Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform
The European Union’s energy policy addresses the challenges of security of supply, limitation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and competitiveness of energy-reliant economies. In order to combat climate change, EU has committed for the year 2020 to reduce by 20% its GHG emissions compared to 1990, make 20% energy savings and include 20% share of renewable energies in the total energy mix, aiming in the long-term to attain a low-carbon economy in Europe.
To reach these goals, the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) identifies a set of competitive low-carbon energy technologies to be developed and deployed in Europe, with nuclear fission representing a key contribution.
The Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP) promotes research, development and demonstration of the nuclear fission technologies necessary to achieve the SET-Plan goals in this field:
For the year 2020: (1) maintain competitiveness in fission technology, (2) provide long-term waste management solutions,
For the year 2050, act now to: (1) complete the demonstration of a new generation (Gen IV) of fission reactors with increased sustainability, (2) enlarge nuclear fission applications beyond electricity production.
The SNETP was officially launched on September 21, 2007, in the presence of EU Commissioners for Science and Research, J. Potočnik, and for Energy, A. Piebalgs. Today, SNETP gathers about 70 European stakeholders from industry, research and academia, technical safety organisations, non-governmental organisations and national representatives.
The 1st SNETP General Assembly
The first General Assembly of SNETP took place in Brussels on November 26, 2008, in the Charlemagne building of the European Commission. With over 230 registered participants, this event was successful in bringing together the 67 member organisations representing the various stake-holders of nuclear fission research. The event was opened to the public and also attracted non-members of the Technology Platform, including journalists and representatives of several European institutions. |
Renewal of the SNETP Governing Board According to SNETP's Terms of Reference, every two years the Governing Board (GB) Co-chairs from Industry and Research, respectively, should propose an updated list of GB members (approx. 10 members from industry, 10 members of research organisations and 10 others). This list may include existing and/or new members of the GB and it should be approved by the outgoing Board. The GB Chair will then consult the General Assembly concerning the composition of the new GB. The present GB members were elected on 30 October 2007. At its last meeting in June 2009, the GB approved the Executive Committee's proposal of extending the mandate of the present GB until the end of April 2010 and bringing forward the 2nd General Assemby to the first half of 2010. Nominations for membership to the renewed GB are now possible from eligible organisations (i.e. those who have endorsed the Vision Report). Members of the GB should be high-level representatives who can express the R&D strategy of their organisation. Nomination submission was closed in November 2009. It is foreseen that the GB Co-chairs will propose the list of new members early in 2010 for the endorsement of the spring GB meeting. |
