As part of its ‘European Flame Research Initiative’ (EFRI), the IFRF has been looking into options to support and expand its activities in Europe by seeking European Commission funding under the 7th Framework Programme.

At a recent meeting of representatives of  IFRF Member Organisations who had expressed interest in hosting IFRF when it moved from IJmuiden in 2006,  it was agreed to prepare a proposal for EC co-funding under the FP7 Capacities/Infrastructures programme. The IFRF assumed responsibility for coordinating the proposal writing process.

The proposal is to integrate European Pilot and Large Scale Combustion and Gasification test facilities and will comprise three elements:

• A Network to foster a culture of cooperation between research infrastructures and related scientific communities. The Network will facilitate and expand the IFRF’s  programme for exchange of information regarding facilities, techniques, procedures and experimental data through conferences, training seminars and web based dissemination.
• A programme of Transnational Access and Service Activities, under which a core group of organisations with unique or rare pilot or large scale combustion/gasification test facilities (‘Suppliers’) will open these facilities to a larger group of ‘User’ organisations. Under this scheme, Suppliers will be able to offer EC financial support to eligible User Organisations wishing to send individual scientists and engineers, or multinational teams, to participate in research or training activities using the Supplier facilities.
• A Joint Research Programme to explore new fundamental technologies underpinning the efficient and joint use of the participating  Research Infrastructure, including the development and application of protocols and procedures for the collection and dissemination of experimental data.

To enable the proposal writing process, the IFRF will host a meeting of aspirant ‘Suppliers’ of research facilities.  The meeting will take place in Pisa on February 4th and 5th 2008. European organisations with unique or rare pilot or large scale combustion or gasification test facilities which could be considered as candidates for inclusion in the Transnational Access activity  are invited to make themselves known to the IFRF as soon as possible.

The IFRF would also like to hear from organisations wishing to be considered as future ‘Users’ of the new infrastructure network through the Transnational Access or Networking activities. IFRF Member Organisations eligible for EC funding under the FP7 Capacities/Infrastructure programme will automatically be included as potential ‘Users’.

All interested parties (both IFRF and non IFRF) should contact the IFRF’s Neil Fricker immediately on this link.