7/21/2019 Factsheet: LIFE & Energy Sustainability

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LIFE & Energy Sustainability

The EU LIFE Programme

Environment  Visit the LIFE website: ec.europa.eu/life

Title: Moveable HEPP - Demonstration Plant in the

Kinzig River: Moveable Hydroelectric Power Plant for

Ecological River Improvements and Fish Migration

Reestablishment

Project number: LIFE06 ENV/D/000485

Website: www.moveable-hepp.com/

Title: Green Bearings - Demonstrating innovative

technologies that signicantly improve the environ-

mental performance of bearings

Project number: LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176

Website: www.skf.com/group/index.htmlRE

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Moveable HEPP

Hydroelectric power accounts for 10% of EU electric power production.

However, despite being a renewable source of energy, its generation can

still cause signicant negative environmental impacts, especially in the

case of large dams. Meanwhile, the signicant number of relatively small

hydro-power weirs in Europe’s rivers are characterised by a low turbine

head whose energy output is inecient. Furthermore, sh are unable to

pass through these constructions.

With these challenges in mind, MOVEABLE HEPP developed a more e -

cient hydroelectric power plant that works in river weirs without hindering

the natural ecosystem functions of river habitats.

This new technology operates with moveable components that are able

to work at dierent heights and allow sh to swim freely - even through

the turbine, since it operates at a low rotation speed. It also reduces the

ood risk and the transfer of river bed matter, along with the associated

economic costs of mitigating these threats.

The two pilot plants, bui lt in Gengenbach and Oenburg (Germany), also

showed more ecient energy generation than conventional hydropower,

resulting in cost savings of 16% and 11% higher returns. Technological

advantages of the new system include the lack of a frequency converter,

combining the turbine and generator on a single sha, and the use of a

permanent magnet for the stator.

This technology has a great transferability potential, as it can be replicat-

ed on most of the several hundred river weirs currently found in the EU.

Green Bearings

Bearings are an essential component of practically any technology or

application involving moving elements. Environmental problems exist at

each step of the lifecycle of the 50 billion bearings currently in use world-

wide - these include energy consumption during production and use, and

end-of-life waste of both bearings and lubricant.

GREEN BEARINGS developed a new and more environmentally-friendly

range of bearings by using newly-developed technologies: new seal-

ing technologies based on hard seal coatings, counterface coatings and

surface design; polymers as lighter production materials; and new lu-

brication technologies based on thin lm and ‘lub-for-life’, which avoid

re-lubrication.

The new bearings cut energy consumption by 30-70%, reduced lubricant

consumption by avoiding the need for re-lubrication, and increased the

lifespan of the overall product, bringing both economic and environmental

benets. With low investment costs in the new technologies there is also

a strong cost benet.

The transferability of the technologies is high because the energy-e -

cient bearings can be used in almost all processes and products where

bearings are required. The beneciary (which has 20% market share in

Europe) calculated that if 50% of its customers switched to the new bear-

ings, in the short-to-medium term (< 5 years) the project technologies

would reduce energy consumption by 4 000 GWh/yr; and lubricant dis-

posal by 400 000 tonnes/yr.

The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment. Since 1992 it has co-nanced innovative pilot and

demonstration projects - with European added value - to improve the implementation and ongoing development of EU envi-

ronment policy and legislation. Of the 3 956 initiatives supported by LIFE to date, over 130 projects - with a total allocation

of 176 million euros - have been exclusively on energy sustainability. Through these, LIFE has supported progress on the

supply and demand sides of the energy equation, making a signicant contribution to the ght against climate change.

Regarding energy supply, LIFE has focused on the further development of green energy sources such as hydropower, solar, wind and geo-

thermal. LIFE has made a particular contribution to the development of the biomass energy sector, notably through new approaches and

technologies for exploiting waste biomass.

LIFE projects have targeted improved energy eciency, especially in construction, transport and housing. Positive results have included:

developing energy ecient products; improving energy transport and storage; raising public awareness on ecient usage; and supporting

implementation of environmental management tools.

Two good practice LIFE projects are proled below, followed by a list of 14 other notable energy sustainability projects. Further details about

all the LIFE energy sustainability projects can be found in the LIFE project database: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/.

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BIOFUELS-2GDemonstration of a Sustainable & Effective 2nd Gene-

ration Biofuels Application in an Urban Environment

Beneficiary: Centre for Research & Technology Hellas(CERTH)

ZEM/SHIPSZero.Emission.Ships

Beneficiary : State Ministry of Urban Development

and the Environment of the Free and Hanseatic Cityof Hamburg

DEMO SOFCDevelopment and demonstration of Manufacturing

and Operation of clean and efficient power generation

based on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Beneficiary: Haldor Topsoe A/S

www.demo-sofc.eu/ LIFE06 ENV/DK/000226 

GREEN PELLETSBest sustainable life-cycle fittings for mixed herbaceous

solid biofuels for heating to reduce GHG emissions

Beneficiary: Association d’Initiatives Locales pour

l’Energie et l’Environnement

LIFE07 ENV/F/000178

WINTECCDemonstration of an innovative wind propulsion tech-

nology for cargo vessels

Beneficiary: Beluga Fleet Management GmbH & Co. KG

www.wintecc.de LIFE06 ENV/D/000479

OIL PRODIESELIntegrated Waste Management System for the Reuse

of Used Frying Oils to Produce Biodiesel for Municipality

Fleet of Oeiras

Beneficiary: Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade

LIFE05 ENV/P/000369

SLUDGE2ENERGYWaste prevention through sewage sludge reuse for

efficient energy generation at waste water treatment

sites

Beneficiary: Huber SE

www.sludge2energy.de/ LIFE06 ENV/D/000460 

INTEGRAL-BDemonstration of a multi-feedstock sustainable biodie-

sel production scheme integrating an on-site by-pro-

ducts energy valorisation system

Beneficiary: Asociación de Investigación de la Industria

Agroalimentaria

www.integral-b.com/ LIFE07 ENV/E/000820 

BIOAGROInnovative method for reduction of emissions of green

house gases and waste from the agriculture sector

Beneficiary: Skånefrö AB

www.bioagroenergy.com/

Seq-CureIntegrated systems to enhance sequestration of carbon,

producing energy crops by using organic residues

Beneficiary: Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali -

CRPA S.p.A.

LIFE06 ENV/IT/000266 

EFFERNERGY

Energy Efficient Building SystemsBeneficiary: Du Pont

www.effenergy.dupont.com LIFE06 ENV/L/000121

INSU-SHELL

Environmentally Friendly Facade Elements made of thermalinsulated Textile Reinforced Concrete

Beneficiary: Rheinisch - Westfaelische Technische

Hochschule Aachen

www.life-insushell.de/ LIFE06 ENV/D/000471

EDEAEfficient Development of Eco-Architecture: Methods

and Technologies for Public Social Housing Building in

Extremadura

Beneficiary: Junta de Extremadura (Regional Govern-

ment of Extremadura)

www.proyectoedea.com/ LIFE07 ENV/E/000805

ET IDEAEnvironmental TRY for Innovative Dynamic Environmental

and energetic Analyses

Beneficiary: NIER Ingegneria S.p.a.

www.itmeteodata.com/ LIFE09 ENV/IT/000124

www.biofuels2g.gr/ LIFE08 ENV/GR/000569

LIFE06 ENV/S/000517 

LIFE06 ENV/D/000465

http://www.crpa.it/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=3995

SELECTIVE LIST – ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY

The LIFE Project database: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/ 

Visit the LIFE website: ec.europa.eu/life

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