News
E4U position on EU FP7 ICT programme
The E4U initiative provides input to the upcoming European Commission’s ICT research programme 2011. The programme will again focus on ICT and sustainability. The E4U project suggests that support for research in the area electronics for energy efficiency is important to harvest the energy efficiency potential of electronics and for remaining competitive in Europe. For more information, please contact the E4U co-ordinator.
ERCIM & E4U
ERCIM reports about the E4U Action Plan, see Press section for details.
More details can be found in the press section.
Germany Funds Power Electronics for Energy Efficiency
Germany has decided to support power electronics projects to improve energy efficiency. As a part of Germany’s initiative “IKT 2020” the projects should broad dissemination and strong industrial participation. Areas addressed include
- new passive and active components for power electronics
- new functional materials and improved semiconductors
- new technologies for packaging and high densities and temperatures
- systems for intelligent energy conversion and power control
EU Launches New Intelligent Energy Call
The EC adopted the 2009 Work Programme of the Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) Programme. Financial support will be provided for cities to develop projects or investments in the field of urban sustainable energy. The IEE 2009 budget is more than 96 million euro. Note that ICT for energy efficiency is generally excluded as this is a topic in other EC programmes (p.12 of the EN call text).
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/call_for_proposals/doc/call_2009_en.pdf
February 2009 - VISION '2020'
Energy saving, improved energy efficiency and environmental protection are ubiquitous topics in society, in Europe and globally. Despite many efforts to save energy, the demand for electricity is expected to grow and much faster in comparison with other energy sources over the next three decades. Today 40% of all energy consumption is in electrical energy, but this will grow to 60% by 2040. On the other side, the share of electrical energy which will be controlled by power electronics (e.g. in variable speed drives) will increase from 40% in 2000 to 80% in 2015.
Power electronics is the key technology to control the flow of electrical energy from the source to the load precisely according to the requirements of the load.
e4u identified 8 key topics which are seen as important in the upcoming improvement of energy efficiency through power electronics:
- The ´More Electric World´: the share of green electricity on the overall energy significantly increases.
- Three technologies information processing, power processing, and sensors&actuators converge to enable smart energy efficient systems.
- Industry in Europe takes global leadership in smart energy efficient systems and products based on these converging technologies.
- Universities and research centres in Europe take global leadership in research and innovation in electronics enabling efficient energy usage.
- Smart Grids in 2020 are able to handle 20% plus share of fluctuating renewable energy in an economic and efficient way.
- Zero-emission e-mobility in megacities
- Halving life-cycle costs of buildings including lighting and climate conditioning
- Energy on demand for ICT and wireless energy supply for mobile applications
The Vision '2020' document (D1.1.2_Vision2020_V5.pdf) can be found in the download section.
June 2008 – E4U starts
In the ICT FP7 project E4U coordinator eutema Technology Management GmbH together with partners from Germany, Ireland and Spain designs a strategic research agenda for high energy electronics, which will help to use energy more efficiently in the future.
© eutema Technology Management GmbH 2010