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Call for proposals 2017

Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Call 2017 - RFCS-2017

Objectives and description

The Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) is a financial instrument of the European Union intended to support research and innovation in the sectors related to the coal and steel industry.

The Programme is complementary to other European financial instruments for research and innovation, such as Horizon 2020, but it remains outside those programmes. The European Commission encourages however complementarity and synergies between the different research programmes and supports the exchange of information between projects financed under different instruments. The programme is managed by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (Directorate D – Industrial Technologies).

Applications can be submitted for the following Activities:

· Research Projects (Investigative or experimental work)

· Pilot and Demonstration Projects (Construction and/or operation of an installation at pilot or demonstration scale)

· Accompanying Measures (Dissemination or promotion of knowledge gained).

The call refers to the following topics:

RFCS-01-2017: Coal

Priorities of the RFCS Programme for 2017 COAL

1.1 Addressing health or environmental risks during OR after mine operation;

1.2 Improved monitoring of coke oven conditions;

1.3 Innovative energy conversion cycles to increase revenue streams from coal power generation or steel industry while reducing carbon footprint;

1.4 Pilot projects validation of emerging AND innovating technologies leading to efficiency improvements AND CO2 emission reduction.

1.5 Pilot/Demonstration projects improving the competitiveness of coal excavating techniques worldwide.

Proposals submitted under this topic must relate to one of the following research objectives:

1. Improving the competitive position of Community coal

This objective aims at reducing the total costs of mining production, improving the quality of the products and reducing the costs of using coal. This may relate to any phase in the coal production chain:

o modern techniques for surveying deposits;

o behaviour and control of deposits in relation to rock pressure, gas emissions, the risk of explosion, ventilation and all other factors affecting mining operations;

o integrated mine planning;

o highly efficient, largely automated excavation and new and existing mining technologies corresponding to the geological characteristics of European hard coal deposits;

o appropriate support technologies;

o transport systems;

o power supply services, communication and information, transmission, monitoring and process control systems;

o coal preparation techniques, oriented to the needs of the consumer markets;

o coal conversion;

o coal combustion.

2. Health and safety in mines

This objectives covers issues concerning mine safety, including gas control, ventilation and air-conditioning with a view to improving underground working conditions and occupational health and safety as well as environmental issues.

3. Efficient protection of the environment and improvement of the use of coal as a clean energy source

This objective aims at minimising the impact of mining operations and the use of coal in the European Union on the atmosphere, water and the surface within the framework of an integrated management strategy with respect to pollution. As the European coal industry is undergoing constant restructuring, the research shall also be geared towards minimising the environmental impact of underground mines destined for closure. This includes:

(a) a reduction in emissions from coal utilisation, including capture and storage of CO2,

(b) a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, in particular methane, from coal deposits;

(c) the return to the mine of mining waste, fly ash and desulphurisation products, accompanied, where relevant, by other forms of waste;

(d) the refurbishment of waste heaps and the industrial use of residues from coal production and consumption;

(e) the protection of water tables and the purification of mine drainage water;

(f) a reduction in the environmental impact of installations which mainly use EU coal and lignite;

(g) the protection of surface installations against the effects of subsidence in the short and long term.

4. Management of external dependence on energy supply

The objective covers prospects for long-term energy supply and concerns the upgrading, in economic, energy-related and environmental terms, of coal deposits which cannot be extracted economically by conventional mining techniques. Projects may include studies, the definition of strategies, fundamental and applied research and the testing of innovative techniques which offer prospects for the upgrading of EU coal resources. This includes the integration of complementary techniques such as the adsorption of methane or carbon dioxide, coal bed methane extraction and underground coal gasification.

RFCS-02-2017: Steel

Priorities of the RFCS Programme for 2017 STEEL

2.1 Online analytics of large data streams coming from various sources (using Big Data technologies) to improve plant/process reliability OR to realise machine supported decisions on product quality OR to improve the flexibility of production scheduling;

2.2 Improvement of workers` potential by use of advanced tools (including management of knowledge) to improve working conditions, safety, training, knowledge preservation;

2.3 Improvement in resource OR energy efficiency in iron OR steelmaking processes, by use of by-products/residuals or waste heat;

2.4 Pilot projects validation of emerging AND innovating technologies leading to efficiency improvements AND CO2 emission reduction;

2.5 Cost effective lightweight steel solutions for new vehicle concepts or components with improved LCA or safety performance;

2.6 Adapting processing from upstream to downstream steps to overcome the challenges raised by innovative steel grades (enhanced functional or smart properties) by novel OR improved process OR control techniques.

