1. Renewables - optimising RD&D spending
2. Economics of photovoltaic power systems
3. Hydrogen production and storage technologies
4. Scientific leaps for technology innovation

. Renewables in Global Energy Supply
. Photovoltaics trends & good practice
. Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Belgium

. Innovative lighting for Mona Lisa
. Solar thermal power's potential
. Gas market regulation

. IEA Technology and Policy Seminar - Renewable Heating and Cooling – From RD&D to Deployment, IEA Headquarters, Paris (France), 5 April, 2006.

. Workshop Greenhouse Gas Credits Trade Versus Biomass Trade – Weighing the Benefits, Trondheim (Norway), 5-6 April, 2006.

. 7th European Gasification Conference, Barcelona (Spain), 25-27 April 2006.

. European Seminar Offshore Wind and Other Marine Renewable Energy in Mediterranean and European Seas, Civitavecchia, Rome (Italy), 20-22 April 2006.

. Workshop Coal for Sustainable Energy: Clean Development & Climate Change, New Delhi (India), 16-17 May, 2006.

. Workshop Fuel Flexibility in Biomass Combustion - The Key to Low Bio-Energy Costs?, Jönköping (Sweden), 30 May - 1 June, 2006.

. Thermal Storage Here and Now - Tenth Triennial IEA Energy Conservation Through Energy Storage Conference on Thermal Energy Storage, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (United States), 31 May-2 June 2006.

. Role and Benefits of Electricity to Society - Eurelectric Annual Convention and Conference, Oslo (Norway), 12-13 June 2006.

. 8th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-8), Trondheim (Norway), 19-22 June 2006.

. 13th International Symposium on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Technologies, Seville (Spain), 20-23 June 2006

. 4th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting, London (United Kingdom), 21-23 June 2006.

. 25th International Energy Workshop, Cape Town (South Africa), 27-29 June 2006.

. Workshop Biofuels and Bioenergy: Challenges and Opportunities, Vancouver (Canada), 28 August - 1 September, 2006.

. 6th European Conference on Coal Research and its Applications, Canterbury (United Kingdom), 5-7 September 2006.

. Sixth Annual Workshop on Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading, Paris (France), 26-27 September 2006.

. World Forum on Energy Regulation III, Washington, DC (United States), 8-11 October, 2006.

. 2nd IEA Workshop on Legal Aspects of Storing CO2, Paris (France), 17 October 2006.

. 27th Annual Conference of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC), Lyon (France), 29 November - 1 December 2006.

. Germany's Dr. Volker Wittwer receives IEA Solar Heating & Cooling Programme's SHC Solar Award 2006.
. IEA's Mrs. Maria Argiri among the winners of the 4th annual Key Women in Energy™-Global awards.

1.Renewables - optimising RD&D spending. “Countries must improve their market deployment strategies for renewable energy technologies and above all, increase targeted renewables RD&D - simultaneously ensuring continued cost-competitiveness. There is much at stake.” This was a central message delivered by IEA Executive Director Claude Mandil at the recent launch of IEA's publication Renewable Energy: RD&D Priorities, Insights from IEA Technology Programmes. The publication draws on expertise from the IEA renewables network and highlights the need for differing approaches according to levels of technological maturity. It is designed to help governments target their RD&D funding and get the most from country-specific resource endowments, technology expertise, industrial strengths, international technology collaboration and energy markets. Consult the press release; visit the IEA's Online Bookshop.
Also just out, IEA's free downloadable updated Renewables in Global Energy Supply: An IEA Fact Sheet (see below).

2. The economics of photovoltaic power systems. Readers are invited to contribute to a recently launched economic survey on total life-cycle costs of PV systems. This pioneering effort is the brain-child of Task 2 of the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS). Its aim is to produce data that will contribute to greater cost effectiveness in PV systems around the world. Investment costs, maintenance costs, power production and overall performance of PV installations will all be placed under the microscope. To access the survey and become a participant, visit the IEA PVPS Task 2 website and click on “Survey”. While the source and content of individual inputs will remain confidential, summaries of the results by country or area will be made available to participants and posted on the IEA PVPS website. For more background click here. IEA PVPS is one of some forty IEA international collaborative energy technology R&D programmes. See below for some of its recent free downloadable publications.

3. Hydrogen production and storage technologies. Authored by a team of R&D experts, IEA's free downloadable booklet Hydrogen Production and Storage - R&D Priorities and Gaps provides a concise overview of the various technology options for producing and storing hydrogen. It highlights the potential of each technology, the pros and cons and a number of recommendations regarding R&D gaps that need to be filled if this promising energy carrier is to meet expectations. Published by the IEA Secretariat, this brochure was produced by the the IEA's Hydrogen Implementing Agreement, one of IEA's international collaborative R&D programmes. Click to download.

