Pyrolectric materials could harvest energy from naturally occurring temperature changes such as changes in ambient temperature, and artificial temperature changes due to exhaust gases, convection or solar energy. These materials can operate with a high thermodynamic efficiency and, showing an advantage over thermoelectric materials, they do not require bulky heat sinks to maintain the required heat difference. Hence, “pyroelectric energy harvesting” could be the right methodology to rescue some of the enormous amount of energy wasted as heat by converting the thermal fluctuations into electrical energy (e.g. more than 50% of the energy generated in the U.S. is lost that way each year). Reusing the wasted energy and increasing the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption are important EU targets, expressed in the Europe 2020 Strategy. Enhancing energy efficiency solutions would help citizens both in economic (lower electricity bills) and ecological (clean, green energy) terms. This project examines the development of pyroelectric nanotextured ceramics, for use in future ambient energy harvesting. An original combination of an inexpensive mechano-chemical synthesis for the production of hexagonal ZnS (wurtzite) nanopowder, and the subsequent fabrication of nanotextured ceramics applying a high-pressure-low-temperature sintering, will be used, an approach we have explored previously to suppress grain growth. Neither the fabrication methods, nor the existence of nanotextured pyroelectric ceramics of wurtzite have yet been reported in the literature. In particular the project will explore the potential of the wurtzite nanotextured ceramics as new functional anisotropic bulk materials for pyroelectric energy harvesting. We expect the pyroelectric properties to improve with the introduction of nanostructures and texturing within the anisotropic material like wurtzite, which should ultimately lead to more efficient pyroelectric devices for energy harvesting.

The Seventh SET-Plan Conference will be aimed at i) providing a privileged forum for open discussions to develop a new integrated vision for the SET Plan and shared understanding; ii) providing stakeholders with an updated panorama of the European energy and technology framework policies as groundwork for spurring active participation and commitment to the “SET Plan” objectives; and iii) outreaching the SET Plan current portfolio, that is to address still untapped resources of relevant sectors. The SET IT project covers all aspects of planning and delivering the SET Plan Conference, including the development of crucial accompanying activities such as an integrated awareness and dissemination campaign to enlarge audience from stakeholder groups to civil society, and enhance the Conference impacts. A special governance scheme has been conceived so as to create a synergy among political decision makers, the different stakeholder groups, and the communication experts and consultants involved in the conference organization and promotion. The exploitation of 2.0 technology will also contribute to the creation of a favorable environment for updated policy dialogues, strategic thinking, networking and dissemination; data and materials (i.e. social network pages) produced will outlast the project itself and will be passed on to future SET Plan Conference organizers. Thereby, the SET IT project will first provide a basis for creating a linkage connecting future SET Plan Conferences as part of a greater, lasting effort toward policy integration, building up experience and networking results, thus overcoming a typical weakness of such events, which are short-lived although quite expensive and labour intensive.