Energy Transitions Project Proposals are in

29 September 2009

Until 20 May, researchers were able to submit pre-proposals for the Energy Transitions project. The NWO received 23 pre-proposals in total, of which 12 will now be developed. The Energy Transitions programme has been developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and SenterNovem. It was established to organise multidisciplinary research into the transition to a sustainable energy supply in the Netherlands. The programme is mainly intended for gamma research, but cooperation with beta disciplines will be encouraged.

In the meantime the first subsidy round for the programme has already begun and twelve applicants have been approved to develop their pre-proposals. The total requested subsidy amount is €12.7 million, but only about €2.6 million is available. The Energy Transitions Programme Committee assessed the pre-proposals on the basis of the following assessment criteria, as explained in the Energy Transitions brochure: Scientific objectives and quality, relevance to policy and society, and financial and organisational aspects. The Sustainable Earth Steering Committee then decided on the twelve successful applicants on the basis of the advice of the Programme Commission. It is expected that the results of the Energy Transitions subsidy round will be announced in mid-March 2010.