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Life Cycle Assessment of Organic Solar Cells: Structure, Analytical Framework, and Future Product Concepts
No full textOrganic photovoltaic (OPV) technology, namely, organic solar cells (OSCs), have garnered attention as a sustainable and adaptable substitute for traditional silicon-based solar panels. Their lightweight construction, adaptability with various substrates, and capacity for low-energy production techniques make them formidable contenders for sustainable energy applications. Nonetheless, due to the swift advancement of OPV technology, there is increasing apprehension that existing life cycle assessment (LCA) studies may inadequately reflect their environmental consequences. This review aggregates and assesses LCA research to ascertain the extent to which existing studies accurately represent the genuine sustainability of OPVs. This paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of materials, manufacturing processes, device architecture, and end-of-life pathways, identifying methodological deficiencies, emphasizing critical environmental performance metrics, and examining how conceptual product design can improve environmental results. The results highlight the necessity for standardized, transparent LCA frameworks adapted to the changing OPV landscape.JRC.D.3 - Land Resources and Supply Chain Assessment
Towards greater circularity in the hydrogen technology value chain
No full textThe global transition to a carbon-neutral economy presents signifcant challenges, particularly in the deployment of renewable energy and storage technologies. A key aspect of this transition is the production and use of green hydrogen. This depends on the deployment of electrolysers and fuel cells, requiring critical raw materials in their manufacturing processes. In the European Union (EU), these materials are imported and classifed as ‘critical’due to a lack of viable substitutes, supply risks, and geopolitical factors. This article explores the potential of circular economy strategies to enhance resource security and resilience in the hydrogen technology value chain. Using a qualitative case-study approach that includes a literature review, document analysis, and 29 expert interviews, we map the current circularity patterns and outline regulatory, cultural, economic, and technical
drivers and barriers. We identify eighteen drivers and fourteen barriers, highlight the interdependencies among them, and propose targeted policy interventions, namely restrictions on waste exports containing platinum group metals, individual recycling targets for iridium, and eco-design standards for dismantling and repairing electrolysers. Our fndings contribute to scholarly discussions on the circular economy as a resource resilience strategy and offer actionable insights for policymakers in the EU and beyond.JRC.S.4 - Scientific Development Programme
The financing of EU firms for green competitiveness
Get PDFTo support informed policymaking, this brief offers a detailed, sector-specific analysis of how EU firms access capital markets, with a focus on green financial instruments, comparing their position with counterparts in other regions and industries.
It aims to help identify both the opportunities financial markets offer for fostering innovation and advancing the green transition, and the barriers that still hinder effective financing.
The analysis also outlines possible directions for strengthening EU financial markets and exploring their role in achieving the objectives of the Competitiveness CompassJRC.B.1 - Economic and Financial Resilienc
Comparison of Extraction Techniques for Wide Screening of 230 Pesticides in Water
No full textIn this study, weekly grab samples extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) were compared for the analysis of 230 pesticides in surface waters. Samples were collected from three different locations around Melbourne, Australia. Analysis was performed using Gas Chromatography Quadrupole Time of Flight High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (GC-QToF-HRMS). The two extraction techniques were compared, among others, for their limits of detection, recovery, extraction, and quantification efficiency of pesticides, as well as spatial and temporal differences in detected compounds. The target compounds screened were pesticides belonging mainly to the categories of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. Although SBSE extracted more pesticides at two out of three sites, SPE extracted total concentrations up to four times higher than SBSE over all sampling sites. The log KOW of detected pesticides only partially explained the differences in detection, with SBSE performing better in the absorption of hydrophobic compounds. In addition, matrix effects, in particular turbidity, appeared to hinder extraction of contaminants, especially for SBSE. Spatially, SBSE detected 10 pesticides more than SPE at two locations, while the opposite was true at the third location, where turbidity was higher. The types of pesticides detected varied slightly between techniques and locations. The study highlights the complementarity of SBSE and SPE for monitoring pesticides in natural environments. SBSE is an easy-to-use technique and allows for extraction of a higher number of pesticides at trace level, but it might not be the preferred option for highly turbid waters. SPE requires more tedious and complex sample processing but allows for a more accurate quantification of a broader range of pesticides.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate
The Interoperable Europe Act: A Proposed Monitoring Framework
Get PDFAfter nearly 20 years of voluntary efforts to enhance digital government interoperability across EU borders, the Interoperable Europe Act (REGULATION (EU) 2024/903) came into force on 11th April 2024.
Over the past decade, the Directorate-General for Digital Services (DIGIT) has monitored progress in cross-sector interoperability, digital transformation and innovation through the National Interoperability Framework Observatory (NIFO), which included the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) Monitoring and more recently the Berlin Declaration Monitoring (BDM).
This report presents the Joint Research Centre’s proposal for monitoring the implementation of the Interoperable Europe Act, focusing on the key elements of Article 20. These key elements include:
— Progress in interoperable trans-European digital public services
— Advancements in the implementation of the EIF
— Uptake of interoperability solutions
— Development of open-source interoperability solutions for public sector innovation in cooperation with GovTech
— Enhancement of skills in public administrations
This proposal, developed through an iterative co-creation process with stakeholders, presents a theoretical framework that serves as the foundation for its subsequent operationalisation and roll-out. It advocates a data-driven monitoring approach focused on relevance and aimed at establishing a baseline for a new era of cross-border interoperability. The approach seeks to reduce reporting fatigue while generating valuable evidence for the European Parliament and the Council, supporting the work of the Interoperable Europe Board, and informing key European Commission strategies such as the Digital Decade.
