Content/scope: This topic is inviting applications for running a Secretariat for the European CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) Demonstration Project Network. The CCS Project Network, launched in autumn 2009, was set up as the world’s first network of demonstration projects. It fosters knowledge sharing amongst large-scale European demonstration projects and contributes to raising public understanding of the potential of this technology, for ultimately achieving commercially viable and safe CCS by 2020.

The secretariat will provide the necessary functions to ensure the continued operation of the CCS Project Network while guaranteeing efficiency, reactivity and visibility of the Network, with maximum impact. Typical tasks will include: overall management functions of the Secretariat such as organisation and facilitation of management meetings (including the Advisory Forum), and provision of secretarial support to the Network members and the Steering Committee; handling applications of new members to maintain an open Network of projects that meet the qualification criteria; coordination of CCS demonstration projects to realise the efficiencies of collective action; information and communication activities such as maintenance of a website and timely and accurate presentation of aggregated results and progress of the demonstration projects; participation in international events and overall fostering of international cooperation; and actions to increase public awareness taking into account the need to address the perception of safety, long term liability and environmental impacts of CCS.

A key task is the facilitation of knowledge sharing between members, and from members to stakeholders, including inter alia European governments, the European Commission, industry, the research community, relevant international organisations and civil society. In line with the CCS Project Network Knowledge Sharing Protocol, knowledge sharing should establish an appropriate balance between commercial exploitation and the public good associated with accelerating technology diffusion and development. This task will involve the organisation, management and dissemination of outputs from at least two annual knowledge sharing workshops on different specific themes of common relevance to CCS demonstration and deployment. The management of knowledge by the Secretariat will require an analytical approach that can add value to the raw data, knowledge and experiences arising from projects in order to yield best practices and lessons learned that will accelerate the deployment of CCS in Europe and worldwide. Progress reporting of members should be in addition to knowledge sharing.

This topic contributes to realising the Implementation Plan (2010-2012) and the Technology Roadmap (2010-2020) of the European Industrial Initiative on CCS, and the resulting project(s) will form part of the EII.

Funding scheme: Coordination and support action (supporting action)

Expected impact: The Secretariat will play a key role in enhancing cooperation between the early players involved in European CCS demonstration projects, facilitate knowledge sharing, identify and report best practices, and promote cross fertilisation of results to maximise their impact on further R&D and policy making.

Additional information: The EU maximum contribution foreseen is not expected to exceed EUR 3 million. The expected starting date of the grant agreement is 01.01.2012, for a duration of 48 months. This will be considered in the evaluation.

In the framework of the EII a specific monitoring and knowledge sharing mechanism will be established under the auspices of the Commission and the selected projects will be expected to participate.

Given the specificity of the tasks to be performed, a maximum of one project can be funded.

Open in call: FP7-ENERGY-2011-2