For release: december 17, 2009
From 2010 the research program on renewable energy of the Technical University Eindhoven (TU / e) can count on financial support from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Budapest. With 20 to 25 million euros annually the EIT supports the group InnoEnergy that established six European technology centres of which the TU / e together with the KU Leuven will occupy.
According to professor emeritus of electrical energy systems at the TU / e, prof.dr.ir. Jan Blom the European partners target on a total turnover of 100 million euros per year. Blom is the manager of the proposed co-location for the Benelux, which will be based in Eindhoven. He and his staff will operate from the 'headquarters' of the Benelux to coordinate the public-private project. Except for the TU / e, TNO, the KU Leuven and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (Vito), also Dutch and Belgian companies and business schools among them Philips, ECN, Eandis, IMEC, Elijah, NXP, EXENDIS and Energy Delta Institute participate.
Renewable energy for buildings and cities
Prof. Blom also has a financial commitment within the province of Noord-Brabant and also hopes to receive support from The Haag. The co-location for the Benelux will focus on renewable energy for buildings and cities. The TU / e will also contribute in terms of biomass, nuclear fusion and solar energy. The co-location of five other European partners can be found in Karlsruhe (including alternative energy from biomass), Krakow (clean energy from coal), Stockholm (intelligent networks), Grenoble (nuclear) and Barcelona (energy from sun and wind ). Each partner will coordinate the assigned theme but can not claim it for themselves. One of the EIT conditions is exchange of knowledge between the technology centres.
Gray and green energy
"Our application was rewarded by the EIT probably because we not only focus green energy but also on cleaner gray energy. Because there will still be some coal used till 2050 ", notes Blom. The EIT will financially support the project for at least seven years and this period can stretch up to fifteen years.
The higher goal of EIT is European competitiveness in the world by accelerating the marketing of technological developments. Besides an economic boost, the cooperation between European technology centers also provide research and education merits.
For more information: Cees van Keulen, mediadvisor TU/e, 0031 40 247 4061.
Source: Technical University EIndhoven