4. Scientific leaps for technology innovation. Without major scientific breakthroughs, existing technology approaches may be unable to deliver sufficient clean, affordable energy to fuel the world's economies over coming decades. Some radical technology changes will be needed. Is science positioned to deliver those discoveries? Is the dialogue between the scientific and research communities sufficiently well focused to foster breakthroughs in the key areas? The IEA's Ad Hoc Group on Science and Energy Technologies (AHGSET) is seeking pathways forward. Its November 2005 workshop at Oak Ridge National Laboratories (United States) brought together leading minds in science, technology and energy policy from more than fifteen countries. Click to download the documents and presentations containing the insights from the November workshop.

. Renewables in Global Energy Supply: An IEA Fact Sheet. This free downloadable IEA update provides basic facts and figures about renewable energy technologies in energy systems around the world, along with projected market shares up till 2030. Click to access the pdf.

. From the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS), recent free downloadable publications:
- Trends in Photovoltaic Applications (2005) outlines a number of significant developments across PV markets in both member and non-member countries during calendar year 2004 - consult also highlights from this IEA PVPS Task 1 report.
- Photovoltaic services for developing countries - Summaries of Recommended Practice on various aspects of the deployment process - from Task 9 (2005), in English and French. For more related publications, click on "Task 9" on the IEA PVPS Web pages.

. Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Belgium – 2005 Review. This latest in the IEA's series of peer reviews of energy policies in individual IEA countries can be ordered through IEA's Online Bookshop.

. Mona Lisa's new home in the Paris Louvre Museum has some exciting, innovative lighting features. The story of their conception and development is told by the lighting designer, Marc Fontoynont, in E3 Light, the newsletter of Task 45 of IEA's Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme (ECBCS). Marc Fontoynont of France's École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État is the leader of Subtask A within Task 45 of ECBCS, one of IEA's 40 international collaborative programmes.

. Solar Thermal Power Now. This report discusses how solar thermal power could meet 5% of the world's electricity needs by 2040. It presents a scenario and policy recommendations prepared by the European Solar Thermal Industry Association, IEA SolarPACES and Greenpeace International. Visit the IEA SolarPACES website to download this publication.

. IEA Paper on Gas Market Regulation - Conclusions from the IEA/IGU/CIEP High-Level Conference on Regulation of Natural Gas Markets, Paris, 26 January 2006. Click to download the paper. Visit the IEA News and Events Web pages to access presentations from this High-Level Conference.

Free publications from IEA
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PDF versions of many of IEA’s other publications are downloadable free of charge. Pdf versions of all publications are free two calendar years after release.

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. IEA Technology and Policy Seminar - Renewable Heating and Cooling – From RD&D to Deployment, IEA Headquarters, Paris (France), 5 April, 2006. Organised jointly by the IEA's Working Party on Renewable Energy Technologies and IEA Implementing Agreement collaborative programmes, this event will focus on current technologies, markets and successful policies for renewable heating and cooling. It will identify pathways for accelerating technology development and deployment. A Seminar Discussion Brief will be made available before the Seminar. Invitations to this seminar can be requested from Nobuyuki Hara at IEA. Click for the programme on IEA's website.

• Workshop Greenhouse Gas Credits Trade Versus Biomass Trade – Weighing the Benefits, Trondheim (Norway), 5-6 April, 2006. This event is organised jointly by the IEA Bioenergy Programme’s Task 38 and its Task 40. It is limited to 60 participants and invitations can be requested from Inga Marit Grimstad, ima@enova.no. Consult the workshop's programme.

• 7th European Gasification Conference, Barcelona (Spain), 25-27 April 2006. Focusing on gasification as an efficient means of converting lower quality fuels into electricity and high quality feedstocks, this event will interest representatives from wide-ranging industries, authorities, utilities, services and the financial community. The IEA Secretariat and the IEA Clean Coal Centre are playing a role in its organisation. Visit the Conference website.

. European Seminar Offshore Wind and Other Marine Renewable Energy in Mediterranean and European Seas, Civitavecchia, Rome (Italy), 20-22 April 2006. Co-sponsored by the IEA Wind Co-operative Agreement, this event will focus on the promising field of marine energy applications and the fast evolving technologies involved. The goal will be to make a specific and up-to-date review of ongoing activities and programmes and so foster information exchange and promote co-operation.

