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. A Steering Panel of energy experts from across Europe advises on the focus of the programme, peer reviews outputs, and makes inputs to energy debates internationally. This last activity has recently included providing reviews of energy reports from the US and Germany.

The report of the second major study of the energy programme, on concentrating solar power in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa was published in November 2011. Studies are currently underway on carbon capture and storage, and on sustainable bio-fuels (jointly with the environment programme). Preparations are in hand for a study on breakthroughs in low carbon energy to 2050, which will be led for EASAC by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.