Proposals submitted under this topic must relate to one of the following research objectives:

1. New and improved steelmaking and finishing techniques

This objective aims to improve steel production processes with a view to enhancing product quality and increasing productivity. Reducing emissions, energy consumption and the environmental impact as well as enhancing the use of raw materials and the conservation of resources are an integral part of this improvements. Proposals shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) new and improved iron-ore reduction processes; (b) ironmaking processes and operations; (c) electric arc furnace processes; (d) steelmaking processes; (e) secondary metallurgy techniques; (f) continuous casting and near net shape-casting techniques with and without direct rolling; (g) rolling, finishing and coating techniques; (h) hot- and cold-rolling techniques, pickling and finishing processes; (i) process instrumentation, control and automation; (j) maintenance and reliability of production lines.

2. RTD and the utilisation of steel

RTD related to the utilisation of steel is undertaken to meet the future requirements of steel users and to create new market opportunities. Proposals shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) new steel grades for demanding applications; (b) steel properties addressing mechanical properties at low and high temperatures such as strength and toughness, fatigue, wear, creep, corrosion and resistance against fracture; (c) prolonging service life, in particular by improving the resistance of steels and steel structures to heat and corrosion; (d) steel-containing composites and sandwich structures; (e) predictive simulation models on microstructures and mechanical properties; (f) structural safety and design methods, in particular with regard to resistance to fire and earthquakes; (g) technologies relating to the forming, welding and joining of steel and other materials; (h) standardisation of testing and evaluation methods.

3. Conservation of resources and improvement of working conditions

In both steel production and steel utilisation, the conservation of resources, the preservation of the ecosystem and safety issues forms an integral part of the RTD work. Proposals shall address one or more of the following areas:

(a) techniques for recycling obsolete steel from various sources and classification of steel scrap; (b) steel grades and design of assembled structures to facilitate the easy recovery of steel scrap and its reconversion into usable steels; (c) control and protection of the environment in and around the workplace; (d) restoration of steelworks sites; (e) improvement of working conditions and quality of life in the workplace; (f) ergonomic methods; (g) occupational health and safety; (h) reduction of exposure to occupational emissions.

Eligible participants - Minimum conditions

Any undertaking, public body, research organisation or higher and secondary education establishment, or other legal entity, including natural persons, established within the territory of a member state may participate in the Research Programme and apply for financial assistance, provided that they intend to carry out an RTD activity or can substantially contribute to such an activity.

Consortium composition

· Research Projects: Minimum three independent legal entities established in at least two different EU Member States.

· Pilot & Demonstration projects: Minimum two independent legal entities established in at least two different EU Member States.

· Accompanying measures: Minimum two independent legal entities established in at least two different EU Member States.

Funding conditions and duration

The budget available for the annual call or proposals is the sum of interests generated by the RFCS fund. This year, due to the bad financial situation and the low level of interests, the total budget for the RFCS-2017 call is a little more than 27 million ?.

There is no minimum or maximum grant per project. The adequacy between the budget requested and the task to achieve is taken into account during the evaluations.

Maximum total financial contribution of the European Union

· Research Projects: up to 60 % of the eligible costs.

· Pilot & Demonstration projects: up to 50 % of the eligible costs.

· Accompanying measures: up to 100 % of the eligible costs.

Although the RFCS Legal Basis does not impose any specific project duration, most research, pilot and demonstration projects run for 36 or 42 months, while most Accompanying Measures have 18 or 24 months duration.

Deadline of proposals' submission

The deadline for the submission of application is 15 September 2017 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time).

The application has to be submitted by making use of the Participant Portal.

Further information

Please find attached the documents of the call.

For general information concerning the RFCS programme please contact the helpdesk: rtd-steel-coal@ec.europa.eu

Two Commission publications highlighting the major issues and challenges for EU industry have been published in 2017:

· Industry in Europe (https://bookshop.europa.eu/en/industry-in-europe-pbKI0117045/)

· The future of European Steel (http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/the-future-of-europeansteel-pbKI0117365/)

More information: http://tinyurl.com/y84mzw65

Kind regards,

Rosemary

Rosemary STREVINIOTI

Head of Brussels Office
European Office of Cyprus
Rue du Luxembourg 3, 2nd floor
B-1000 Brussels
Tel./Fax: +32 (0) 2 280 22 85
E-mail: strevinioti.rozamaria@ucy.ac.cy

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