The Sixth EC Framework Programme, the European Research Area Unique Challenges for the European Power Electronics Community

We are now at the dawn of the 6th EC Framework Programme (FP6). November 2002 will see a huge informative session taking pla~e in Brussels and the end of the year Ihe publication of the first calls. The time to prepare project proposals is not coming, it is there and accelerated actions have to be set up. The Sixth Framework Programme is aiming at integrating, structuring and Mrenglhening the European research. Therefore selected priorities have been defin ed and will be implemented through a stronger link with national , regional and other european initiatives. Furthermore, coordination and procedure simplification will underline the new programme structure. Seven t.hematic priorities have been budgetled: Genomics and biotechnologies for health . Information ~udely technologies, Nanotechnologies and nanosciences, Aeronautics and space, Food quality and safety, Sustainable development global change and ecosystems, Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society. Space is further foreseen for specific activities covering a wider !ield of resear~h in which support for SMEs and for EU new and emerging needs is to be found . The concept of "European Research Area" has been introduced with ~ubstantial funding for resean..:h and innovat ion , human resources , research infrastructures, science and ~ocie ty and with special support for the coordination of activities and the support for the coherent development policie,. Besides the instruments c1ass ic.:ally u ~e:.d in [he fonller framework programmes, threc new instruments have been introdU~ed among which the "Network of Ex~el1en~e"(NoE) and the "Integrated Project"(lP). They should attract strongly the attention of the Power Electronics anu Drives community as a part of the unique challenges to be mel in these first years of the third millennium by all the friends a(.;tivt: in Iho:,.,c field~ (.;umbining Power Electronics, Electrical Energy, Electronics, Computers, Control , M e(.; hani cs, ThermodYllal11i(;:,." Alternative:. Energy. A first step has been performed by inviting the EPE community in submilting an expression of interest(Eol) for a NoE in the field of "Advanced Energy Conversion and Conditioning Technologie,"(AECCT). ECCT is a key tool for achieving the objective, of FP6, for improving the quality of life and indoor/outdoor environment , for sustainable energy production, for reduction of greenhouse gas emi ssions, for sustainable agro-food systems and for water and soil reconditioning. Advances in ECCT, exploiting new power electronics systems, energy conversion devices and system comrol regimes, are both fundamemal and crucial for the development of the clean, efficient and sustainable technology of the future . In 1997 already, it was estimated that over 50 % of the European and US electricity consumption passed through e lectronic conversion and conditioning equipment and today, 100 % of the production of electricity based on alternative energy sources must undergo a conditioning through ECCT equipment before lise. For short , ECCT represents a horizontal path through several thematic priorities of FP6. Despite the excellence of many laboratories, the present lack of co-operation and of crili(.;al mass is one of the major hurdles to the introduction of ECer in our cities, industries and infrastuctures. A mobilisation of acti vi ties and resources is then necessary in order 10 improvt:: tht: dimension and tht:: equipmen! of laboraLOries, the exchange of scientific and technical information. the mobility of young researchers, the develupment of join! re~earch programmes and the collaboration between academic and industrial RID centres, the atlractiveness for women, the increase of graduate students in this area. A NoE has been proposed by the 7th of June to the EPE community and to the EU Commission as the most suitable tool to reach these goals. Not only hardware facilities would be available for Europe wide research demand, but also skills. otherwist :,.,pread all over Europe. could be joined to gain the necessary con~ i slency, compelilivenes~ and viSIbility in the energy conversion and conditioning technology field. Aboul 40 RID units from universities and companies representing 14 countries and over 600 full time re~ear(;her~ are ready to gather their internationally proven expertise in the following FP6 tie lds of inte rest: Sustainable energy systems, Energy sav ings effIciency and qualilY -, Sustainable surface transport , Aeronautics and space, Software technologies embedded systems and distributed systems , Food quality and safety, Nanotechnologies and nano sciences. Last but not least thi s NoE , called AECCTECH_ NET, will be structured in the second half of 2002 and will cenainly be an excellent base to launch "'Integrated Projects"during the four years of FP6, and after, carried out by the AECCTECH_ NET partners. AECCTECH_NET based on the EPE as~ociatiul1 structure b nut a clu:-. t::d club and potential candida[e~ an: invited to join EPE and this Nol:: to help deltning and strengthening the network and research lie lds to be submitted to the EU COlllmi:,.,~ion and to meet the FP6 challenges.