Report: OPET Thematic Brochure: Eminent - Results of activities 2003-2005

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Ever-increasing energy consumption is one of the greatest challenges facing Europe and the world today. Most consumption is derived from fossil fuels - much of it imported from outside Europe, depleting natural resources and contributing to global climate change, through increased greenhouse gas emissions. When the EU signed the Kyoto Protocol, it promised to reduce these emissions by 2012, by 8% in comparison to 1990 levels. To meet this commitment, significant changes of behaviour are required now, both in terms of energy supply and demand management.

The European Commission's Directorate General for Energy and Transport launched the Early Market Introduction of New ENergy Technologies (EMINENT) project, in collaboration with leading European research institutions as a new node in the OPET network, with the main purpose of identifying and accelerating the introduction and implementation of leading edge European energy and environmental technology into the worldwide market place and to accelerate implementation of promising Early Stage Technologies (ESTs) for energy conversion, storage and transportation. EMINENT provides the missing link between recent R&D developments on one hand, and the OPET network on the other by identifying recent technological innovations on energy and environment and disseminating such key information to the market through the OPET network.

Two Reasons to promote the Early Market Introduction of New ENergy Technologies:

1. Environmental Global climate change has moved up the policy agenda in recent years. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (2004), the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 0.5°C in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. This problem is attributed to emission of greenhouse gases, which primarily are CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O. After the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations more than doubled and nitrous oxide concentrations rose by about 15%. Scientists believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reason for the increased concentration of CO₂.
      At the same time, increasing fuel consumption is combined with ever decreasing energy resources, such as oil and gas.
      The early introduction of new energy technologies is an imperative in this situation.
2. Economic Time to market is of great importance, as energy technology products, like all other products and services in the market place have a life cycle. The key to maximising company sales and profits over time is the successful launch of a new technology. And vital to this launch is early introduction through short and effectively targeted R&D. The sooner this occurs, the sooner research and development costs can be reimbursed and a profit shown. The earlier the market introduction, the higher the profit will be. Profit means that the product becomes self-sustaining and the greater the profit, the more likely that investment money is available for other projects. High technology products' early placement on the market enhances Europe's competitiveness in the global market place.
      The lead-time for development of a new energy technology can take many years and may be influenced by several factors such as pinpointing the most attractive type of market application and geographical location. It may also be that potential investors and the manufacturing industry are not aware of the existence of a new technology concept, which hampers further development and delays market introduction.

The OPET is coordinated by TNO Science and Industry, Netherlands

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Economics : OPET Network : Publications : Renewable Energy Sources & Systems : Sustainable Development

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