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  Estimating current CO2 emissions and removals from changes in soil organic carbon stocks
  

  For the purpose of reporting GHG emissions and removals from anthropogenic activities in Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) under the UNFCCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines that it is good practice to use managed land as a ...

  For the purpose of reporting GHG emissions and removals from anthropogenic activities in Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) under the UNFCCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines that it is good practice to use managed land as a proxy for anthropogenic emissions and removals. For the years 2013-2020 Decision No 529/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council extended mandatory accounting for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and removals to the activities Cropland Management (CM) and Grazing Land Management (GM) for the Member States of the European Union. The 2006 IPCC Guidelines distinguish three tiers of methods, of which Tier 1 is the most generic. Tier 1 uses general default values and national data for estimating carbon stock changes and non-CO2 GHG emissions. For the purpose of accounting under the Kyoto Protocol land use conversions leading to GHG emissions from the soil should be spatially explicit (Approach 3). A processing environment following the IPCC guidelines for a Tier 1 method and Approach 3 was developed at the JRC to estimate CO2 emissions and removals from changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks as a consequence of changes in land use, management practice and input level. The implementation uses statistical data to establish the annual status and a range of ancillary data to estimate transitions between years. A comparison between the results obtained and the trends related in the annual reports provided by EU Member States led to the conclusion that the data on land use was a major source of differences between the estimated and reported in the trends of CO2 emissions and removals from the soil. These differences will decide the trend of any estimates, regardless of the IPCC Tier used. As a consequence, the procedure implemented to generate a complete time-series of statistical data was investigated and revised. Particular attention was paid to the process of integrating data coming from different sources into a single set. The degree to which data from different sources agree varies from complete agreement to opposing trends. The procedure for generating a more consistent single time-series combines a hierarchical structure for combining data with a statistical analysis for detecting outliers, but not changing any trends. The new input data was employed to re-process changes in soil organic carbon stocks from 1970 to the statistical data available on land use in 2018. Although all EU Member States are processed starting with 1970, the publicly available source data on land use would allow a 1990 baseline for reporting CO2 emissions and removals for 18 countries using national data, but only 8 countries using data at NUTS Level 2. In the sources used 5 countries are reported with detailed data only for 2005 later years.

  • Published: 2018-10-08
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: arable land, data collection, data processing, environmental impact, greenhouse effect, land use, research report, soil pollution, soil protection, soil resources, utilised agricultural area
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  First workshop on identification of future emerging technologies for low carbon energy supply
  JRC, Ispra, Italy, 1st December 2016

  The Joint Research Centre is developing an inventory of future emerging technologies relevant to energy supply, as part of the Commission's internal Low Carbon Energy Observatory project, a key element is consultation with external experts, addressing both those with in-depth experience in speci...

  The Joint Research Centre is developing an inventory of future emerging technologies relevant to energy supply, as part of the Commission's internal Low Carbon Energy Observatory project, a key element is consultation with external experts, addressing both those with in-depth experience in specific fields and those with a broad perspective on relevant science and engineering aspects. The LCEO Workshop held 1 December 2016 was the first step in this process, bringing together a group of 20 experts from European and international universities and research organisations, as well as several JRC experts. The programme targeted photovoltaics, thermo-electric concepts, fuel cells and biofuels. The participants, organized in two working groups: “Fuels” and “Photovoltaics”; identified a set of FETs and discussed about different aspects of these technologies: potential, challenges, applications and assessed their technology readiness level (TRL). This document summarises the outcome of the discussions in order to facilitate its use by the European Commission policy makers and the scientific community in general.

  • Published: 2018-10-18
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: clean technology, combustion gases, electrical energy, energy policy, energy research, energy supply, fuel cell, new technology, photovoltaic cell, research report, solar energy
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  Assessment of the monitoring methodology for CO₂ emissions from heavy duty vehicles
  Pilot phase test-campaign report and analysis of the ex-post verification options

  Following a request from DG-Clima and DG-GROW, JRC launched a test-campaign in order to investigate the validity, accuracy and plausibility of the methodology proposed for the verification of the certified CO2 emissions from Heavy Duty Vehicles (aka ex-post verification methodology). In addition...

