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Objective: Methane derived from solid biofuels is an important option for achieving the political goal for an increased use of alternative motor fuels. The biomass methanation has already been demonstrated on the small scale. And methane can easily be feed into the existing Natural Gas infrastructure, and can then be used with available technology, in particular within vehicle fleets. Although this option has been explicitly encouraged by the EC Directive 2003/55/EC so far no R&D-focus has been put on this. Thus, the objective of this project is it to realise and demonstrate the production of Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) from solid biofuels within an innovative, large scale gasification plant to be built in Austria and to applicate this motor fuel in energy efficient vehicles (WTW).
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.
Under the 2003 EU Greek presidency, cooperation with Balkan countries on environmental issues was identified as a priority of the EU/Balkan Action Plan. Large-scale co-operation is essential for effective action in the vulnerable Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal zones. During the last 50 years both areas suffered major changes; as semi-enclosed basins, both Seas are ultra-sensitive to anthropogenic stress and to climate change. An EU Presidency Conference on Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean/Black Sea (May 2003), revealed major gaps in management structures, scientific strategies and identified a diversity of environmental issues to be resolved through priority-focused RTD cooperation. Yet, while pressure on the resources of the two seas increases and the potential impact of climate change on coastal and deep-sea resources remains unknown, the two seas have never been jointly studied as systems of interacting basins and ecosystems. The proposal outlines collaboration and clustering schemes involving environmental, economic and scientific organisations in Mediterranean, Black Sea and other EU nations, in order to create synergies in networking and exchanges at several levels, addressing for the first time the system of interconnected basins as one, based on the integration of, both horizontally and vertically, natural scientists and economists. These will: 1) Create an international, interdisciplinary platform coordinating the region's scientific potential in order to prepare RTD projects, based on a Science Plan for the region, securing sustainable development; 2) Focus on natural and anthropogenic pressures exerted upon the functioning of the ecosystem; 3) Reinforce RTD capacity by setting up an environment/resource monitoring network in the light of existing observation networks of different scopes. Prime Contractor: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, Anavyssos, GR.
Objective: The project aims: - to identify levels of growth promoting/anabolic and growth-reducing/catabolic hormones in fish subjected to different culture conditions (nutrition, salinity); - to develop recommendations for practical fish culture how to stimulate growth processes and how to minimize growth reducing processes by adequate feeding and culture conditions. As experimental species, Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus auratus and Scophthalmus maximus have been selected. General Information: Four experimental approaches will be in the centre of the project: The ontogenetic pattern and the role of hormones during the development of larval Scophthalmus maximus and evaluation of rearing conditions in respect to hormonal actions. Influences of salinity and temperature, endocrine and metabolic changes of Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax kept under different external salinity and temperature. Influence of nutrition and diurnal feeding regimes on endocrine and metabolic profiles of Dicentrarchus labrax and/or Sparus aurata. Zootechnical studies for practical fish culture. The following parameters will be considered in the experiments planned: Growth parameters: growth rate, condition index; food ingestion, feed conversion; protein efficiency ratio. Physiological parameters: - General: lipid content, liver somatic index, muscle-somatic index - Liver: lipid, glycogen, protein, ash and water content, enzyme activities - Muscles: same metabolites as in the liver, lipid content, glycogen content - Serum: electrolyte and osmotic concentration, metabolite concentration (glucose, fatty acids, amino acids, total lipids). Hormone activity: - Serum titres: cortisol, T4/T3, insulin, glucagons. Histological, electron microscopical, immunohistochemical inspections: interrenal gland, endocrine pancreas, liver. Achievements: Studies with larval turbots, Scophtalmus maximus evaluated the functional status of organ systems involved in processing exogenous food with respect to survival and growth of early life stages. Intestine, exocrine pancreas and liver are differentiated at hatching or at the onset of exogenous feeding. Enzymes like aminopeptidase are found at the microvillus border. In contrast, evidence that differentiation is finished during metamorphosis is demonstrated for stomach, gills and glucolytic activity of muscles. The status of the thyroid hormone system was measured. The content of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and the activity of monodeiodinase (MDI) were determined. From hatching until day 50 after hatching about 10 pg/mg body weight of T3 and high activity of MDI were found in the microsomal fraction of the liver. The influence of salinity and temperature on morphological and physiological changes in Dicentrarchus labrax (D) and Sparus auratus (S) were monitored. Differences in the growth rate for D are found when kept in 1.2 per cent salinity instead of 3.5 per cent at 18 C...
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.
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.
