The ‘Clean Sky’ joint technology initiative by the European Commission and the EU has launched its first call for proposals.
The Clean Sky project aims to assess and prove the technology needed to reach European environmental air-transport targets by 2020.
These targets include reducing CO2 emissions by 50 per cent, an 80 per cent reduction of NOx emissions and a 50 per cent reduction of external noise.
Currently, Clean Sky incorporates 120 organisations from 16 countries, including 20 SMEs, 15 research centres and 17 universities.
EU commissioner for research, Janez Potocnik, said: ‘The new step taken today by Clean Sky highlights the joint commitment of the European Commission and the European air-transport industry to develop breakthrough technologies to significantly reduce the impact of air transport on the environment and strengthen the competitiveness of this vital sector for Europe’s economy.’
Clean Sky’s first call for proposals covers 72 research topics under the following five titles: Green Regional Aircraft; Green Rotorcraft; Sustainable and Green Engines; Smart Fixed Wing Air; and Systems for Green Operations.
The combined budget of all work topics amounts to €35.4m (£30.2m), with a maximum funding of €25.6m.
In total the initiative has a budget of €1.6bn.
The submission deadline for proposals is 31 August 2009.
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