  Following a request from DG-Clima and DG-GROW, JRC launched a test-campaign in order to investigate the validity, accuracy and plausibility of the methodology proposed for the verification of the certified CO2 emissions from Heavy Duty Vehicles (aka ex-post verification methodology). In addition scope of the test campaign was to demonstrate the representativeness of the CO2 emissions calculations made by the official simulator (VECTO) by comparing against the actual performance of vehicles. Experiments were conducted on four Euro VI trucks, both on the chassis dyno and on the road with the aim of understanding the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches proposed. Two main verification approaches were investigated, steady state measurements in chassis-dyno / controlled conditions, and measurements under transient conditions on chassis-dyno and actual on-road operating conditions. The official simulation software (VECTO) was used for simulating the operation of vehicles under the different test conditions. The key conclusion of the test campaign is that an ex-post verification method which is based on transient, on-road tests is possible for trucks and comes with the advantage that it could potentially cover also other vehicle types which are difficult to be validated under steady state conditions in a laboratory or on a test track under controlled conditions. However, there is a clear need to work on the details of the test protocol to be finally implemented, define boundary conditions for transient tests on road, and establish the necessary acceptance and rejection margins for any such validation. Finally, additional testing is necessary in order to calculate accurately any systematic deviation between the officially reported, simulated, CO2 values and those actually occurring in reality. VECTO results should be periodically controlled and assessed in order to make sure that its CO2 estimates remain representative and minimize the possibility that discrepancies will occur in the future between the officially reported and actually experienced fuel consumption.

  • Published: 2018-10-18
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: combustion gases, commercial vehicle, environmental monitoring, environmental research, motor vehicle, motor vehicle pollution, pollution control measures, reduction of gas emissions, research report, technical standard, testing
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  Sustainability Assessment of Second Life Application of Automotive Batteries (SASLAB)
  JRC exploratory research (2016-2017) : final technical report, August 2018

  The fast increase of the electrified vehicles market will translate into an increase of waste batteries after their use in electrified vehicles (xEV). Once collected, batteries are usually recycled; however, their residual capacity (typically varying between 70% and 80% of the initial capacity) ...

  The fast increase of the electrified vehicles market will translate into an increase of waste batteries after their use in electrified vehicles (xEV). Once collected, batteries are usually recycled; however, their residual capacity (typically varying between 70% and 80% of the initial capacity) could be used in other applications before recycling. The interest in this topic of repurposing xEV batteries is currently high, as can be proven by numerous industrial initiatives by various types of stakeholders along the value chain of xEV batteries and by policy activities related to waste xEV batteries. SASLAB (Sustainability Assessment of Second Life Application of Automotive Batteries), an exploratory project led by JRC under its own initiative in 2016-2017, aims at assessing the sustainability of repurposing xEV batteries to be used in energy storage applications from technical, environmental and social perspectives. Information collected by stakeholders, open literature data and experimental tests for establishing the state of health of lithium-ion batteries (in particular LFP/Graphite, NMC/Graphite and LMO-NMC/Graphite based battery cells) represented the necessary background and input information for the assessment of the performances of xEV battery life cycle. Renewables (photovoltaics) firming, photovoltaics smoothing, primary frequency regulation, energy time shift and peak shaving are considered as the possible second-use stationary storage applications for analysis within SASLAB. Experimental tests were performed on both, new and aged cells. The majority of aged cells were disassembled from a battery pack of a used series production xEV. Experimental investigations aim at both, to understand better the performance of cells in second use after being dismissed from first use, and to provide input parameters for the environmental assessment model. The experimental tests are partially still ongoing and further results are expected to become available beyond the end of SASLAB project. To obtain an overview of the size of the xEV batteries flows along their life cycle, and hence to understand the potential size of repurposing activities in the future, a predictive and parametrized model was built and is ready to be updated according to new future data. The model allows to take into account also the (residual) capacity of xEV batteries and the (critical) raw materials embedded in the various type of xEV batteries. For the environmental assessment, an adapted life-cycle based method was developed and applied to different systems in order to quantify benefits/drawbacks of the adoption of repurposed xEV batteries in second-use applications. Data derived from laboratory tests and primary data concerning energy flows of the assessed applications were used as input for the environmental assessment. Under certain conditions, the assessment results depict environmental benefits related to the extension the xEV batteries’ lifetime through their second-use in the assessed applications. In the analysis, the importance of using primary data is highlighted especially concerning the energy flows of the system in combination with the characteristics of the battery used to store energy. A more comprehensive environmental assessment of repurposing options for xEV batteries will need to look at more cases (other battery chemistries, other reuse scenarios, etc.) to derive more extensive and firmer conclusions. Experimental work is being continued at the JRC and the availability of further data about the batteries' performances could allow the extension of the assessment to different types of batteries in different second-use applications. A more complete sustainability assessment of the second-use of xEV batteries that could be useful to support EU policy development will also require more efforts in the future in terms of both the social and economic assessment.

