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GCC, EU to have clean energy network

DUBAI - The Gulf Research Center (GRC) in association with the Institute of Communications and Computer Systems of the National Technical University of Athens (ICCS-NTUA) has won the tender for the award of a service contract to establish the “EU-GCC Clean Energy Network” on behalf of the European Commission.

Work for the establishment of the network is expected to be concluded in 3 years, and aims at establishing a permanent network of institutions from the GCC and the EU to act as a catalyst and element of coordination to develop cooperation on clean energy and related policy and technology aspects among various stakeholders in the EU and GCC countries.

In addition to the Gulf Research Center (UAE) and ICCS-NTUA (Greece) as leaders, the project consortium includes other leading institutions namely: the Deutsches Zentrum f r Luft-und Raumfahrt – DLR (Germany), the Spanish National Renewable Energy Centre – CENER (Spain), the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management – ADEME (France), the University of Stavanger - Centre for Sustainable Energy Solutions – UiS (Norway), the Electricity Supply Board International – ESBI (Ireland), and the Centre for European Policy Studies – CEPS (Belgium). Prof. John Psarras of NTUA will be the Project Director, while Prof. Giacomo Luciani of GRC will be the Team Leader in the implementation of the project.

The project consists of four main components. First to create a network of GCC and EU entities including universities, research institutes, corporations, administrations and utilities, to support and work on topics of mutual interest in the area of clean energy. Second, to operate and develop the activities of the network including capacity building events and joint research activities. Third, to disseminate information and advice for an increased knowledge among GCC on EU policies in the area of clean energy, and the promotion of joint demonstration projects being mutually implemented in this area. Fourth, to set-up a sustainability strategy for the established network to continue within the framework of a legal and financial structure.

Within the framework of the “EU-GCC Clean Energy Network”, possible areas of cooperation will include Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Demand Management and Energy Efficiency, Clean Natural Gas and related Clean Technologies, Electricity Interconnection and Market Integration, Carbon Capture and Storage.

The Gulf Research Center will liaise with all other relevant Gulf-based institutions to establish the widest possible and most effective GCC participation in the formation and activities of the network, in accordance with the wishes of GCC governments and in close coordination with the group of GCC Energy Experts involved in the periodic EU-GCC energy experts meetings.

Commenting on the winning of the tender, GRC Chairman Abdulaziz Sager, stated that this network will be an opportunity to further GCC-EU cooperation on Energy and that with the award of this contract the European Commission has provided a strong signal to explore areas that will be mutually beneficial for both sides. “We now look forward to engaging in the various activities of the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network and to providing a real contribution to the enhancement of GCC-EU energy relations” Sager added.