It is interesting to know

• Retell the following text.

News update

Greenhouse Gas Control Research Projects Funded

The Department of energy has selected a group of research projects to pursue technology for the inexpensive capture' and disposal of green­house gases. Grants²go to 12 research teams that will begin exploring methods to prevent greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere. The selected projects include a diverse mix of concepts, including the use of C0₂ absorbing algae³ growing on artificial reefs or encased in bioscrub-bers; the disposal of greenhouse gases in deep aquifers⁴ or on the ocean floor; and chemical processes and membranes that separate C0₂ from the flue gases of fossil power plants and factories. Each project will re­ceive approximately $ 50,000 for the initial phases. Projects selected for later development phases could receive up to $ 1.5 million each.

1 - захват; 2 — денежное вознаграждение; 3 — водоросли; 4 - водоносный слой

JUST FOR FUN • Read and smile.

From 11 plus Exams

1. H₂0 is hot water, and C0₂ is cold water.

2. To collect fumes of sulfur, hold down a deacon' over a flame in a test tube.

3. When you smell an odourless²gas, it is probably carbon monoxide.

1 - священник, дьякон; 2 - без запаха

2*

_{UNION'S EUROPEAN PROGRAMME}

PARTI

• Read the text below to understand what programme it deals with.

EUP supports the progression of improved non-nuclear energy tech­nologies through demonstration and market penetration. The focus of the programme component is on the demonstration and promotion of clean and efficient energy technologies in three broad areas:

• renewable energy sources;

• rational use of energy in buildings, industry and transport;

• cleaner and more efficient use of fossil fuels and more effective exploration, distribution and transportation of hydrocarbons.

At the core of the aims of the European Union as a whole, are three central objectives. First, to help promote economic growth and create employment. Second, to improve the competitiveness of our indus­tries. Third, to protect our environment and contribute towards sus-| tainable development. New energy technologies can make an impor­tant contribution towards achievement of these objectives. A more efficient use of resources, such as fuels and electricity, helps to im­prove the relative cost-effectiveness of our industries and hence the goods and services they make and sell. As the recent economic cri-1 ses in the Far East has shown, the world is truly a global village. Like­wise, our industries across the EU are intrinsically connected to the ebbs and flows of international markets. The technologies supported under programme like THERM IE have contributed to a more efficient use of resources, thus reducing costs and making the companies more com-1 petitive. The indicator commonly used to measure the "efficiency of energy use" in the industrial sector is that of energy consumption per unit of output, known as "energy intensity".

Unit 3. Union's European Programme 21

Investment in new technologies can also have an impact in another area, namely that of employment creation. Many of the technologies supported by initiatives such as THERMIE are more labour intensive than their conventional competitors, either in manufacturing and in­stallation, or in operation and maintenance. Thus, investing in these applications, and the firms that produce them, allows for a contribu­tion towards employment creation. Moreover, many of the jobs creat­ed are highly skilled, or are located in priority areas.

Investing in technology to stimulate economic growth is not sufficient, in itself, to meet our objectives. We must also work towards promoting sustainable development and protection of our environments. The emphasis on clean and efficient technologies can make a substantial contribution towards achievement of these aims. All of the technologies and applications supported under THERMIE offer access to zero or low emissions of gases such as C0₂, the main greenhouse gas. In the Solid Fuel sector, for example, the advanced coal technologies supported with­in THERMIE offer access to substantial reductions in emissions of green­house gases and those responsible for acid deposition. A recent analysis by the European Commission sought to quantify these savings.

As a consequence of the investments made in new technologies, and changing patterns of energy supply, the Member States of the EU, and the EU itself, are contributing to lowering the emissions of greenhouse gases. The investments made from EU funds can help a project partner in many different ways. Firstly, the mechanism allows for the creation of a vehicle to support the exchange of information and experience between companies and organizations across the EU and beyond. Second, the impact of the European funding is to stimulate projects, which would not otherwise have gone ahead, or to the same extent.

Technical performance is another key area where the Programme's initiatives have been focused. In this case, the impact of THERMIE has been to improve the reliability and efficiency of the technologies and applications, so as to encourage their market deployment.