UNIVERSAL ENERGY CARTRIDGE: Shown here is the proposed size for a Universal energy cartridge. The cartridge may contain many types of energy storage medium: batteries and fuels cells being the most likely, though hybrid forms are also to be considered. The internal volume is approximately 0.145m2 or 8 cubic feet. The difficult part is getting the motor manufacturers to agree these basic dimensions. Failing which, to take the decision from them with directives.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn: “I am a politician, I am not a civil servant. I am into action, we've done enough talking, the time is now for action.” That is the message she imparted to her fellow MEPs. The commissioner for research, innovation and science, was once tipped to be a prime minister of Ireland, spent the past 13 years in the political wilderness. In 1997, she stepped down from Irish politics. Her appointment to the European Court of Auditors in 2001 kept her out of the limelight until now. Not even during the two recent referendums on the Lisbon treaty held in Ireland was her opinion registered. But she is now back with a bang. Bagging what appears to be a good portfolio in the European Commission, given the €50 billion budget it commands and the fact that innovation is a centre-piece of the EU's job-creation plans.

Geoghegan-Quinn began her political career by winning her father’s seat in the national parliament, following his death in office. She subsequently held a number of ministerial positions, and even ran for leader of the Fianna Fáil party, dropping out the day of the election when it was clear she would lose. A few years after withdrawing her candidacy, she withdrew herself from politics altogether, and became a member of the board of the Ganley Group, among other positions. Two years later she was appointed to the European Court of Auditors. Geoghegan-Quinn was also the Justice Minister of Ireland where she did some good pushing through considerable law reform legislation, including decriminalizing male homosexuality. She may be controversial, but she gets the job done.

ECOSTAR LINKS A-Z

AIR QUALITY & CANCER

BATTERY LOADING SYSTEM

BODYWORK ALLOY & COMPOSITES

CHASSIS DESIGN DRAWINGS

CHASSIS WELDING

CLEAN AIR BOARD (CARB)

COACHWORK WOODEN BUCK FRAMES

COMPETITION: BETTER PLACE - TESLA

COMPETITON: SUZUKI ALTO & NISSAN LEAF

DEVONSHIRE PROJECT TEST TOWN

GULL WING DOORS

INDEX PAGE

KIT CARS

LOAD LEVELING

MECHANICS, SUSPENSION, STEERING, BRAKES

PATENT - SMART CITIES

PAY AS YOU DRIVE EV ECONOMICS

SERVICES STATION INFRASTRUCTURE

SLEP - SOUTH EAST LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERS

SOLAR ASSISTANCE

SMART CITIES - EUROPE

Today, nearly 70% of the EU population lives in urban areas, and the figure is likely to increase over the next few decades. Cities are main centres for all economic, social and cultural activities in Europe and create around 80% of the EU's gross domestic product. According to the European Commission, urban areas consume 70% of energy, and account for 75% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions, thus, making cities the place where most energy savings could be made. Cities have an important role to play in achieving national and European green-growth strategies, such as the EU’s 20-20-20 targets notably through innovation in energy, transport and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

According to a recent European Parliament policy study “Mapping Smart Cities in the EU” (January 2014), the core idea of Smart Cities is to better connect human capital, social capital and ICT infrastructures in order to generate greater and more sustainable economic development and a better quality of life for citizens. The concept of Smart Cities calls for intelligent approaches to local economy, mobility and environment by focusing on people’s needs and interests. Over the past few years, projects and programmes have multiplied at local, national and European level and some lessons can already be drawn from past experiences.

Building on the Smart Cities and Communities Initiative, launched in 2011, the European Commission has committed to supporting EU cities in the development and implementation of the Smart Cities strategy through the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities (EIP-SCC). The Partnership consists of the High Level Group and the Smart Cities Stakeholder Platform, which aim to implement a Strategic Action Plan and to promote SmartCity concepts on a wider scale.

In the long-term, every city should provide improved and smarter public services that are more citizen-centred, economically viable and environmentally sustainable. New investments are being made in research and new technologies, and institutions are also paying renewed attention to integrated smart city solutions across Europe. Experts and policy-makers recognise the need for strong partnerships between cities, industry and citizens to improve urban life through more sustainable and integrated solutions.

