JOULE (EU)

The JOULE program of the European Union focuses on research and development in the non-nuclear energy sector.

The acronym "Joule" in this context for J oint O pportunities for U nconventional or L ong-Term E nergy supply.

The JOULE program is part of the European Union's support measures in the energy sector (see also the THERMIE , SAVE and ALTENER programs ).

The first program (JOULE I) was implemented in the second RTD framework program (1987–1990). The JOULE II program was implemented under the third RTD framework program (1990-1994). As specific implementation programs, the JOULE programs are part of a fundamental, multi-year EC / EU research framework program .

root cause

The basis for the promotion activities in the field of energy , energy efficiency and environmental protection was u. a. the 1973 and 1979 energy crisis , which hit Europe significantly. The Council resolution of 1980 on the energy policy objectives for 1990 stipulates that a common Community energy policy should be continued in order to prevent the effects of a new energy crisis. The goals were (1980):

Reducing the Community's dependence on energy imports to 50%,
Reduction of the ratio between the rate of growth in energy consumption and the rate of growth in GDP to a factor of 0.8;
Limitation of oil consumption;
Limitation of net oil imports to 1978 levels.

JOULE is an EU technology dissemination program. This should u. a. serve to convince consumers that the introduction of more efficient energy technology can pay for itself after a short period of time through energy cost savings.

aims

This program has three main objectives:

Reducing the environmental impact of energy consumption;
Research into renewable energies
Research into fossil fuels .

Results

The JOULE program includes research and development (RTD) and thereby

aims to make better use of energy and
improved fossil fuel conversion can be achieved; and
should reduce pollutant emissions and
the efficiency of the conversion of energy is to be improved.

Research areas

This should z. B. by

converting coal into electricity by means of combustion and gasification under pressure,
the use of fuel cells ,
the development of accumulators for electric vehicles and
Research and development of new and alternative fuels
Save energy,
Oil and gas exploration and production,
Renewable energies ( biomass , photovoltaics , solar energy , geothermal energy, wind , water and wave power, etc.)

can be achieved, taking into account the social and economic impact.

Follow-up projects

In 1994 the EU program JOULE was transferred to the JOULE-THERMIE program. The JOULE THERMIE program expired in 1998. It was carried out within the fifth RTD framework program (1998–2002) in the areas of "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development" with a funding budget of 2 billion euros.

literature

Grunwald, Jürgen: The energy law of the European Communities , 2003, De Gruyter Verlag.
Lippert, Michael: Energy law, 2002, German economic service.
Ochsmann, Volker: Electricity from renewable energies in European law , 2002, Nomos .
Antonius Opilio : European Energy Law (with special consideration of renewable energy sources and electrical energy), Edition Europa Verlag , 2005, ISBN 978-3-901924-21-7 .

Sources and References

↑ The sub-programs SAVE and ALTENER date from 1993 and were initially financed from other programs. SAVE and ALTENER were, along with the STEER and Coopener programs , part of the Intelligent Energy Europe program (2003-2006).
↑ The projects carried out within the framework of the RTD programs are intended to contribute across the EU to ensuring that the European Union can develop and operate a continuous and coherent energy policy .
↑ The EU's research activities in the energy sector have been carried out since 1985 in research and technology development framework programs (RTD-RP) lasting several years.
↑ Resolution of the Council of 9 June 1980 on the Community's energy policy objectives for 1990 and the convergence of the policies of the Member States, OJ. C 149, p. 1 of June 18, 1980.
↑ In comparison to the year 2000, Antonius Opilio has proven (“ European Energy Law ”, Point 3.3, Table 06) that at least the dependence on oil imports has actually almost reached the planned reduction target of 41% (42%). Although this dependence on oil has been reduced significantly in the EU in the last few decades, it has only been shifted to other energy sources that have to be imported - natural gas and uranium ores. The savings and energy efficiency measures and the expansion of renewable energies are only slowly taking effect.
↑ 472 million tons of crude oil equivalent (ROE).
↑ In 1973 the Commission did not recognize any growth potential until 1985 (+/- 0%) for renewable energy sources (apart from hydropower ). In a Commission proposal in 1977, hydropower was mentioned alongside coal liquefaction (OJ C 138, p. 5ff of June 11, 1977).

