Briefing dossier

The strategic goals of the CCEM-CH are to:
• provide energy services with reduced energy input
• increase efficiency of conversion steps
• minimize pollutant emissions
• substitute fossil-derived by low-CO2 energy carriers

The challenges to fulfil these goals create the following research themes:

Energy carriers from renewables
• low-carbon fuels from biomass
• renewable electricity (hydro, geothermal, photovoltaic)
• transition pathways to hydrogen

Transportation
• "zero emission" efficient diesel trucks for road freight
• clean, large diesel engines for ship freight
• pushing the efficiency limits of hybrid passenger vehicles
• advancing low-T fuel cell technology by in situ diagnostics and system design

Heat and buildings
• innovation in new construction (towards 2000 W homes)
• advanced techniques for building renovation

Electricity generation
• highest efficiency gas turbines with lowest NOx emissions
• biogas cofiring in gas turbines
• high temperature materials for next generation fission and fusion reactors
• efficient small scale energy converters, including solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)