CAETS Releases Report on Navigating the Future: A Report on the State and Future Path of Energy Transition in the Transport Sector
This report, developed by the CAETS E-Mobility Working Group, provides a short overview of the status of the transformation towards new energy technologies within the transport sector and indicates pointers for future development. The report draws upon the extensive experience of members of the various engineering and technical academies which comprise CAETS.
Decarbonisation of transport was until recently considered the most challenging part of the climate agenda, but the ascent of electric vehicles (EV) is making significant advances possible, while, at the same time, opening several new complex conundrums: integration of power and transport systems, establishing supply chains of needed materials, developing the charging infrastructure for the users, and conversion of existing industries to new products. This decade is crucial since the whole process, which is essential for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, depends on the policy being adopted.
Key Messages:
Joint efforts from industry and research throughout the complete value chain are needed for the innovative and sustainable development of EV batteries.
Integrating the power and transport sectors helps to decarbonise both sectors more effectively, which can be done through smart charging and market coupling.
The car industry is already being transformed, and newcomers have the opportunity to contribute additional innovations.
Hydrogen-based solutions are still in competition with battery-electric solutions in applications that have functionality as a priority (military, long-distance and heavy freight).
E-fuels have become competitive in maritime and aviation transport, with fuel storage being a cost competitive option compared to electrified solutions.
Active transport options and sharing travel are cost-effective, while in freight transport, rail and water options provide low-emission solutions but with significant investment costs.
In some developing countries, local abundance of mineral sources offers an opportunity to consider holistic and sustainable mining practices and benefit economically, socially and environmentally from the decarbonization
industry.
The fire hazard of EVs is not higher than that of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) but is different, and new methodologies are needed to handle them.
CAETS Statement on Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society: We aim to leave the planet better than we found it!
The Council of Finnish Academies (CoFA) and the Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences (TTA) successfully hosted the annual CAETS conference from July 1 to July 4, 2024. The conference, themed Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society, brought together the world’s leading engineering and technological science academies to discuss the prerequisites and technical solutions for achieving a carbon-neutral society. The conference emphasized the need for systemic thinking and innovative solutions to address new challenges and achieve a just transition to net-zero emissions. The full statement is available here.
CAETS 2024 focuses on Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society
CAETS 2024 was hosted by the Council of Finnish Academies in Helsinki, Finland from 1-4 July 2024. Events included a public symposium titled Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society, which included welcoming addresses by CAETS President Mika Hannula; Sari Multala, Minister of Science and Culture; and Mikko Hupa, Chair of the Council of Finnish Academies; and plenary keynotes by Peter D. Lund titled Accelerating the energy transition through stronger systems view and Dr Andrea Ramirez Ramirez titled Beyond incremental change. A systems perspective to defossilizing industrial clusters. Additional sessions focused on: Carbon neutral technology; Accelerating the development of sustainable bioproducts (led by ExpandFibre); Energy and Society; Scaling up new bioproducts (led by ExpandFibre); Novel sustainable and scalable solutions for transportation and chemicals (hosted by Neste); and ended with a panel discussion on Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society.
Annual CAETS Board and Council Meetings were also held. CAETS member academy delegates in attendance are pictured below. (Photo by Arto Miettinen.)
CAETS 2024 Communication Prize Awarded to Dr. Magdalena Zukowska
On 2 July 2024, Dr. Magdalena Zukowska, affiliated with the Department of Production Engineering at Poznan University of Technology, Poland, was awarded this year’s CAETS Communication Prize during the CAETS 2024 symposium in Helsinki, Finland. The prize is awarded to the most outstanding audiovisual communication of excellence and innovation in technological sciences or engineering. Magdalena Zukowska’s video was entitled “Blueprints of Hope: The Path to 3D Personalized Prosthetics”. Dr. Zukowska was nominated by the Academy of Engineering in Poland.
This year, Honorable Mentions were awarded to three entrants:
- Dr. Rudy Dijkstra (Acquaint, The Netherlands), nominated by the Netherlands Academy of Engineering, for his video “Better Insights, Safer Pipelines”.
