Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Scientific Support to Agriculture: Some Challenges and Opportunities
Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos Member of the Board of Governors
Joint Research Center (JRC) Chairman of the Board and Managing Director
Centre for Research & Technology - Hellas
Scientific Support to agriculture: competitiveness, quality and sustainability April 23, 2014 Zappeion, Athens
CENTRE FOR RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY-HELLAS
CERTH
Why am I talking at a Conference on Agriculture?
Chemical Engineering
N2+ 3H2 2NH3
Fertilizers
Bosch-Haber Process
Mechanical Engineering
Engines, Mechanisms, Materials
Corinthe Raisins Drying in Ilia, Peloponnisos in the 60s
Stafida Ilias
Most Greeks have/had(?) an agriculture connection…
Outline
The Joint Research Center (JRC) – Mission and Roles
CERTH at a glance
Megatrends: The Food, Water, Energy Nexus
Some Challenges and Opportunities
Epilogue
As the Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre's mission is to provide EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle. Working in close cooperation with policy Directorates-General, the JRC addresses key societal challenges while stimulating innovation through developing new methods, tools and standards, and sharing its knowhow with the Member States (MSs), the scientific community and international partners. The JRC is active in several key policy areas, including environment
and climate change; energy and transport; agriculture and food security; health and consumer protection; information society and digital agenda; safety and security, including nuclear; all supported through a crosscutting and multi-disciplinary approach
The Joint Research Center (JRC)
Support to the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) via satellite imaging to land parcel management
Soils, land, forests and water ecosystem management, through developing and maintaining databases
Socio-economic assessment of novel agro-technologies
Specific actions on food security, such as crop assessment, yield forecasting and an on-going foresight analysis on Global Food Security
Support to the EU Danube strategy
Participation in International Fora, like this event or the Milan Expo, where the JRC coordinates the EU participation in the theme "Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life".
JRC Specific Roles in Support of Sustainable Agriculture and Global Food Security
The JRC recently (1 April 2014) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. The aim of this MoU is to establish the basis for future cooperation between the Sides in fields of mutual interest, including but not limited to energy, maritime affairs, food, health, environment and security
Contact Persons
Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos, [email protected] Member of the Board of Governors Maria Koutrokoi, [email protected] National Contact Point
JRC and Greece
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/downloads/ jrc_country_leaflet_el_en.pdf
5 Institutes
Emphasis on RTD & Innovation
Strong collaboration with international industry
Strong co-operation with Universities and Research Institutes worldwide
Unique Infrastructures at the lab, pilot and demonstration scales in Energy, Environment, Sustainable Mobility, Processes, IT, Agro/bio-tech, -Omics
Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH)
CERTHHeadquarters
Athens
Ptolemais
Thessaly
CERTHHeadquarters
Athens
Ptolemais
Thessaly
Chemical Process & Energy Resources Institute
Informatics & Telecommunications Institute
ITI Informatics &
Institute
ITI Hellenic
Institute of Transport
HIT Hellenic
Institute of
HIT Institute of Applied Biosciences
Institute of Research & Technology-Thessaly
IRETETH
CERTH at a Glance www.certh.gr
• Established: in 2000 (CPERI existing since 1985)
• Personnel : 600+ with majority being engineers
• Annual Turnover: € 20+ Million yearly average for the last 10 years. >30% from bilateral industrial research contracts >60% from competitive research projects and <10% as government institutional funding
• Return-on-Investment 9:1 for each € of institutional funding
• Center of Excellence Top-20 (16th) EU Research Centers in FP7 competitive grants (2007=today). 300+ active projects/year (>3000 total)
• Numerous awards and distinctions (including EU Descartes Prize, ERC and REG-POT Grants and many more)
• Spin-offs: 5 started (4 active), 2 in preparation Incubator: 8 companies
A Carbon Stairway to Heaven
Energy Content
High
Low
CH4
CO CO2
hydrocarbons, oil, alcohols
carbon, carbohydrates
polymers
oxygenated organics
CxHy CxHyOz
C
-4
-2
-1
0
+2
+4
“Food”
“Waste”
Gruber & Galloway Nature 451, 293-296 (2008)
Carbon-Nitrogen-Climate Interactions
Processes/ Treatment
Energy Carriers Food Raw Mat.
Transport / Distribution
Uses Impacts
Coal/Lignite Natural Gas
Oil Industrial Minerals Wastes/Pollutants Plants and Animals
Solar Energy Organic &
Agricultural Residues
Water
Hardware & Reactors
Control and Software
Economic Development
Environment Mankind
“Smart Communities”
Sustainable Technologies
Supply Chains & Logistics
Networks / Pipelines
/ /
Holistic Approach to Sustainability: The Concept of the “Generalized Energy” Corridor
Regional Innovation and Smart Specialization
Generalized Energy Corridors
Some Challenges and Opportunities… Nanoporous/Nanostructured Materials and Agrifood
Examples
Nanopesticides/Nanoherbicides and Nanofertilizers,
Nanoporous particles for water retention, decontamination,
Nanosensors, Nanofeed additives, etc
Organized pore structure and increased surface area
Can incorporate functionalities for better sensitivity in detection methods, increased capacity of sorbents, and improved selectivity and yield in catalyst-based synthesis.
Can improve food safety and utilization of agricultural products.
Conversely agricultural byproducts can become feedstocks in the development of nanoporous/nanostructured materials
CO2
H2O
CH4, CxHy Fuels & Chemicals
H2
Waste Heat for Solar Desalination H2O
Electric Energy
Some Challenges and Opportunities… Solar Reactors for Fuels, Fertilizers and Materials
Advanced Grant
EXPO 2005 IPHE 2006 Descartes Prize 2007 EU IDEAS Award 2010
NH3 Fertilizers
Epilogue: Need the Next Agro-Revolution!
Integrated approach energy-water-carbon-nutrients. Closing the loop at the farm level.
Reduce waste along the energy-food corridors
Renewable energy/materials from agriculture
Be smart: meter, sense, tele-monitor/control
11,000 BC Tomorrow!