The objective of this proposal is to explore through the engagement of experts from the energy and defence sectors, the benefits that could be enabled in support of the European Commission’s implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Moreover the objective is further enhanced by its orientation to support the EU efforts for sustainability in line with prevailing policy and regulatory framework. This proposal is highly relevant to the work programme given that the focus of the work will be on: i. Energy Management, ii. Energy Efficiency, iii. Renewable Energy Resources, and iv. the Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure. The deliverables of CF SEDSS II will also have the potential to generate relevant projects that could be possibly funded by the EC’s related and applicable funding instruments according to the legislative and administrative rules in force at that time. EDA will build on its experience in capability development, research and innovation, project management and consensus building with specific regard to the two core themes of the Consultation Forum. The work will be conducted under the umbrella of EDA’s Energy and Environment programme, using, where possible, existing studies and networks to deliver quality products in the shortest possible time. The concrete multi-stakeholder work to be implemented, becomes increasingly relevant given that the scope of work will include identification, relation with and impact on wider EU policies, identifications of existing or missing relevant innovative funding instruments in the context of energy in the defence and security sector.

The EU has the largest global maritime space with its sea basins and oceans. Their variety and complementarity offer a vast potential to develop offshore renewable energy, which can be harnessed in a sustainable way, complementing other activities, including defence. However, there are certain barriers to using renewable energy sources, as large areas are reserved for the civil and military sectors at a national level. The defence sector is reluctant to release the maritime areas reserved for military purposes due to concerns on possible impacts on the operational effectiveness of the armed forces. Consequently, when allocating maritime space for offshore energy exploitation, the responsible national authorities should establish a dialogue with the defence community to develop an understanding of their requirements and plans to foster coexistence. To address these concerns and deliver sustainable solutions, EDA, together with the European Commission, will develop the project “SYMBIOSIS-Offshore Renewable Energy for Defence”, aiming at enabling mutually beneficial coexistence between different entities that depend on each other. Run by the Project Management Team and supported by an Advisory Board, the SYMBIOSIS project will establish two communities of users, a defence and a civilian one. Bringing together these communities will enable deepening their insights into the barriers for deploying offshore renewables in maritime defence space and creating synergies for addressing them. Hence, the SYMBIOSIS project will map the maritime defence areas, assess their suitability for deploying offshore renewable projects and analyse the hurdles and risks constraining their development and exploitation. Through research, simulation-modelling, and evaluation-testing in the European maritime spaces, the project will develop different regulatory, technological, and operational solutions and alternatives to address concerns and needs.

To address the emerging and future challenges in the field of energy as well as to meet the expectations of the Council of the European Union (EU), and consequently of the EU Ministries of Defence (MoDs), the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) will continue pursuing in Phase III the implementation of the EU legal framework on energy and will reaffirm the Consultation Forum as an appropriate vehicle for sharing information and best practices on improving energy management, energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy by the defence sector as well increasing the protection and resilience of defence energy-related critical energy infrastructures. Building on the achievements of the previous phases (CF SEDSS phase I and II), the European Defence Agency (EDA) with the support of the European Commission (Directorate General Energy -DG ENER and Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - EASME), looks forward to continuing assisting the MoDs to move towards more affordable, greener, sustainable and secure energy models. In this context, Phase III will contribute in preparing the defence sector to welcome and accommodate new trends in technology and to address challenges ranging from technical and human factors to hybrid threats and other risks. Overall, Phase III is expected to present the defence and security sectors with an economic, operational, and strategic opportunity to reduce reliance on fossil fuel and natural gas, to progressively minimise energy costs and carbon footprint and to enhance the operational effectiveness and energy resilience of their functions.

Electronic properties of metal oxides such as superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance are important both for fundamental science and for applications. We aim to discover new materials with notable properties by preparing new or ill-characterised perovskites at high temperatures (1000 C) and pressures (5-20 GPa) - perovskites are dense phases and so are favoured under such conditions. Target materials include cubic and layered Cr4+ perovskites, new Bi materials with multiferroic properties, and new magnetic cuprate superconductors. A press and a Walker multianvil module are requested for synthesis. The materials will be characterised by X-ray and neutron diffraction and electron microscopy, and conducting, magnetic and ferroelectric properties will be measured. The project will benefit from collaborations with other UK groups for measurements and with leading European high pressure synthesis laboratories (through an EU COST network).

Micromegas detectors are used in a variety of physics projects including in low-energy nuclear physics and neutron-beam related detectors. With this proposal we intend to develop a “transparent” orthogonal strip Micromegas neutron detector with unprecedented position and time resolving data acquisition capabilities, for use at the major neutron time-of-flight facilities. Typical usages are neutron flux and reaction cross section measurements, and neutron beam imaging. A very thin detector with both a segmented anode and segmented mesh, coupled to the dedicated VMM3 chip developed for Micromegas detectors, will lead to an innovative detection device. The new detector will also be used as a time-projection chamber (TPC) to investigate angular distribution measurements of reaction particles of interest for nuclear reaction studies and nuclear data. The TPC mode will be tested in the neutron beam of GELINA with light charged particles and fission fragments.