This special international symposium will assess the challenges that lie ahead in creating smarter cities and moving towards improved and sustainable public services for citizens. The symposium will explore the need for flexible partnerships between public and private sectors as well as diverse industries such as telecommunication, energy providers, manufacturers, and suppliers to ensure improvements in mobility, energy consumption, governance and social cohesion in European cities.

PPE CONTACTS

Unit N0001, Westminster Business Square,
1-45 Durham Street,
London, SE11 5JH
United Kingdom

Martina Cicakova

Tel: +44 (0) 845 606 1535
Fax: +44 (0) 845 606 1539
Email: martina.cicakova@publicpolicyexchange.co.uk

OECD STUDY ESTIMATES HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION - 22 May 2014

The OECD estimated the impacts of air pollution caused by road transport on people’s health.

The OECD, the Organisation of Economic Development and Cooperation, having as members 34 advanced economies, amongst which also the majority of EU countries, published a report estimating the costs of air pollution on health. The report focuses on air pollution caused by road transport and defines the costs in terms of human lives as well as economic costs of the health impacts of air pollution.

According to the study, outdoor air pollution kills more than 3.5 million people a year globally, far more than was previously estimated. Air pollution has been linked to a number of common diseases, such as cancer, heart diseases and respiratory problems. In most OECD countries, the death toll from heart and lung diseases caused by air pollution is much higher than the one from traffic accidents. Air pollution in OECD countries has fallen in recent years, helped by tighter emission controls on vehicles, but it has increased in China and India due to the increasing number of vehicles in the two booming economies.

The OECD has estimated the cost of air pollution on health in OECD countries (including deaths and illness) at about USD 1.7 trillion (€1.2 trillion) in 2010. Evidence suggests that road transport is likely responsible for about 50% of this cost.

The OECD has also suggested a number of recommendations in its study for reducing the impacts of road transport on air pollution.

Some main recommendations include:

* Maintain and tighten regulatory regimes, in particular, vehicle standards regimes such as those currently in place in the European Union (see Polis article).
* Make test-cycle emissions more similar to the emissions the vehicles cause under normal use.
* Invest in more ambitious mitigation programmes, including improved public transport.
* Continue the research on the economic value of morbidity impacts of air pollution and on the specific evidence linking it to road transport.
* Mitigate the impact of air pollution on vulnerable groups, such as the young and the old.

Polis is holding an Expert forum at the 2014 Transport Publics event in Paris on 10 June
22 May 2014

As part of the promotion Committee of the Transports Publics – The European Mobility exhibition 2014 edition, Polis is actively involved and will be organizing a debate of experts on the 10th of June in Paris on the theme “Towards a multimodal management of mobility in cities”.

Transports Publics, the European mobility exhibition, will be held in Paris from the 10th to the 12th of June 2014. The event is the biennial exhibition for all the key players in public transport and sustainable mobility from across Europe – featuring urban, interurban and regional transport, as well as green modes of transport. Targeting 10,000 participants over three days, the event is the opportunity to discuss latest innovations.

The series of Expert Forums is one of the two platforms in which debates will take place during the exhibition. The general programme will see over 9 debates and over 15 Expert Forums during the three day event. The Experts’ Forum is a dedicated space for professional debate. Located at the heart of the Exhibition, it’s open to all visitors, and allows for organizers to highlight their latest innovation or know-how, organise a talk on a topical issue. All the debates are transmitted in English and French.

Cleo Davies: cdavies@polisnetwork.eu

PROGRAMME

LINKS

EV recharging_station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recharging_station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_incentives_for_plug-in_electric_vehicles

Government_incentives_for_plug-in_electric_vehicles

http://www.fastned.nl/

http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/cb72975a39041ceec1257ba20027759e.aspx

Netherlands-build-worlds-largest-network-ev-fast-charging-stations

ABB-to-build-worlds-largest-network-of-electric-vehicle-fast-charging-stations-in-the-netherlands

http://ecofriend.org/

http://futuristicnews.com/category/future-transportation/

http://psipunk.com/autonomous-battery-charging-station-replaces-batteries-for-quick-charge/

http://horizon2020projects.com/sc-transport-interviews/storing-energy-in-horizon-2020/

http://horizon2020projects.com/sc-transport-interviews/powering-the-future/

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/research/horizon2020_en.htm