CapTech Energy and Environment

SUMMARY

“...With climate change being a multidimensional issue, an integrated approach among different EU actors is crucial in order to identify synergies and to maximise impact. Following such an approach, mitigation of climate related risks and alleviation of environmental stress could be addressed more effectively through global cooperation and multilateral channels. Therefore, the EU and its Member States have been instrumental in elevating the climate security agenda in multilateral fora...”

(Climate Change and Defence Roadmap-EEAS 2020)

From ‘’Military Green’’ to the Energy and Environment CapTech 

A common approach to energy and environmental challenges within the EU Armed Forces was created in 2014, following the ‘’Military Green’’ initiative, with the Energy and Environment WG. The EDA’s Steering Board, acknowledging the progress of the Energy and Environment Working Group, approved the transformation to a CapTech in 2021. 

Over the last years, and especially with the introduction of the EU Green Deal, and its implementation on the defence sector with the ‘’Climate Change and Defence Roadmaps’’, the Energy and Environment CapTech served as a platform for Member States willing to deal in a collaborative way with energy and environment-related challenges in the defence sector. This process came along with activities and projects, that facilitated the main-streaming of energy topics within the EU MoDs; activities related to training (DEMC), smart camp demonstrators (SCTD), energy management methodologies (TEEMCAF), water and waste to energy management (Smart Blue Water Camps, WANTED), defence energy data collection efforts (EDCAS) and lastly focusing and exploring technologies (ARTENET), aiming at exploiting the opportunities that new technologies by developing collaborative sustainable energy projects in defence. 

The EnE CapTech recognized the critical role that new technologies may play, and underpins all prioritisation tools (CDP, OSRA, KSA) with inputs related to energy covering both technology push and capability pull, linking the capability and technology areas by using an analytical layer of Technology Building Blocks (TBBs). In this context, the EnE CapTech has developed its Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and identified TBBs for promoting energy solutions ranging from the energy storage and energy management technologies to wind and solar energy generation.

Mission of EnE CapTech

The EnE CapTech addresses energy, environmental and climate change related challenges and vulnerabilities by identifying technological gaps and proposing collaborative projects. In addition, it promotes the environmental perspective and provide capability-aware and strategically-informed advice on energy and environmental factors affecting the Armed Forces, delivering tangible benefits in accordance with pMS guidance and the Climate Change and Defence Roadmap. 

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

EnE CapTech’s Area of Responsibility 

The CapTech EnE’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) focuses on R&T activities related to energy and environment systems, addressing strategic considerations concerning energy security and dependence on fossil fuels, resources security of supply, water security, energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, waste management and environmental change and protection. Three main strategic orientations of the CapTech EnE have been identified:  

• Operational energy; 
• Energy efficiency; 
• Climate change and environmental impact of military activities. 

The EnE Programme will include the following key themes, grouped under the above three main strategic orientations: 
Operational energy: energy to foster military operations 

• Renewable Energy Sources 
• Defence Sustainability and Resilience 
• Energy Management Systems including energy markets 

• Energy Efficiency 
• Energy Performance 
• Energy Security 

• Environmental Protection including biodiversity and health 
• Sustainable Procurement: Defence Industry Engagement, Supply Chain Security, and Life Cycle Assessment 
• Water Management 
• Waste Management 
• Environment Management Systems 
• Environmental Security 
• Climate action and decarbonization 
• Pollution (air, soil, water, noise) 
• Circular Economy 

• Legislative implications such as the developments in energy and environmental policy and the opportunities and challenges for defence 
• Cultural Property Protection (CPP): Exploring measures for identifying and protecting cultural property during operations and in consistency with NATO doctrines and EU concept for environmental protection during NATO and EU operations respectively. 

A total of 10 relevant technological R&T priorities have been identified and translated into Technology Building Blocks (TBB). The CapTechs TBBs, as they stand today, are the following: 

• TBB01 - Alternative fuels and drive/propulsion systems
• TBB02 - Energy storage: electrical, electrochemical, mechanical, structural, and thermal
• TBB03 - Engine and power distribution system efficiency technologies
• TBB04 - Energy management technologies: innovative and efficient systems
• TBB05 - Solar energy generation (thermal and electrical generation)
• TBB06 - Militarization of environmental technologies: water and wastewater
• TBB07 - Energy harvesting/scavenging
• TBB08 - Wind energy
• TBB09 - Energy and environmental technology systems integration
• TBB10 - Militarization of environmental technologies: energy from waste (or waste to energy) technologies

Requests for membership to Captech Energy can be submitted to the CapTech moderator. Be aware that your request will be forwarded to your national authorities. The approval of the CNC will be needed to become a Governmental Expert (CGE) or non-Governmental Expert (CnGE), and for your participation in an CapTech Energy event. To become a member of the CapTech (CGE or CnGE), please contact us at: Eden@eda.europa.eu or RTI@eda.europa.eu