- Prof. Xiaodong Chen (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore), nominated by the Singapore Academy of Engineering Singapore, for his video “Making Senses”
- Richard Gunderson (STEMulator, South Africa), nominated by the South African Academy of Engineering, for his video “STEMulator”
CAETS 2024 Registration is Now Open
CAETS 2024 will be hosted by the Council of Finnish Academies and The Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences from 1-4 July in Helsinki, Finland. The Technical Symposium, which will be held on 2-3 July, will include presentations and discussion focusing on “Carbon Neutral Technologies and Society.” In addition to addressing the multifaceted societal changes, the program includes sessions on energy technology, transport, and construction, as well as mechanical, chemical, and food engineering. EU and global perspectives will be discussed; pioneering Finnish solutions will be presented. Additional details may be found here.
2023
CAETS Welcomes the Netherlands Academy of Engineering
CAETS is pleased to welcome the recently established Netherlands Academy of Engineering (NAE) as the Netherlands member academy, succeeding the Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation (AcTI), a member of CAETS since 1993. Lucas Noldus, who currently chairs the CAETS Communications Committee, has been appointed a Fellow of the NAE.
Shown in the photo (right to left) are Mika Hannula (Finland), CAETS President-Elect; Vedran Mornar (Croatia), CAETS President; Lucas Noldus (Netherlands), Chair, CAETS Communications Committee; Ruth David (USA), CAETS Secretary/Treasurer.
CAETS 2023 Communication Prize Awarded to Dr. Caitlin Howell
Dr. Caitlin Howell was awarded the prize on 9 October, in Zagreb, Croatia, during CAETS2023. The prize is awarded to the most outstanding audiovisual communication of excellence and innovation in technological sciences or engineering. Dr. Howell’s winning entry was titled “Deciphering Nature’s Secrets: Bio-Inspired Solutions for Antibiotic Resistance.” Dr. Howell is affiliated with the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Maine, Orono, and was nominated by the US National Academy of Engineering.
Shown in the photo are Caitlin Howell, prize recipient, and Lucas Noldus, Chair, CAETS Communications Committee.
Honorable Mentions were awarded to two entrants: Dr. Marjolein Helder, who is affiliated with Plant-e, Wageningen, The Netherlands and was nominated by the Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation, for “Plant Power for Carbon Negative Energy Production,” and Professor Richard Hopkins, who is affiliated with the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and was nominated by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, for “Sunswift Guinness World Record.“
CAETS Welcomes Two New Member Academies
During CAETS2023, hosted by the Croatian Academy of Engineering in Zagreb, Croatia on 9-10 October, the CAETS Council elected two new member academies: Academy of Engineering, Singapore and Academy of Engineering in Poland. Events included a technical symposium, themed e2-mobility, which addressed topics including electrification of transport and integration with energy systems; batteries – the core technology; hydrogen, fuel cells and electrofuels; autonomous driving; and mobility modal shift – roads, railways, ships or planes? Annual business meetings of the CAETS Board and Council were also held. Council representatives are pictured below.
CAETS Releases Statement on Towards low GHG emissions from energy use in selected sectors
The 2022 report of the CAETS Energy Committee, “Towards low-GHG emissions from energy use in selected sectors reviews” existing technologies that can be used immediately to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The report also makes reference to technologies that are already in the pipeline. Report annexes contain country-specific information provided by CAETS member academies.
CAETS Launches 2023 Communication Prize
The CAETS Communication Prize is an annual competition designed to encourage technological scientists and engineers around the world to effectively communicate in a simple and engaging manner with general audiences. The aim is to amplify our impact on governments and the general public of the countries in which we live, by communicating the important role of technology in society. Entries are in the form of a short video that explains the societal importance of technological breakthroughs and engineering successes. All entries must be endorsed by a CAETS member academy. Additional information is available here.
