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Estonian Participation in the EU Research Framework Programmes – Possibilities and Choices for the Energy Sector
Framework Programme 6 was open in 2002 – 2006. All energy relating topics were collected under the umbrella of Sustainable Energy Systems and were coordinated by two directorates – DG RTD (Directorate-General for Research) and DG TREN (Directorate-General for Transport and Energy). Strategic goals of the priority were decreasing the amount of greenhouse gases and other emissions, security of energy supply, wider use of renewable energy sources and enhanced competitiveness of the European industry.
Possible activities of the priority were divided between 7 topics:
· Clean energy, in particular renewable energy sources and their integration in the energy system, including storage, distribution and use.
· Energy savings and energy efficiency, including those to be achieved through the use of renewable raw materials.
· Fuel cells, including their applications.
· New technologies for energy carriers/ transport and storage, in particular hydrogen.
· New and advanced concepts in renewable energy technologies.
· Capture and sequestration of CO2, associated with cleaner fossil fuel plant.
DG RTD opened 8 calls. All submitted 605 proposals were evaluated during 6 evaluation sessions, as a result of which 125 funding contracts were signed including 33 IPs, 5 NoEs, 58 STREPs, 15 CAs and 14 SSAs – so the success rate was 20.66%.
To the 5 calls launched by DG TREN 5 total 627 proposals were submitted. Four evaluation sessions resulted in 132 signed contracts (success rate 21%), including 36 IPs, 49 STREPs, 8 CAs and 39 SSAs.
Total 45proposals were submitted from Estonia involving 54 partners.14 proposals with 20 Estonian partners ranked above the threshold. Estonian partners were involved in 5 integrated projects, 3 STREPs, 2 coordination actions and 3 SSAs. The share of Estonian partners in the global budget of 111.8 M€ was about 5.5 M€, while from the Community contribution of 54.4 M€ altogether 2.76 M€ or 5% was received by the Estonian partners. The biggest grant was 995 126 €, the smallest one – 15 000 €. The highest number of Estonian partners in one consortium – 5 can be found in project VISIT 2008.
Biomass and bioenergy related topics were covered by 15 proposals submitted with Estonian participation, out of which eventually 5 projects were contracted for funding – 4 SSAs and 1 CA. Total cost of the projects was 4 577 127 €, with Community contribution of 3 377 519 €. The share of Estonian partners in the global budget was 200 038 €, out of which Community contribution was 196 389 €. Activities planned in SSAs include mainly data collection, data processing and comparison and information dissemination. The projects covered the following topics:
1. Measures for increasing the share of renewable fuels for cogeneration of heat and power in the new member states
2. Information dissemination and knowledge transfer from old to new member states on the newest technologies of efficient co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels
3. Possibilities for using combined heat and power plants with heat stores for balancing the output of wind farms
4. Mapping of biomass resource and the methods of its utilisation in Europe. Creation of network of research institutions involved in biomass co-firing
5. Production and dissemination of a film introducing success stories in biomass utilisation and best bioenergy technologies for energy production
Apart from the calls of the thematic priority two more projects were funded under SME specific initiatives: a CRAFT project dealt with utilisation of sewage water and sludge for efficient biomass production in the plantations of fast rotation energy crops and a CLR project analysed the usage of sewage water in the irrigation systems of energy crop plantations. These projects brought to Estonia additional 426 526 €.
Framework programme 7 was launched in late 2006 and the first deadlines for submission of project proposals were in the first half of 2007. Energy issues of thematic priority 5 is one part of the cooperation programme of FP7, which likewise to FP6 is split between two DGs – DG RTD and DG TREN.
The main goals of priority 5 are transforming the current fossil fuel based energy system into a more sustainable one based on diverse mix of energy sources and energy carriers, including enhanced usage of new and renewable energy sources combined with more efficient energy usage throughout the energy sector, to meet pressing challenges of security of supply and climate change, decreasing environmental impact of energy production and increasing the competitiveness of Europe’s energy industry.
Priority 5 is divided into 9 activities (responsible DG pointed out in each case). Highlighted activities are related to bioenergy.
1. Hydrogen and fuel cells (DG TREN and DG RTD)
2. Renewable electricity generation (DG TREN and DG RTD)
3. Renewable fuel production (DG TREN and DG RTD)
4. Renewables for heating and cooling (DG TREN)
5. CO2 capture and storage for zero emission power generation (DG RTD)
6. Clean coal technologies (DG TREN)
7. Smart energy networks (DG TREN and DG RTD)
8. Energy savings and energy efficiency (DG TREN)
9. Knowledge for energy policy making (DG TREN and DG RTD)
