EASAC Energy Programme

The EASAC Energy Programme is the most recently initiated of the three EASAC programmes: its first major study was undertaken in 2008-2009 on the European electricity grid. As for the other programmes, its aim is to provide independent advice from the science academies on the scientific and technical issues impacting on European policy making, in this case, on energy.

The Energy Programme works through the academies to draw together the leading scientists and engineers who are working in Europe on energy issues to develop robust advice on the key policy issues. It builds on EASAC's experience over ten years of working at the interface of science and European policy making.

The main study currently being carried out is to evaluate the scientific and technical issues associated with concentrating solar power. This is a technology which has to date had relatively little application in Europe, but which is developing very quickly and has the potential to make a major contribution to Europe's energy supply in the future. Aims of the study are:

• to review the current status of CSP technologies and identify the technological developments and R&D needed to achieve reliable operation and cost competitiveness with fossil fuelled electricity generation;      
• to consider how issues associated with the intermittent nature of CSP for electricity generation due to the daily pattern of insolation and the potential for cloudy days can best be addressed;
• to identify the environmental impacts and infrastructure requirements of CSP, and comment on the significance of these in relation to other options for electricity supply; and
• to develop a view of the potential contribution that CSP located in Europe and neighbouring countries could make to the European energy mix by 2020 and 2050.

The study is due to be completed in the Autumn of 2011. Upcoming studies will address:

• biofuels and biodiversity
• carbon capture and storage.