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In its second year running, the European Commission (EC) has launched its 2009 Eco-innovation call for proposal. The programme focuses on helping bring environmentally friendly technologies, such as the use of hydrocarbons in heating and cooling, faster to market.

On 20 April, members of the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) presented their programme at the Eco-innovation info day in Brussels. With a €200 million budget, the EACI has been appointed by the EC to manage this financial envelope to encourage greater eco-innovations across the EU.

This year’s call for proposal, open from 20 April until 10 September 2009, will focus on helping innovative, but still marginalized environmentally-friendly technologies. At the event, an EC spokesperson also confirmed that ODS substitutes would be closely studied in proposals.

2009 call for proposal

Far from being another mere R&D fund, the Eco-innovation programme wants to shift the funding from R&D to commercialisation. As a result, and although some funding could still go to research & development, most will be attributed to bringing products faster to market. Last year, the programme accompanied some 40 projects. Not only does it provide financial help to these projects, it also serves as a networking platform for eco-innovative project carriers to work together and achieve greater efficiency and visibility.

The 2009 main priorities are:

• Materials recycling
• Buildings
• Food and drink sector
• Greening business and smart purchasing

The money is made available to innovating projects and is mostly, but not exclusively, given to SMEs.

New market for green products

In his presentation held at the Eco-innovation info day, Timo Mäkelä, Director of the EC’s Directorate-General Environment, stressed the importance of greening global economy. Quoting a letter the EC and all UN signatories had received last week from the United Nations Environment Panel (UNEP), he mentioned that out of the $3 trillion global recovery plans, $750 billion should be allocated to greening economies.

And this with 5 goals:

• Energy efficiency in new and old buildings
• Use and promotion of renewable sources of energy
• Sustainable transport
• Environment infrastructure
• Sustainable agriculture

He added that the Eco-innovation scheme was thus in line with global climate change efforts and that it was hoped the 2009 call would be as successful as the 2008 edition.