1) Framework Directive for the Protection of Soil Refused
2) ZEP - New website available since 1 August 2009
In September 2006, the EU-Commission published a proposal for a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection as well as a proposal for a Directive establishing a Framework for the Protection of Soil. However, in December 2007 the Ministers of Environment did not find enough common ground for a formal political agreement of the Council. The Member States D, F, UK, NL and AU did not accept the proposal because soil protection falls under national competence.
Thereafter work was going on and a new proposal was presented at the Council-Meeting of the Ministers of Environment by the Czech Presi- dency on June 25, 2009. Again, because of reasons of subsidiarity, the Council was not able to reach an agreement on the presented proposal for a Directive establishing an EU legal Framework for Protecting the Soil. The same Member States as mentioned above and Malta refused again. Sweden the actuell EU President will not deal with this matter in the ongoing period and refers to the next Spanish Presidency in the first period of the year 2010.
More information:
fritz.peters@vgb.org
The European Technology Platform ZEP (Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants) announced the launch of ZEP's all-new public website and dedicated online area for the members of its community.
Featuring a wealth of information, new sections, and dedicated animations on the need for, and workings of CCS and the safety of CO2 storage, the online platform will reinforce ZEP's position as the European Commission's authority on CCS and support the objective of successfully deploying and implementing CCS.
Proposals for improvement or for additional content of the public website can be sent to:
mailto:info@zero-emissionplatform.eu
http://www.zeroemissionsplatform.eu/
The aim of the VGB research project 314 "Characterisation of the Property Profile of Newly Developed 600/620 Degree Celsius Steam Turbine Materials Based on Long-term Testing Data and the Correlation with Microstructure Analyses and Parameters" is to determine the long-term properties of real production components made in new European 620 Degree Celsius steels which have been developed in COST522. Furthermore, the characterisation of the microstructure of long-term tested creep specimens of 600 Degree Celsius- and 620 Degree Celsius-materials will be made with the aim of installing correlations of strength to microstructure and proposals for residual life concepts.
http://www.vgb.org/en/research_project314.html
The VGB Job Market is offering prospective persons the possibility to develop their career in the range of power and heat generation. You can find current vacancies on our homepage.
http://www.vgb.org/en/jobmarket.html
Main topics of the August issue are: Simplified Concepts of Hard Coal-fired IGCC Power Plants with Carbon Capture: Effects on Efficiency, Availability and Economics; Assessment of Generators for
Wind Power Plants; VGB-Requirements Regarding Technical Data for Power Plants; Oxidation Properties of Turbine Oils - Lubricant Type Comparison at Practical Oriented Test Conditions.
Abstracts of all articles are available here:
http://www.vgb.org/en/current_issue.html