↑ In the resolution of the Council of February 13, 1975, the promotion of hard coal mining , lignite mining and peat production for energy production was mentioned (Council resolution of February 13, 1975 concerning measures to achieve the objectives of the Community energy policy, Bull-EG 2-1975, 2257, p. 51.). It was only later that research and demonstration projects for the clean and environmentally friendly use of coal were added.

^ According to Antonius Opilio (" European Energy Law ", foreword), energy based on fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) is still the most important energy source in most countries around the world. A substitution option in the short term is not possible. In the medium and long term, at least the EU has already set the course.

↑ More than 80% of the European Union's energy consumption is still based on fossil fuels (natural gas, crude oil and, with decreasing importance, coal). The European Union is still very dependent on energy imports. The energy imports amount to around half of the total energy consumption. According to COM (2004) 366 of May 26, 2004, p. 8, around 80% of world energy consumption is also attributable to the fossil fuels mineral oil , coal and gas (evidence from: Opilio in " European Energy Law ", Point 10.1, Table 43 with Remarks).

Web links

[1] The sub-programs SAVE and ALTENER date from 1993 and were initially financed from other programs. SAVE and ALTENER were, along with the STEER and Coopener programs , part of the Intelligent Energy Europe program (2003-2006).

[2] The projects carried out within the framework of the RTD programs are intended to contribute across the EU to ensuring that the European Union can develop and operate a continuous and coherent energy policy .

[3] The EU's research activities in the energy sector have been carried out since 1985 in research and technology development framework programs (RTD-RP) lasting several years.

[4] Resolution of the Council of 9 June 1980 on the Community's energy policy objectives for 1990 and the convergence of the policies of the Member States, OJ. C 149, p. 1 of June 18, 1980.

[5] In comparison to the year 2000, Antonius Opilio has proven (“ European Energy Law ”, Point 3.3, Table 06) that at least the dependence on oil imports has actually almost reached the planned reduction target of 41% (42%). Although this dependence on oil has been reduced significantly in the EU in the last few decades, it has only been shifted to other energy sources that have to be imported - natural gas and uranium ores. The savings and energy efficiency measures and the expansion of renewable energies are only slowly taking effect.

[6] 472 million tons of crude oil equivalent (ROE).

[7] In 1973 the Commission did not recognize any growth potential until 1985 (+/- 0%) for renewable energy sources (apart from hydropower ). In a Commission proposal in 1977, hydropower was mentioned alongside coal liquefaction (OJ C 138, p. 5ff of June 11, 1977).

[8] In the resolution of the Council of February 13, 1975, the promotion of hard coal mining , lignite mining and peat production for energy production was mentioned (Council resolution of February 13, 1975 concerning measures to achieve the objectives of the Community energy policy, Bull-EG 2-1975, 2257, p. 51.). It was only later that research and demonstration projects for the clean and environmentally friendly use of coal were added.

[9] According to Antonius Opilio (" European Energy Law ", foreword), energy based on fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) is still the most important energy source in most countries around the world. A substitution option in the short term is not possible. In the medium and long term, at least the EU has already set the course.

[10] More than 80% of the European Union's energy consumption is still based on fossil fuels (natural gas, crude oil and, with decreasing importance, coal). The European Union is still very dependent on energy imports. The energy imports amount to around half of the total energy consumption. According to COM (2004) 366 of May 26, 2004, p. 8, around 80% of world energy consumption is also attributable to the fossil fuels mineral oil , coal and gas (evidence from: Opilio in " European Energy Law ", Point 10.1, Table 43 with Remarks).