Technical content/scope: Progress in energy research requires advances in both science (new phenomena, tools and techniques) and technology (new design devices and systems). This topic aims at ensuring a genuine chance for “emerging ideas” to be funded and consequently follows a complete bottom-up approach.

This topic is also designed to provide reward for “high risk / high impact” approach and to vigorously promote multi-disciplinarity. Research should focus on novel technologies and novel materials for energy applications, should have tangible objectives, go beyond conventional paths, and be highly innovative and very ambitious – the FET "spirit".

However, this topic is “purpose driven” and not “blue-sky” research. “Increased understanding” alone would not be considered sufficiently tangible. Projects should try reaching clearly defined scientific goals and/or creating a new basic technology. They should have the potential to open up new fields of inquiry and be well beyond the international state of the art.

When developing a new technology one often encounters gaps in understanding that require going back to science to develop new knowledge. This feedback loop between science and technology is a critical part of how progress is made. The more active the feedback loop, the higher the likelihood of rapid success. This key element of innovation is at the core of this FET topic.

Also, real breakthroughs in the energy sector are quite often due to the radical upgrade in the properties of the materials. Proposals related to advanced materials for energy applications, and particularly proposals on materials that could find their way into a continuum of energy applications, are within the scope of this topic (providing they have the FET "spirit"). Any research that constitutes a technology demonstration or a combination of existing technologies will not be considered for funding. Research directed towards hypothetical phenomena, with no convincing evidence as to their existence also falls out of scope of this topic.

Funding scheme: Collaborative project

Expected impact: New paths leading to highly innovative technologies for energy applications, and contribution to the establishment of a strong scientific and technical base for European science and technology in emerging areas in the energy field. The potential impact on the energy system has to be clearly demonstrated, already at stage 1.

Implementation and management: Projects shall involve multinational partnerships, often from different scientific disciplines and/or different technological sectors, in order to cross traditional boundaries. High-tech SMEs participation is encouraged.