  • Published: 2018-09-05
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: electric vehicle, electricity storage device, electronic waste, energy research, energy storage, environmental impact, product life, renewable energy, research and development, research report, waste recycling
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  Synergies in community and institutional public health emergency preparedness for tick-borne diseases in the Netherlands
  A case study on tick-borne encephalitis and lyme borreliosis

  The aim of this case study project is to identify enablers and barriers for community and institutional synergies related to preparedness and control of tick-borne diseases. The report focuses on an emerging tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) infection in the Netherlands— where the two first endemic ...

  The aim of this case study project is to identify enablers and barriers for community and institutional synergies related to preparedness and control of tick-borne diseases. The report focuses on an emerging tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) infection in the Netherlands— where the two first endemic cases occurred in July 2016 — in the context of the widespread and increasing incidence of lyme borreliosis. Specifically, the study aims to: - identify good practices and patterns of cooperation between affected communities and the official institutions mandated to address tick-borne diseases such as TBE and lyme borreliosis; - identify inter-sectoral collaboration between health and non-health-related sectors with regard to tick-borne diseases, such as TBE; - identify model community engagement action for other EU countries.

  • Published: 2018-08-28
  • Corporate Author(s): European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EU body or agency)
  • Subject: case study, disease vector, epidemiology, health control, infectious disease, Netherlands, public health, research report
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  EU harmonised polarisation curve test method for low-temperature water electrolysis
  

  The purpose of this generic testing procedure is to characterise the performance of a low-temperature WE cell or stack in terms of polarisation curves at specified operating conditions. The present procedure can be considered generic and useful for testing lowtemperature WE for various applicati...

  The purpose of this generic testing procedure is to characterise the performance of a low-temperature WE cell or stack in terms of polarisation curves at specified operating conditions. The present procedure can be considered generic and useful for testing lowtemperature WE for various applications, whether single cells or stacks. At ambient pressure, the performance is measured from the lowest to the highest current density (ascending part of the polarisation curve), followed by a measurement in reverse order from the highest to the lowest current density (descending part of the polarisation curve), considering the specifications of the manufacturer and the objective of the test. For operation under pressure, the performance is alternatively measured from the highest to the lowest current density (descending part of the polarisation curve), followed by a measurement in reverse order (ascending part of the polarisation curve).

  • Published: 2018-08-23
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: electrochemistry, energy research, fuel cell, hydrogen, research method, research report, testing
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  Futures of work
  Perspectives from the Maker Movement

  The work presented in this report attempts to explore other realms about the future(s) of work beyond the strongly driven narrative of digital transformation. We have addressed one particular grassroots community, the Maker Movement, which is de facto enabling new models of education, collaborat...

  The work presented in this report attempts to explore other realms about the future(s) of work beyond the strongly driven narrative of digital transformation. We have addressed one particular grassroots community, the Maker Movement, which is de facto enabling new models of education, collaborative work, and manufacture. Movements like the Maker Movement can be inspirational of policy making in areas of great complexity and uncertainties as work, employment, jobs are. We suggest that debates about futures of work need to mobilise the imagination, insights and expectations of wide ranges of society. Policy making should be nurturing necessary studies, experiments and conversations until some resilient ideas are found.

  • Published: 2018-08-08
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: computer assisted design, computer assisted manufacturing, digital technology, industrial revolution, innovation, new educational methods, new technology, product design, recycled product, research report, work
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  Small punch creep tests for grade 92 forgings
  

  This report has been prepared for the ECCC WG 3A as an in kind contribution of JRC. The report compares the creep strengths of two F92 forgings (Grade 92 steel) with differing heat treatments. The two heat treatments are normalizing and tempering and quenching and tempering. The comparison is en...

