European Technology Platforms play a key role in helping the Environmental Technologies Action Plan ensure eco-innovations make the transition from research to commercialisation.

Ensuring the right innovations emerge to meet environmental challenges is one of ETAP’s main priorities. To guarantee these technologies develop at the right pace, academia, industry and policymakers must take a concerted approach.

European Technology Platforms (ETPs) are industry-led stakeholder forums which develop research and technology objectives to help to ensure Europe’s future growth, competitiveness and sustainability. Now these platforms are forming clusters to find technological solutions to Europe’s societal challenges.

Europe’s 36 ETPs have introduced strategic research agendas (SRAs) outlining common visions for each technology field. Certain platforms – such as the renewable heating and cooling platform (RHC-Platform) and the water supply and sanitation platform (WssTP) – have driven the development of environmental technologies.

Measures such as the RHC-Platform’s “Common Vision” – which explores the potential of solar-thermal, biomass, geothermal and cross-cutting technologies – and the WssTP’s six pilot programmes – designed to meet the key challenges of developing water innovations – are encouraging the emergence of environmental technologies.

The ETP Expert Group – created to advise the Commission on the future of ETPs – has called for platforms to work together in clusters – known as European Technology and Innovation Platforms (ETIPs) – to address challenges such as climate change and sustainable growth. In addition to contributing to the Energy Efficient Buildings, Green Cars and Factories of the Future initiatives, ETPs are beginning to form such clusters.

To this end, nine platforms have joined forces in the Bio-Economy Technology Platforms (BECOTEPS) group to contribute to the creation of a strong knowledge-based bio-economy in Europe.

Similarly, the WssTP has launched a EUREKA Cluster for water known as ACQUEAU. Guided by WssTP’s SRA, it aims to develop research and development projects to strengthen the technology base of Europe’s water industry.

By working together, ETPs are accelerating the development of the next generation of environmental technologies. Moreover, through such collaborations, the combined strength of Europe’s research and development potential can be focused to address pressing environmental issues.

More information:

European Technology Platforms:
http://cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms/home_en.html

‘European Technology Platforms – knowledge for growth’:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/technology-platforms/docs/tp_leaflet_it.pdf

The European Water Platform:
http://www.wsstp.eu

The Renewable Heating and Cooling Platform:
http://www.rhc-platform.org/

BECOTEPS:
http://www.becoteps.org/

EUREKA:
http://www.eurekanetwork.org/

ACQUEAU:
http://acqueau.eu/

Related information on the ETAP website:

‘Call for Solar Europe Industrial Initiative to accelerate technical progress’ (February 2009):
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/inaction/policynews/261_en.html