Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)

The Seventh Framework Research Programme (FP7) bundles research-related EU initiatives together. The programme will last for seven years from 2007until 2013. The programme has a total budget of over EUR 50 billion. This represents a substantial increase compared with the previous Framework Programme FP6 (41% at 2004 prices, 63% at current prices). The Framework Programmes for Research have two main strategic objectives: - to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry; - to encourage its international competitiveness, while promoting research that supports EU policies. FP7 provides grants on a competitive basis to co-fund various and wide-ranging research projects. The maximum reimbursement rates to the costs of a project depend on the funding scheme, the legal status of the participants and the type of activity. The standard reimbursement rate for research and technological development activities is 50%. Certain legal entities can receive up to 75% (non-profit public bodies, SMEs, research organisations, higher education establishments). For demonstration activities, the reimbursement rate may reach 50%. For other activities (consortium management, networking, training, coordination, dissemination etc.), the reimbursement can be up to 100% of the eligible costs. Energy research under FP7 has been allocated a budget of EUR 2.35 bn and focuses on the following areas: - Hydrogen and fuel cells - Renewable electricity generation- Renewable fuel production - Renewables for heating and cooling - CO2 capture and storage technologies for zero emission power generation - Clean Coal Technologies - Smart energy networks - Energy efficiency and savings - Knowledge for energy policy making Renewable electricity generation has been divided into 7 thematic areas: - Photovoltaics: New processes for equipment manufacturing, standardied and tested building components. - Biomass: Use of biomass in direct co-firing, advanced biomass gasification systems, medium to large scale bio-electricity systems. - Wind: Large scale on and off-shore wind power plants, dependable output forecasting tools, standards and certification schemes. - Geothermal: Enabling technologies for the exploitation of high-temperature resources, improving geothermal reservoir detection technology, increasing the performance of fluid production systems (corrosion and scaling), increasing the efficiency of electricity generating systems. - Concentrated solar power: Improvements in the optical and thermal efficiency of the solar components, power generation efficiency (including hybridisation with other fuel), and operational reliability. - Ocean: Technological improvements in new components and system designs. - Hydro: Improve the energy and cost-efficiency of hydropower plants, in particular smaller systems, while minimising the adverse environmental impact. Renewable fuel production has also been divided into 7 focal areas, including: - First and Second generation biofuel from biomass - Biorefinery (advanced fractionation and conversion technologies, biorefinery concepts and stand-alone biorefinery concepts) - Biofuel use in transport- Alternative routes to renewable fuel production (e.g. using renewable electricity to produce carbon-neutral hydrogen and solar radiation to fuel generation through thermo-chemical and non-thermal processes) - Biofuels from energy crops - Cross-cutting issues (assessing and optimising the availability of bi

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