CAETS Releases 2022 Energy Report: Towards Low-GHG Emissions from Energy use in Selected Sectors
This report reviews existing technologies that could be used immediately to reduce green-house gas (GHG) emissions in seven key sectors: Food and Agriculture, Buildings and Smart Cities, Oil and Gas, Chemicals, Cement, Iron and Steel, Information and Communication technologies. The deployment of these technologies would lead to deep emission reduction before 2040, however these technologies are not sufficient to meet net zero targets by mid-century. The report also highlights research and development needs for new or improved technologies and demonstrations for the near ready technologies. The Executive Summary and full Report are available for download.
CAETS Releases Statement on Breakthrough Technologies for Healthcare
Healthcare has changed at an unprecedented rate over past decades. Both longevity and healthy life expectancy have profited from these advances, but emerging challenges must now be addressed. CAETS identifies five significant challenges and offers recommendations for charting a path forward. The statement can be found here.
Save the Dates for CAETS 2023
CAETS 2023 Annual Meetings and Technical Symposium, hosted by the Croatian Academy of Engineering, will be held 9-11 October in Zagreb, Croatia. The symposium theme is e2 – Mobility.
2022
Breakthrough Technologies for Healthcare Videos from CAETS 2022 now available
youtube.com
CAETS 2022 Communications Prize Winners Announced
Professor Salah Sukkarieh, nominated by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, was awarded the prize for Engineering Success based on his inspiring video which shows how Agricultural Robotics can help tackle a growing economic and societal problem.
Professor Jayanta Mukhopadhyay, nominated by the Indian Academy of Engineering, was awarded the prize for High Potential Innovation based on his compelling video demonstrating an affordable and efficient solution for delivering tele-healthcare to rural communities – iMediXcare Telemedicine System.
CAETS 2022 Annual Meetings
The main Conference (27 & 28 of September) was designed around 6 sessions:
- Emerging technologies for innovative treatments and drug discovery
- Information and communication technologies for biology and health
- Disruptive technologies and global R&D trends
- Virtual Brain
- Technologies for repair – repairing the human body
- Ethics and societal impacts of technological breakthroughs
The program is available on www.caets2022.org.
CAETS Releases Statement on Invasion of Ukraine
The CAETS statement notes that: “CAETS considers the invasion as an attack on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy and self-determination, which in turn provide the basis for academic freedom and opportunities for scientific and technological progress.” The full statement can be found here.
2021
CAETS Releases Statement on COP26
The CAETS statement notes that: “Climate targets and the UN SDGs cannot be achieved without engineers. We offer the collective convening power of CAETS, and its ability to bring together resources and expert thinking from around the world, to inform policy and decision makers in their efforts to urgently scale-up and accelerate strategies to minimise the impacts of climate change.” The full statement can be found here.
SAVE THE DATE – CAETS 2022 in Paris, France
The international Conference CAETS 2022 “Breakthrough Technologies for Healthcare” is organized by The National Academy of Technologies of France. It will be held on September 26 – 29 in Versailles, near Paris. More information is available here.
CAETS 2021 – The Future of Energy
The 2021 CAETS annual symposium, hosted by the Academia Nacional de Ingenieria of Argentina, was held 18-24 September. Key topics included: Energy and Global Warming; Energy Demand/New Trends; The Future of Nuclear Energy; Renewables; Oil and Gas; and Education on Engineering. The closing plenary provided an overview of Latin American Energy. The technical sessions may be viewed via YouTube or via ANI’s website.
CAETS Announces 2021 Communications Prizes
The CAETS Communication Prizes, initiated this year, recognize effective audiovisual communication to a general audience of how applied technology and engineering has been or can be used to address a real-world problem, and the resulting benefits to the economy or society. Nominees are selected by CAETS member academies and submitted to an international judging panel who selects the winners in each category. 2021 winners are cited below.
2021 Engineering Success Story – Professor Jing Cheng, nominated by the Chinese Academy of Engineering
The Engineering Success Story Prize recognizes outstanding audiovisual communication of excellence and innovation in engineering or technological sciences and is open to fellows of CAETS member academies. The inaugural prize goes to Professor Jing Cheng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. His description of the Fully Integrated Chip Laboratory System for SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Detection is an inspiring and clear example of public-private partnering, knowledge transfer from academia to a company, and successful deployment to tackle a major societal problem. You can see the video here.