Objective: The results of the project will improve and widen the potential for the integration of solar (PV) energy systems into existing buildings. Special attention will be paid architectural and aesthetic questions. Building integration of PV systems in most cases leads to a 'high tech' and 'modern' appearance of the building. This is caused by the typical window-like surface of most conventional PV modules. Regarding however that90Prozent of the building stock consists of longer existing, that means 'old fashioned' buildings, it is evident that anaesthetically satisfying building integration of PV needs a lot of good will and creativity from planners and architects. In many existing building integrated PV systems the modules contrast with the building and its surroundings. A European survey on the potential and needs for building integrated PV components and systems will identify the basis for the development of modules away from the glass / window-like appearance. In the project PV roof tiles, overhead glazing and facade elements based on CIS thin film technology will be developed and investigated which have a modified optical appearance for better adaptation to the building skin. One of the ideas is optical decoupling of substrate and cover glass. A complete roof tile system with thin film cells adapted to the visual appearance of conventional roof tiles and innovative connection and mounting will be developed. The work includes prototype fabrication and tests according to relevant standards and subsequent performance tests. Novel overhead glazing includes semitransparent thin film modules optimised for daylight transmission. The backside appearance will be modified in order to represent the visible inner part of the building skin. For overhead and insolating glazing an invisible interconnection and for PV roof tiles a low cost connector will be developed. Project results will be systems ready for industrial production.
Objective: The proposed project is designed to address the problem of pollution of the environment by road vehicles as denned under the Thematic Priority 1.6.2, Sustainable Surface Transport relating to the Work Programme 'Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area'. The research activities of the consortium will be based around state of the art developments in the area of optical fibre sensor and intelligent instrumentation technology to formulate a system for on line monitoring of exhaust emissions from road vehicles. The application of this technology to resolving the problems of atmospheric pollutants and their regional impacts is therefore highly appropriate to the issue identified in the thematic roadmap i.e. 'New technologies and concepts for all surface transport modes'. The consortium which will execute the research programme comprises six members from four EC member states. They include four academic institutions, an SME and an end user (a major European car manufacturer). Their combined expertise and knowledge of the technological and business issues will facilitate the rapid development of the technology into a demonstratable prototype within the three year lifetime of the project. The project's technical objectives are summarised as follows: -. To set up laboratory based test facilities such that the sensor systems may be characterised in a precisely controlled and reproducible manner. Therefore, individual parameters such as optical absorption and scattering may be studied in isolation as well as collectively.. To isolate and identify the optical signals arising from contaminants present in the complex mixtures of exhaust systems of a wide range of vehicles using advanced and novel optical fibre based spectroscopie interrogation techniques. To develop novel optical fibre sensors which are miniature and robust in their construction and may be fitted...
Objective/Problems to be solved: Several factors are important when impact from aircraft emissions are studied and measures are taken to reduce aircraft impact. Emissions from aircraft flying at cruising altitudes (8 to 13 km) affect atmospheric composition in a height region where there might be significant climate impact through changes in the distribution of compounds like CO2, ozone, methane and the frequency and extent of contrails. Future emissions from aircraft are expected to increase much more rapidly than emission in general, therefore, not only will the overall impact of aircraft emissions increase, but also the importance relative to the total climate impact. The emissions occur in specific flight corridor where the atmospheric impact is significant. A large fraction of the emission, may be as much as one third, occur in the lower stratosphere, where atmospheric residence times are long and impact of emissions generally larger than in the upper troposphere. There are several options to reduce future impact from aircraft like fuel efficiency, pollution control, technology improvement and traffic routing, however, for the control measures to be efficient it has to be based on the estimates of the importance of the different climate compounds. Scientific objectives and approach: The main objectives of TRADEOFF are: To calculate future changes in climate compounds in the atmosphere and the contributions from aircraft emissions to climate changes, to reduce the large uncertainties in the current calculations of the impact from future air traffic, and to provide industry and decision-makers with options to reduce future climate impact from aircraft emissions. Special objectives are: 1) To further develop current Chemical Transport Models (CTMs) and to test them against observations to improve their capability to estimate atmospheric impact, 2) to quantify the relative contributions of individual climate compounds emitted by future aircraft (e.g., CO2, O3, CH4, particles, contrails, H2O from supersonic aircraft) to radiative forcing and 3) to perform studies in the context of options for emission reductions. A co-ordinated 3 year research project will be performed, which includes the use of improved emission data base, the development of atmospheric model tools; estimates of changes in atmospheric composition and radiative forcing; analysis of options for reducing climate change. The studies will focus on changes in the lower stratosphere (LS) and the upper troposphere (UT), where perturbations of gaseous compounds and particles are likely to have a strong impact on climate. Prime Contractor: University of Oslo, Department of Geophysics; Oslo/Norway.
General Information: The project aims at identifying and estimating the potential for an alternative organic farming system in 6 different regions of the community. The work will focus on the potential and problems relating to the incorporation of livestock as well as the integration of trees and woody vegetation into the farm system. It also includes improved nutrient supply and weed control for organic arable crops. The research methodology includes on- farm research and farmers participation.
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