Objective Provision of energy, mainly of electricity, is one of the basic needs for future development of rural areas of the European Union and semi-industrialized or developing countries. These needs must be met in environmentally acceptable manner. Electricity generation in rural areas must be suited to small, short distance grid systems or to direct utilisation by local population, handicraft or small industry. In rural areas of the European Union frequently sources for electricity generation on the basis of Renewable Energies, e.g. wind or hydro, are not available and PV systems at present days still are expensive. However, biomass as a "stored fuel" for electricity generation systems is generally available everywhere. These are typical questions which will get answer in this project. The basis for the break through development of small size biomass gasifiers will be designed and three bio-electricity power generator power units will be set up in three regions of Europe. These regions differ in their local biomass resources capabilities, in their socio-political environment, in their socio-economic structur, in their regional "energy market", and in their general conditions for the bioelectricity up-take. The most promising future schemes for large scale bio-electricity generation in rural areas with decentralized small and medium sized biomass gasification units will be examined and evaluated. The regulations and procedures for operating such systems in different regions will be assessed. Practical experiences, economical considerations, and legal constraints will indicate possible needs for improving these systems to optimize the global efficiency, to reduce the production costs, to improve the availability and continuous operation time and to reduce the emission level of noxious gases. They will be improved to simplify their operation for representing an example and a future basis for sustainable energy generation in rural areas. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpower engineeringelectric power generationagricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomassengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaic Programme(s) FP3-RENA - EU Preparatory action on renewable energies, 1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Agricultural University of Athens Address 75,iera odos 11855 Athens Greece See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Agency for Natural Resources, Energy and Technology Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address 4,avenue de la jonction 1060 Bruxelles See on map Antiche Terre Scrl Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Viale michelangelo 68 52100 Arezzo See on map CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address Km 19,marathonos avenue km 19 19009 Raphina (pikeermi) See on map Internazionale Banca Informazione Economiche e Finanziarie - GEIE Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address 134/46,avenue de cortenberg 1040 Bruxelles See on map Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address La casita 35017 Las palmas de gran canaria See on map