2021 High Potential Innovation – Mr. Kaz Vermeer, nominated by the Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation
The High Potential Innovation Prize is intended to show an engineering breakthrough that has the potential to change the world for the better. The inaugural prize goes to Mr. Kaz Vermeer of the Netherlands. Mr Vermeer’s video describes the problem of predicting crop yields early so distributors can forecast the availability of produce, thereby avoiding considerable wastage. Mr. Vermeer’s system is already – within 1 year of being developed – being used by 40% of broccoli growers in the Netherlands and is being expanded to other countries. You can see the video here.
CAETS 2021 Registration is Available
The Future of Energy – Engineering a Better World. The National Academy of Engineering of Argentina organized this technical symposium, which will be held as a virtual event and is open to public audiences. Session topics include: Energy Demand – New Trends; Future of Nuclear Energy; Renewables; Oil and Gas; Education on Engineering. The current program is available here. Additional information about the program and registration is available here.
CAETS Releases 2020 Energy Committee Report
Solutions for High-Level Penetration of Intermittent Renewable Electricity: This report juxtaposes the contributing academies’ views on development of new technologies to offset renewable energy intermittency and respective policy approaches to sustain growth in renewables generation, distribution, storage and implementation. The full report is available here.
CAETS Announces Annual Communications Prizes
CAETS member academies are committed to fostering better communications of policy, educational initiatives, and the importance of engineering and technological sciences in society. The CAETS Council endorsed establishment of two CAETS Communication Prizes, to be awarded annually, that encourage scientists and engineers around the world to effectively communicate in a simple and engaging manner with general audiences, with a focus on young people and students. Awards will be based on a video competition among CAETS member academies globally. Videos will have the dual aim of 1) inspiring students to follow careers in engineering and technological sciences, and 2) educating the general public on the impact that engineering and technological sciences have in their lives and future.
CAETS 2021 Upcoming: The Future of Energy
CAETS 2021 will be hosted by the Argentine National Academy of Engineering in Buenos Aires from September 20 to 24, 2021. Additional information may be found here.
2020
CAETS 2020 Statement: Smart Society
“Smart society, in which data-driven decisions, by both leaders and citizens, continually improve economic prosperity, social well-being, sustainability, and governance, is already emerging all around us….CAETS 2020 concluded that engineers world-wide and the general public can be the heroes who meet and overcome the serious challenges lying ahead. Sustainable development of smart societies cannot be just technology-driven, but also human-driven, and must be based upon values of inclusion, diversity, and openness.”
CAETS 2020 Statement
The Irish Academy of Engineering Joins CAETS
The CAETS Council elected the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) into membership during its annual meeting on 15 October 2020. Tuula Teeri, President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and Past-President of CAETS said “a warm welcome to our newest member, we are looking forward to an inspiring collaboration with you within our network!” IAE joins 30 other academies of engineering distributed across six continents.
CAETS 2020: Engineering a Better World – Smart Society
CAETS 2020 annual meetings were hosted by the National Academy of Engineering of Korea from 12-15 October 2020. The technical symposium focused on opportunities and challenges of the Smart Society. Program sessions included Smart Energy Network, Hyper-connected Life, Education for Smart Society, and Climate Change Issues & Challenges in Urban Environment. Taped session content may be found here.
Recently Published: 2018 CAETS Energy Committee Report
This report juxtaposes the contributing academies’ views on an all-electric society comparing the countries’ approaches to generate, distribute and store electricity.
2019
CAETS Elects New Members
During the 2019 Annual Council Meeting on June 27, CAETS elected three new members: New Zealand’s Royal Society Te Aparangi, the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, and the Academy of Engineering Sciences of Serbia. CAETS membership now spans 30 countries distributed across six continents of the world.
CAETS 2019: Engineering a better world – the next 100 years
The 2019 CAETS Statement on Engineering a Better World can be found here.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) hosted the CAETS annual meetings and technical conference in Stockholm, Sweden from June 24th through the 28th. Personal reflections by Tuula Teeri, IVA’s President, as well as a summary of conference highlights are available here.
