozone. Some exploratory studies will be carried out to investigate these impacts under changed atmospheric hydrogen levels, associated with the use of hydrogen as a carrier of economy.

Low Cost and High Efficiency CO2 Mobile Air Conditioning system for lower segment cars (B-COOL)

Objective: The Project objective is the development of a low cost and high efficiency air-conditioning system based on CO2 (R744) as refrigerant fluid. Methods to assess performance, fuel annual consumption and environmental impact will be identified and they will constitute a first step for EU new standards. The EU, as Greenhouse Gas emission reduction measure, proposed the ban for Mobile Air Conditioning systems of fluids having a Global Warming Potential lower than 50 (i.e. R-134a and R-152a) with complementary measures - e.g. measurement of the MAC fuel consumption - This represents a challenge and an opportunity for OEMs and Mobile A/C Suppliers. The CO2 - R-744 when used as a refrigerant - is the favourite candidate to replace the R-134a. Besides safety, reliability and efficiency, the present estimated additional cost, ranging from 70 up to 150 Euro with reference to the low priced car systems, represents a obstacle. The lower priced vehicles constitute up the 70Prozent of the present EU car market, this number will rise up to the 80Prozent with the EU enlargement. A low cost and high efficiency R 744 MAC will support the EU efforts reducing the resistance to the approval of the HFC ban, allowing a rapid diffusion of the new system with the related environmental benefits and making the EU industries more competitive. The consortium composition - 2 major OEMs, 4 suppliers and three acknowledged excellence centres - makes the risk acceptable assuring an effective exploitation. Finally the Project gathers the most skilled European scientists and engineers in this specific field, so high level scientific and technical know how are expected to be produced as well as scientific advances in the dynamic system modelling. This will contribute to strengthen EU industries position in other domains (e.g. domestic air conditioning). The BCOOL project forms a cluster with the project named TOPMACS,focused on innovative adsorption mobile air conditioning systems...

Sustainable energy management systems (SEMS)

Objective: The aim of this project is to turn 4 core communities (Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Poland) with clearly defined system borders and 14 - 20.000 inhabitants each into CONCERTO communities. A mix of different EE and RES demonstrations (including refurbishment of old buildings, eco-buildings and polygeneration, all underpinned with complete business plans) will allow to avoid about 300 GWh/yr end energy from fossil sources, thus avoiding 94.000 tons CO2/yr, and saving 22.9 mio Euro/yr of disbursements for extra-communal electricity and heat deliveries. The application of the Decentralised Energy Management System (DEMS) will allow for local and inter-communal operation, monitoring and control of energy consumption, storage and generation units and grids, including DSM and LCP, thereby exploring a EE potential of at least 5Prozent. The target in RES coverage for 2010 is of resp. 39 to 62Prozent of the then remaining electricity and heat demand. EnerMAS, a low-threshold version of the European environmental management system.

Integrated small scale solar heating and cooling systems for a sustainable air-conditioning of buildings (SOLERA)

Objective: The project aims to develop highly integrated solar heating and cooling systems for small and medium capacity applications which are easily installed and economically and socially sustainable. The envisioned applications are residential houses, small office buildings and hotels. The goal is to use the excess solar heat in summer to power a thermally driven cooling process in order to provide cooling for air-conditioning. In the heating season the solar system is used to provide direct heating. The proposed project therefore aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility, reliability and cost effectiveness of these systems, specially conceived as integrated systems to be offered on the market as complete packages which will make better use of the available solar radiation as present systems.

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.

Network of DER laboratories and pre-standardisation (DER-LAB)

Objective: The main objective of the proposed Network of Excellence (NoE) DER-Lab is to support the sustainable integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and distributed energy resources (DER) in the electricity supply by developing common requirements, quality criteria, as well as proposing test and certification procedures concerning connection, safety, operation and communication of DER-components and systems. DER-Lab intends to strengthen the EC domestic market and to protect European interests on the international standardisation level. A major objective is to establish a durable European DER-Lab Network that will be a world player in this field. The NoE will bring together a group of organisations for the development of certification procedures for DER- components for electricity grids. The NoE will act as a platform to exchange the current state of knowledge between the different European institutes and other groups. The scattered, but high quality research and test facilities will be combined with great benefit for the European research infrastructure DER-Lab will contribute by developing new concepts for control and supervision of electricity supply and distribution and will bundle at European level specific aspects concerning the integration of RES technologies. The absence of European and international standards for the quality and certification of components and systems for DER is a hindrance to the growth of the European market and for European penetration of the world market. It is within the aims of the proposed NoE to reduce these barriers and to work towards common certification procedures for DER components that will be accepted throughout Europe and the world. Obviously this work cannot be done on a national basis. The results of the project and afterwards the output of the network will be a significant contribution to the European standardisation activities and will contribute to the harmonisation of the different national standards.

