The Orkney Islands' entire electricity needs are met from renewable sources but further generation is hampered by grid constraints. EU-funded researchers are looking at how to overcome this and how to transfer the solutions to other regions.
Could holistic flood risk assessment have mitigated the 'Great Flood' that hit Thailand in 2011? The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) - in Thailand - is on the case. The project team hopes to reduce the likelihood of coastal areas around the world experiencing the catastrophic flooding that wiped out 20 000km2 of farmland.
EU-funded research is refining new bio-based protective coatings for marble artworks under constant punishment from weather and pollution. Better, longer-lasting treatments are a sustainable solution to protecting Europe's priceless cultural heritage.
An EU-funded project has developed simulation software in a bid to save money and reduce the impact dredging has on the built environment. Being able to simulate water and soil interactions is a game changer for Europe's EUR 7 billion industry which provides jobs for a quarter of a million people.
Aluminium is a vital material. Yet its production consumes vast amounts of raw materials and energy. An EU-funded project has developed waste-ore recycling processes and power-saving furnaces that could shrink the industry's environmental footprint while increasing its long-term competitiveness.
EU-funded research is ensuring that new policy tools supporting the renewable energy sector - such as auctions - deliver on their promise to provide cost-efficient, carbon-free energy for consumers, helping Europe meet its environmental and economic targets.
Researchers from Europe and Australia have joined forces to improve our understanding of forest wildfires. The EU-funded project promises to deliver new knowledge and develop software tools that will help emergency services deal with wildfires more effectively.
An EU-funded project is laying the foundations for next-generation urban traffic management systems that are capable of intelligently anticipating congestion, rather than simply reacting to it. Using innovative modelling techniques and smart city technologies, the research promises to make trips faster while reducing urban transport’s environmental impact.
Encouraging new ideas and fresh thinking is critical for innovation in aviation in order to respond to the growing demand for air travel and to the increasing number of air vehicles taking to the skies, including drones. That is why the SESAR Joint Undertaking supports exploratory research and has created an innovation pipeline in its research programme that transforms innovative ideas into solutions to increase the performance of air traffic management (ATM). This article provides a sample of just some of these innovative projects.
EU-funded researchers are developing eco-friendly bio-based materials for aircraft. Collaboration with researchers in China and the aviation industry will see these materials replace traditional high-carbon footprint, non-recyclable materials in planes.
