Greening air transport: Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative launches a 25 million first call for proposals for research on cleaner air transport

A new generation of greener, quieter and more efficient aircraft moved a step closer today, when the Clean Sky initiative launched a call for proposals for aeronautical R&D for a total value of 25 million. Clean Sky is a first-of-its-kind EU wide collaborative private-public partnership, including the participation of SMEs, universities and research centres as well as leading aeronautics manufacturers. This call is the first in what will be one of Europe's biggest ever research projects, with 1.6 billion to be invested up to 2014.

"The new step taken today by Clean Sky highl ights the joint commitment of the European Commission and the European air transport industry to develop breakthrough technologies to significantly reduce the impact of the air transport on the environment and strengthen the competitiveness of this vital sector for Europe's economy", stated EU Commissioner Janez Potocnik.

Clean Sky's first Call for Proposals covers 72 individual research Topics in 5 major areas: Green Regional Aircraft, Green Rotorcraft, Sustainable and Green Engines, SMART Fixed Wing Air, Systems for Green Operations, with the key objective of enlisting technical capabilities of additional partners.

Clean Sky is one of Europe's largest research programmes, with a budget of 1.6 billion. It represents a joint commitment from the European Union and aeronautics industry to make air travel more sustainable, by encouraging the aeronautics manufacturers to develop and produce greener products. Clean Sky current membership incorporates 120 organisations from 16 countries, 86 industries, including 20 SMEs, 15 research centres and 17 universities.

For additional information

See News alert at : http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=newsalert&lg=en&year=2009&na=na-160609

For more information on Clean Sky: www.cleansky.eu/

For more information on EU Transport Research:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/transport/index_en.cfm

Bron : Europese Commissie