Rooted in the principles of interoperability and the digital transformation of public administration, the proposal also advances the vision of digital-ready policymaking—ensuring that the policy cycle remains proactive and future-oriented, in line with the European Commission’s Better Regulation Guidelines.JRC.T.1 - Digital Econom
Disaster Loss Data Management: Current Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities in Europe
Get PDFThis study examines the current practices, challenges, and opportunities in disaster loss data collection and management across European Union Member States and Participating States. A survey-based approach was employed to collect data from 23 institutions across 17 countries, encompassing a range of public agencies entrusted with civil protection, disaster risk management, and emergency preparedness. The analysis reveals significant variation in institutional practices, including differences in legal frameworks, data collection methodologies, and hazard coverage. While some institutions employ advanced tools and legal structures, others face resource constraints and fragmented responsibilities. Key findings include the prevalence of data collection for river floods, flash floods, and storms, with limited coverage of technological hazards and underutilization of geospatial data. The study emphasises the necessity for standardising disaster loss data protocols, enhancing capacity, and establishing centralised platforms to improve data sharing and accessibility. The study's recommendations centre around the harmonisation of legal frameworks, the adoption of modern technologies, and the fostering of international collaboration to address these gaps and support effective disaster risk management.JRC.E.1 - Disaster Risk Managemen
Total Organic Carbon (TOC): a simple tool for assessing micro(nano)plastics and nanocellulose recovery during size-based fractionation
No full textThe assessment of analyte recovery during sample preparation is a critical quality control parameter in method development. While elemental mass spectrometry techniques, such as ICP-MS, are very effective for assessing the recovery of particulate materials containing metallic elements, there is no equivalent applicable to metal-free carbon or CHNO-based particulate polymer materials. Vibrational spectro-microscopy or thermo-analytical techniques can be used to quantify polymer-based micro- and nanoparticles, but are typically expensive and time-consuming techniques that require higher levels of expertise. This study investigated the potential of liquid-based Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzer as a simple, cost-effective and universal method for determining the recovery of polymer-based particulate micro- and nanomaterials following filtration, centrifugation, and asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) processes. A good correlation between solid contents and TOC analysis was demonstrated for standard polystyrene (PS) particle suspensions of various sizes, ranging from 50 nm to 90 μm (79.2 to 113.6% recovery), and other types of synthetic and natural polymeric particle suspensions, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and cellulose (86.2 to 126.2% recovery). Liquid-based TOC was then successfully applied to estimate particle recovery after various preparatory and fractionation steps, including the determination of filtration recoveries for nanocellulose suspensions (99.0 to 101.4% recovery) and PS micro- and nanoparticles spiked into environmental lake and river freshwater samples (70 to 96% recovery). The combination of TOC and Single Particle Extinction and Scattering (SPES) measurements allowed the tracking and quantification of three different populations of PS particles in a mixture (200, 500 and 1000 nm) during successive centrifugation steps (113.8 ± 13.9% cumulative recovery). Finally, this study demonstrated the suitability of TOC for determining both the absolute and relative recoveries of polymer-based particulate materials after AF4 fractionation in line with ISO standards. Liquid-based TOC proved to be a valuable tool for directly tracking, quantifying and evaluating the recovery of polymer-based micro- and nanoparticles in model and environmental water samples before and after routine size-based fractionation steps.JRC.F.2 - Technologies for Healt
The urgency of addressing zoonotic diseases surveillance: potential opportunities considering One Health approaches and common European Data Spaces
No full textCurrently, transdisciplinary data from animal surveillance that are available for One Health approaches to public health are scarce, negatively impacting our ability to anticipate and prepare for future public health threats, particularly those involving zoonotic diseases with pandemic or epidemic potential. In this article, we explore the potential of the common European Data Spaces framework to enhance the availability of animal surveillance data, in order to better address public health threats. We propose building upon and expanding existing initiatives, such as the European Data Spaces for Health, Agriculture, and Green Deal, to design innovative services. These services could enable the integration of different data sources to inform research and policymaking on public health interventions. An overarching layer, populated with data and generating integrative information, could support a One Health approach to research and policymaking for the preparedness and anticipation of zoonotic diseases. Consequently, this approach might foster data sharing from Member States by leveraging existing developments within data spaces in terms of, for example, data security. It could also support researchers and developers in accessing transdisciplinary, stratified, and quality-controlled data for their projects.JRC.T.1 - Digital Econom
Deep dive on critical raw materials for wind turbines in the EU
Get PDFThe transition to clean energy is both a climate imperative and a materials challenge. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the supply chain for wind turbines, a cornerstone of the EU’s energy transition strategy.
Significant dependencies are found for rare earth elements including neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, and terbium, critical for high-performance wind turbine magnets, and balsa wood for turbine blades, with the People’s Republic of China and Ecuador dominating these respective supply chains. Supply chain vulnerabilities are identified, including geopolitical risks and environmental concerns, alongside opportunities for enhancing circularity and advancing the use of substitute materials.
In line with EU measures such as the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net-Zero Industry Act, this study underscores the urgency of diversifying supply sources, scaling recycling efforts, and fostering innovation to bolster the resilience of the EU’s wind energy sector.JRC.C.7 - Energy Transition Insights for Polic
Guide for developing strategic learning programmes in support of implementation of EU policies and programmes
Get PDFBetter implementation of EU policies and programmes could save EU taxpayers and businesses billions of euros every year. Insufficient administrative capacity can lead to problems in implementation, especially when necessary competences – knowledge, skills and attitudes – are inadequate or insufficient among implementation authorities in EU Member States. Strategic learning initiatives targeted at implementing authorities that consider their local contexts and learning needs can be an effective way of addressing the persisting implementation challenges, contribute to positive outcomes and desirable social change. The learning as a strategy (LaaS) guide is developed for EU policy and programme officers. It provides a step-by-step guide, embedding learning at the heart of policy design and delivery.JRC.S.2 - Science for Democracy and Evidence-Informed Policymakin