  This report has been prepared for the ECCC WG 3A as an in kind contribution of JRC. The report compares the creep strengths of two F92 forgings (Grade 92 steel) with differing heat treatments. The two heat treatments are normalizing and tempering and quenching and tempering. The comparison is entirely based on small punch creep (SPC) data analysis. The SPC test samples were extracted from different orientations of the bulk materials. The calculated equivalent stresses of the tests are converted using the equations recommended in the soon to be published small punch standard. Also, a new simplified method of determining the minimum deflection rate and deflection at minimum deflection rate is described and result in equal creep strength estimates. It is shown that the quenched and tempered steel is about 30% stronger than the normalized and tempered forging in short duration creep.

  • Published: 2018-10-03
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: industrial research, materials technology, research and development, research report, resistance of materials, steel, testing
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  Fighting child sexual abuse
  Prevention policies for offenders : inception report

  Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children constitute major violation of fundamental rights and in particular of children rights to protection and care necessary for their well-being, as it is stated in the UNHCR Convention on the Rights of the Child. A series of Union initiatives and in p...

  Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children constitute major violation of fundamental rights and in particular of children rights to protection and care necessary for their well-being, as it is stated in the UNHCR Convention on the Rights of the Child. A series of Union initiatives and in particular Directive 2011/93/EU on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography aim at supporting actively and in a coordinated way the implementation of prevention and repression policies. The aim of this research is to first map existing prevention programmes in the European Union and at International level, focusing on interventions and treatments for (potential) offenders before any abuse occurs, for convicted offenders in prisons, and for convicted offenders after they leave the prison to fight against recidivism. Prevention campaigns and programmes, helplines, and circles of aids in the International and European landscape are listed and referenced. The effectiveness of the approaches has not yet been fully demonstrated and presented. Nevertheless, the report also offers preliminary evaluations of the reported initiatives and highlights on the possible best practices. In addition, criteria for more thorough assessment are suggested. The prevention programmes are considered as an important contribution for a resilient and effective approach to fight against child sexual exploitation both in the cyberspace and offline, and to raise main stakeholders’ awareness to the issue.

  • Published: 2018-10-03
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: child, child pornography, child protection, children's rights, fight against crime, paedophilia, prevention of delinquency, public health, research report, sexual offence, sexual violence, young person
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  The EU-wide individual farm model for common agricultural policy analysis (IFM-CAP v.1)
  Economic impacts of CAP greening

  Latest edition.

  This report presents the first EU-wide individual farm level model (IFM-CAP) aiming to assess the impacts of CAP towards 2020 on farm economics and environmental effects. The rationale for such a farm-level model is based on the increasing demand for a micro simulation tool capable to model farm...

  This report presents the first EU-wide individual farm level model (IFM-CAP) aiming to assess the impacts of CAP towards 2020 on farm economics and environmental effects. The rationale for such a farm-level model is based on the increasing demand for a micro simulation tool capable to model farm-specific policies and to capture farm heterogeneity across the EU in terms of policy representation and impacts. Based on Positive Mathematical Programming, IFM-CAP seeks to improve the quality of policy assessment upon existing aggregate and aggregated farm-group models and to provide assessment of distributional effects over the EU farm population. To guarantee the highest representativeness of the EU agricultural sector, the model is applied to every EU-FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) individual farm (83292 farms). The report provides a detailed description of the first IFM-CAP model version (IFM-CAP V.1) in terms of design, mathematical structure, data preparation, modelling livestock activities, allocation of input costs, modelling of the CAP post-2013 and calibration process. The theoretical background, the technical specification and the outputs that can be generated from this model are also briefly presented and discussed. Model capability is illustrated in this study with an analysis of the EU farmers' responses to the greening requirements introduced by the 2013 CAP reform.

  • Published: 2018-09-28
  • Corporate Author(s): Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Subject: agri-environmental plan, agricultural holding, common agricultural policy, crop production, farm accountancy data network, farm income, livestock farming, mixed cropping, research report, simulation