Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy

1st June 2005, DG ResearchBrussels

Questions to be addressed

Josef SpitzerJoanneum Research Graz

Austria

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Scale and type of Energy Research Infrastructures

• RI should be problem driven, not “system” driven, it should be justified through a long range RTD programme

• Integrate RI in ERA philosophy as logical continuation of IPs/NoEs

• Probably more “distributed” and “virtual” than “single-sited”

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Funding of Energy Research Infrastructures

• RI investment has to be accompanied by a long range support of use and maintenance, current instruments do not provide this

• Topic orientation rather than bottom-up in order to focus on “proven” priority areas

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Industry and Energy Research Infrastructures

• Industry is reluctant to invest in energy RTD because of lack of RoI perspective, as long as RE is not competitive

• Even with given RoI perspective, amortisation time generally too long for typical RE industry

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Learning from non-European initiatives

• Existing facilities have developed from or are devoted to nuclear energy (exception: NREL)

• Intention should not necessarily be to create a “EU-REL”, but rather to support specific EU technology developments with RI

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Training and Conference facilities

• Existing capacities at universities are sufficient, cooperation with RTD entities for providing practical training is useful

• Conference facilities will not be utilized all year, high cost and not much added value for RTD entities

Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy:Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Energy: Questions to be addressedQuestions to be addressed – Brussels, 1 June 2005

Josef Spitzer, Joanneum Research Graz, Austria

From a bioenergy perspective

Cross-thematic and cross-sectorial approach

• No significant cross-linking needed to other research topics

• No strong connection between the different energy options (e.g. PV, bioenergy), however “integration” (distributed generation) will benefit from cross-thematic approach