Demonstration of a sustainable CHP concept using residues from olive oil production (OLIVEPOWER)

Objective: The project focuses on the demonstration of an innovative and sustainable CHP concept using residues from olive oil production (olive wastes) as fuel. A first plant based on the new concept will be realised in Greece. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate a closed cycle concept able to reduce landfill problems and emissions and to promote the use of renewable electricity production in Southern Europe. The project will be based on an approach integrating the whole chain (fuel logistics and preparation, energy production, by-product utilisation). An optimised fuel logistic concept will guarantee for a secured fuel supply over the whole year. The fuel will not only be dewatered and dried but also a marketable by-product will be produced. By this means a better fuel quality can be achieved and solid wastes as well as waste- water can be omitted. The development and design of the combustion unit focuses on a technology tailored to the special characteristics of the olive waste.

Optimized Strategies for Risk Assessment of Chemicals based on Intelligent Testing (OSIRIS)

The proposed regulation concerning the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) requires demonstration of the safe manufacture of chemicals and their safe use throughout the supply chain. There is therefore a strong need to strengthen and advance human and environmental risk assessment knowledge and practices with regard to chemicals, in accord with the precautionary principle. The goal of the project OSIRIS is to develop integrated testing strategies (ITS) fit for REACH that enable to significantly increase the use of non-testing information for regulatory decision making, and thus minimise the need for animal testing. To this end, operational procedures will be developed, tested and disseminated that guide a transparent and scientifically sound evaluation of chemical substances in a risk-driven, context-specific and substance-tailored (RCS) manner. The envisaged decision theory framework includes alternative methods such as chemical and biological read-across, in vitro results, in vivo information on analogues, qualitative and quantitative structure-activity relationships, thresholds of toxicological concern and exposure-based waiving, and takes into account cost-benefit analyses as well as societal risk perception. It is based on the new REACH paradigm to move away from extensive standard testing to a more intelligent, substance-tailored approach. The work will be organised in five interlinked research pillars (chemical domain, biological domain, exposure, integration strategies and tools, case studies), with a particular focus on more complex, long-term and high-cost endpoints. Case studies will demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the new ITS methodologies, and provide guidance in concrete form. To ensure optimal uptake of the results obtained in this project, end-users in industry and regulatory authorities will be closely involved in monitoring and in providing specific technical contributions to this project.

Das Energiewende-Szenario 2020 - Ausstieg aus der Atomenergie, Einstieg in Klimaschutz und nachhaltige Entwicklung, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies for Road Transport (HyTRAN)

Two innovative integrated Fuel Cell Systems for automotive application will be developed within specific Technological Platforms (TPs): TP1 POWERTRAIN: development of a system for traction power by an 80 kW direct hydrogen PEM fuel cell system implemented on a passenger car. TP2 APU: development of 5 kW Auxiliary Power Unit for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, including microstructured diesel oil steam reformer, clean-up reactors, an innovative reformate hydrogen stack and balance of plant components. These objectives will be reached via R&TD activities that will address the most critical technical bottlenecks which currently hamper wide market penetration of PEM fuel cell systems for road transport, while accounting some of the key market and policy drivers and barriers. Particularly, the following innovative components will be developed: A 80 kW direct hydrogen stack with strong weight and volume reduction, increased efficiency, durability and start-up time, with innovative MEAs embodying sealing layers (7-layers MEAs); A 5 kW reformate stack, including innovative electrocatalyst and MEA elements tolerant to very high CO concentrations and low-resisitivity bipolar plates; A highly efficient, clean and compact micro-structured diesel steam reformer and gas purification unit; Variable displacement compressors with reduced noise level; Innovative humidification/dehumidification apparatus; Heat exchanger and radiator customised for the different applications; Specific targets for both platforms will be achieved via a system approach leading to development and validation of the concepts (POWERTRAIN: in a passenger car; APU: dynamic test validation in bench) with high well-to-wheel efficiency (low fuel consumption), easy and optimised packaging and on-board integration.

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