European Commission, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport, Petten (JRC)

The Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) is part of the Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. Its mission is to provide support to EU policies and technology innovation to ensure sustainable, safe, secure and efficient energy production, distribution and use and to foster sustainable and efficient transport in Europe. The Institute provides its expertise to different stages of European policy-making process in the energy area, on issues related to environmental protection, safety and security of the citizens, and sustainable development. It collaborates with partners from the EU Member States and beyond and carries out research (laboratory and desk top) in the fields of clean and sustainable energy addressing both nuclear and non-nuclear domains.

Typical activities encompass clean, efficient energy conversion & storage, and harmonisation and validation of safety and performance assessment of energy conversion and storage technologies. The Institute concentrates on S&T reference systems for policy support at European level including operation of reference test facilities, networking, especially in areas where integrated action at the Union level in support to policies is needed such as in standardization of test methods and procedures (e.g. IEC and ISO), and finally on mobility of scientific skills. It also performs contractual work co-financed by the indirect actions of the Framework Programme (FP) including the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and work for third parties as well as work at the direct request of Commission Services.