Media Centre

05.11.08 The UK Energy Research Centre represents the UK as the lead energy research body in the new European Energy Research Alliance

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) will represent the UK as the lead energy research body in the recently launched European Energy Research Alliance (EERA), a new initiative to increase the energy research capabilities at European level.  

The 10 founder members, of which UKERC is one, will share world-class national facilities and team up to accelerate the development of new carbon technologies through joint realisation of national and European programmes.

The EERA is part of the EU Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and will combine national and Community resources and maximise synergies across the key European actors. It will also reinforce a major strategic plan to address the triple challenge of energy security, climate change and competitiveness in Europe while helping the UK to find a better way to meet its ambitious CO2 reduction targets. 

The primary focus of EERA will be on strategic and targeted development of the next generation of energy technologies, with the UK taking the lead on developing a European Partnership for Marine Energy Research. Other initiatives in preparation will be looking at carbon capture and storage, bio-energy, wind and solar energy, the European smart grid and sustainable fission. The first workshop scheduled will focus on Concentration Solar Power and CO2 capture. A workshop on marine technologies will take place in Edinburgh in early 2009.

EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potocnick said:  "The development of cutting-edge technologies requires the pooling of the best brains and resources beyond national borders. The creation of the European Energy Research Alliance that will coordinate national and European energy research programmes is a crucial step forwards".

The UK Energy Research Centre Executive Director, John Loughhead, who signed the agreement on behalf of UKERC said: "With the establishment of the European Energy Research Alliance we have, for the first time, demonstrated a commitment to combine the resources of national research programmes into world-class projects to address our pressing energy needs." 

The UK's Energy Research Partnership (ERP) will be working with UKERC to coordinate involvement from industry and publicly funded bodies in EERA and other elements of the SET plan.

In the picture John Loughhead, UKERC Executive Director signs the Declaration of Intent.