Energy research and development programme (EEC), 1975-1979

The programme was related to the initial outline programme of the European Communities in the field of science and technology adopted by Council Resolution of 14 January 1974 (Official Journal No C 7 of 29.1.1974).
To enhance research and development in five fields (energy conservation, production and utilization of hydrogen, solar energy, geothermal energy, and energy modelling) by stimulating work which can be done more efficiently at Community than at national level and by fostering coordination and collaboration across borders.
Five subprogrammes:

- Energy conservation:
Eight sectors:
. Improved insulation of buildings;
. Use of heat pumps;
. Urban transport;
. Residual heat recovery;
. Materials recycling;
. Production of energy from waste;
. Evaluation of the specific energy of equipment, processes and techniques;
. Development of methods for storage of secondary energy;

- Production and utilization of hydrogen:
Three projects:
. Thermochemical production of hydrogen;
. Electrolytic production of hydrogen;
. Utilization of hydrogen;

- Solar energy:
. Solar heat collectors and their application to dwellings;
. Self-contained generating sets for the production of mechanical and/or electrical power;
. Photovoltaic conversion;
. Photochemical, photoelectrochemical and photobiological processes;
. Photosynthetic production of organic matter;
. Data network relating to solar radiation;

- Geothermal energy:
. Acquisition and collation of existing and new geothermal data;
. Improvement of methods of exploration;
. Sources of hot water (low enthalpy);
. Steam sources (high enthalpy);
. Hot dry rocks
. Training of specialists;

- Systems analysis: Development of models: Two actions:
. Static models (short term);
. Dynamic sector models (medium/long term).
The Commission was responsible for the implementation of the programme by means of shared-cost contracts.