Commission approves funding of ECU 97 million for non-nuclear energy research
The European Commission has approved the financing of 107 research projects in the field of non-nuclear energy. The projects, which have been selected following the second call for proposals under the JOULE section of the Community's JOULE/THERMIE programme (OJ No S 180 of 17.9.1996) will receive Community funding of approximately ECU 97 million. The projects selected focus on targeted activities in the four main areas of the programme: RTD strategy for the energy sector; rational use of energy (RUE); renewable energies; fossil fuels. It is interesting to note that one third of future contractors are participating for the first time in the JOULE programme and that, of these, 59% are from the industrial sector. A third and final call for proposals, focusing on renewable sources of energy, was published in January 1997 (OJ No C 18 of 17.1.1997 p. 11). This call, the results of which are expected by the autumn, will complete the implementation of the JOULE programme under the Fourth Framework Programme.