OPET Network

Website on CORDIS: www.cordis.lu/opet/home.html

The network of Organisations for the Promotion of Energy Technologies (OPET) is an initiative of the European Commission that aims to promote public awareness of current energy research through a new and challenging series of activities.

These activities are intended to further the deployment of innovative technologies and increase the pace of market uptake in respect of research that supports European Energy Policy priorities. By disseminating information about new developments in the European Research Area, they provide an integrated and comprehensive view of on-going research in various areas of work.

OPET helps to disseminate new, clean and efficient energy technology solutions emerging from research, development and demonstration activities of the current and previous framework programmes. The activities of OPET Members across all member states, and of OPET Associates covering key world regions, include conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, publications and other information and promotional actions aimed at stimulating the transfer and exploitation of improved energy technologies.

The second OPET Network managed by DG TREN (Transport & Energy) commenced activities on 1st January 2000. In the first year, there were 39 OPETs in total from all EU Member States and Associated Countries (including Candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus). Eight OPET Associates have also been selected covering the following regions: China, Latin America, South Africa, the Caucasus, Russia and the Black Sea Region. These organisations or consortia will work with the OPETs to promote technology transfer and the exploitation of research results in their regions.

The original OPET Network operated between November 1996 and December 1999 and was supported by the Enterprise Directorate-General, under the INNOVATION Programme, in collaboration with the Energy Directorate-General, under the demonstration component of the JOULE-THERMIE Programme.