. Workshop Coal for Sustainable Energy: Clean Development & Climate Change, New Delhi (India), 16-17 May, 2006. Co-hosted by the IEA and the World Coal Institute, this workshop will focus on the challenges facing the coal industry in developing countries. Government and industrial stakeholders from India, CEOs from the international coal industry, national coal association representatives, NGOs and other delegates will consider the best approaches for developing countries and how international co-operation might speed progress towards the desired outcome of a sustainable energy future. Visit IEA’s website.

. Workshop Fuel Flexibility in Biomass Combustion - The Key to Low Bio-Energy Costs?, Jönköping (Sweden), 30 May - 1 June, 2006. This workshop will provide participants with insight into considerations determining selection of fuel specification and design of combustion systems. It is organised by task 32 of the IEA Bioenergy Programme in conjunction with the World Bioenergy 2006 Conference and Exhibition on Biomass for Energy. Click to learn more.

• Thermal Storage Here and Now - Tenth Triennial IEA Energy Conservation Through Energy Storage Conference on Thermal Energy Storage, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (United States), 31 May - 2 June 2006. Topics will include seasonal, diurnal and short-term storage technologies at this event, organised by IEA's Implementing Agreement on Energy Conservation through Energy Storage and the United States Department of Energy. Click for more information.

• Role and Benefits of Electricity to Society - Eurelectric Annual Convention and Conference, Oslo (Norway), 12-13 June 2006. This year's event will focus on the opportunities that electricity offers for action to meet the challenge of developing an energy-efficient, low-carbon, energy-secure and competitive economy. A high-level Executive Forum will discuss the theme "Market Development: Where Do We Stand?" IEA is one of the event's co-operating partners. Visit Eurelectric's website.

• 8th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-8), Trondheim (Norway), 19-22 June 2006. This latest event in the series organised by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme will update on recent advances in greenhouse gas control technologies, particularly in industry, and notably on CO2 capture and storage. Visit the programme's website.

• 13th International Symposium on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Technologies, Seville (Spain), 20-23 June 2006. Co-organised by IEA's SolarPACES programme, this event will showcase the latest technological advances in the field of solar thermal electricity production and solar chemical conversion. Visit the SolarPACES website.

• 4th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting, London (United Kingdom), 21-23 June 2006. This three-day event, organised by the European Commission in collaboration with other bodies including IEA, will deal with the latest developments in energy and environmental impact of residential appliances and lighting, policies and programmes, also technical and commercial advances in dissemination and market penetration. Click to learn more.

• 25th International Energy Workshop, Cape Town (South Africa), 27-29 June 2006. With IEA's Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme as a joint organiser, this workshop is a key event for all interested in energy modelling. Visit the IIASA website for further details.

. Workshop Biofuels and Bioenergy: Challenges and Opportunities, Vancouver (Canada), 28 August - 1 September, 2006. Organised jointly by Tasks 29, 31 and 39 of the IEA Bioenergy programme, this workshop will be co-hosted also by the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Forestry. See preliminary announcement and call for papers, also the Task 39 Web pages.

. 6th European Conference on Coal Research and its Applications, Canterbury (United Kingdom), 5-7 September 2006. The IEA Clean Coal Centre is playing a programme co-ordination role in this event, which will enable researchers and stakeholders from academia and industry to update on coal technology applications to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. See Conference Announcement and Call for Papers.

. Sixth Annual Workshop on Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading, Paris (France), 26-27 September 2006. This event is organised jointly by the IEA, the International Emissions Trading Association and the Electric Power Research Institute. Visit IEA's website.

. World Forum on Energy Regulation III, Washington, DC (United States), 8-11 October, 2006. Co-promoted by the IEA, this event will discuss recent developments in the energy industry, new trends in energy regulation, and selected sectoral and regional issues. Visit the Official Site.

. 2nd IEA Workshop on Legal Aspects of Storing CO2, Paris (France), 17 October 2006. This workshop will address: intellectual property; legal and regulatory frameworks; international environmental protection instruments; level playing fields for carbon capture and storage projects; and public awareness. Visit IEA's website.

• 27th Annual Conference of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC), Lyon (France), 29 November - 1 December 2006. This conference is organised by the AIVC, which is part of the IEA Programme on Energy Conservation in Buildings & Community Systems (ECBCS). The event is taking place within the framework of the 4th European Conference on Energy Performance and Indoor Climate in Buildings (EPIC), which will also feature a stream on other ECBCS research projects. The EPIC gathering will target manufacturers, engineers, designers, architects, researchers, real estate managers, policy-makers and standardisation specialists. Click to learn more.