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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.

Four reasons to promote Cleaner Fossil Fuels (CFF) and Clean Fossil Technologies (CFT)

1. Clean power By using CFT, clean power can be produced (low emissions, high efficiency) using domestic fossil fuels. This could potentially contribute to the EU gaining Certified Emission Reduction credits from the environmental benefits achieved by the EU CFT industry in developing countries
2. Supply security and environmental quality Use of CFT makes a significant contribution to energy supply security and environmental regulation compliance.
3. Enhancing employment CFT offers valuable manufacturing-sector export opportunities. Japan and the United States share this view - both countries are actively promoting their nationally developed CFT (in China, Asia, South America, Southern Africa as well as in Central and Eastern Europe). EU products and services also have a valuable contribution to make in these developing markets. Estimates from a previous THERMIE programme project (STR-1121-96) indicated that successful actions could bring benefits up to 1 billion euros per annum of additional economic activity to Europe through the successful enhancement of European CFT market deployment. This would mean up to 44,000 new European jobs. The market potential has increased since the study€s completion. The OPET CFF project directly incorporates some of the CFT initiatives recommended by the THERMIE programme.
4. Competitiveness The enhanced marketing resources of the US and Japanese governments present significant challenges. A collaborative and EU-wide approach has a higher chance of success. The EU CFT industry can therefore compete in global markets.

A twenty-three partner CFF Consortium was formed (eighteen partners and five sub-contractors) from seventeen countries. They are all well known and prestigious industry-based organisations, experienced in the fossil fuel sector. The coordinator was CIEMAT - Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Spain