National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)

18 Oct Synthetic biology and (white) industrial biotechnologies (Advice) – (Report only in French)

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2012
Biotechnology is the application of S&T to living organisms. White biotechnology (Bio-Based Industries - BBl) uses renewable carbon-sources in fermentation-processes to produce food compounds, fuels, specialties and chemical commodities, and plastics.  Synthetic biology (SB) introduces engineering principles into biotechnology, promoting the emergence of a true bio-economy.  Although endowed with a well-developed agriculture and BBI-related research, there are only about a dozen companies engaged in applications of SB to BBl in France, including start-ups, intermediate enterprises, and Total, resulting in few industrial realisations. The sector is considered risky by investors.  Consistent efforts to train engineers and PhD-students in these areas are essential.  Regarding risks, traditional BBI-products must be distinguished from SB-products in specific sectors. Upstream from industrial SB-applications on a large scale, research on the security, safety, ethics, toxicology and ecotoxicology is vital.  The academic SB-community self-regulates its conduct in an effort of openness, transparency, anticipation and prevention of potential risks.
Read More

18 Oct Energy efficiency and savings in housing and buildings

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
The NATF discusses in this report the options to reduce energy consumption and to divide by 4, in 2040, CO2 emissions in domestic and tertiary buildings. The adapted technologies exist already today. The document recommends multiple specific actions, in particular towards public authorities, companies and professional federations. It underlines the essential necessity of interactions between the housing sector and those of transportation and urbanism.
Read More

18 Oct Hydro- and wind power

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
This report describes production and storage conditions of these renewable energies. It provides details of their environmental impacts and layouts its implementation in the world. It discusses political stakes and underlines the need to respect each country’s sovereignty along with the recognition of the role of major international and regional institutions in the durable development of our planet.
Read More

18 Oct A century of nuclear power production

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
France is a major player in nuclear physics and its applications, in particular in the electro-nuclear energy domain. The monograph is a widely accessible synthesis of the nuclear energy sector development in France. It describes the stakes of nuclear technologies and the challenges to overcome to make political and technical choices. The author analyses the importance of organisational structures and of the human factors to successfully develop programs and to overcome difficulties.
Read More

18 Oct Biofuels

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
At the beginning of the 21st century, France has decided to develop its industrial channels related to the production of 1st generation of biofuels, from agricultural fields to transformation plants. These channels include cereal and beet cultures and storage for the production of ethanol as well as colza and sunflowers for the production of vegetal oils. Ethanol and vegetal oils can replace respectively gasoline and diesel after their chemical transformation. Thermochemical processes related to such transformations and their economics are discussed. The report describes also the potential use of agricultural wastes and forestry, which would not compete with the above mentioned agricultural products intended for food. These 2nd generation biofuels are under development and should be operational and in use after 2020.
Read More

18 Oct Directive: quotas for the period 2013-2020 of the European Community

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2011
The NATF supports the EU efforts to inverse the present climate trends and to prepare EU countries for the future world that will be inevitably much less- or even carbon-free. It recommends, however, proceeding cautiously in order not to displace the emissions out of the Union and to unwillingly contribute to their global, world increase. This short memo analyses the impact of proposed EU measures on European competitivity and produces recommendations on how to reinforce economic activities in the countries of the Union. (85 words)
Read More

18 Oct To free Prometheus – Technologies for humanity

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2011
In this book, edited on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the NATF, 25 Fellows express their personal viewpoints on a variety of subjects. The 4 main themes are: Human Life “Homo Sapiens”, Man in his Environment, Innovation in its Context, Prospective and Ethical Issues.
Read More

18 Oct Vectors of Energy

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2011
This extensive study is the follow-up of the NATF October 2008 report “Prospective for the Energy in the 21st Century”. A vector of energy is a system of the primary energy distribution to the final consumer. A vector of energy stage is intercalated between primary sources (carbon, oil, natural gas, uranium, hydraulic, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal) and the stage of consumer needs (transportation, heating, air conditioning and multiples electricity uses…). The report does not propose the scenarios but is a sort of a guide for the most efficient use of various energy sources for a given application, from the economic and ecological point of view. Numerical application of the method allows taking into account and simulating present and future evolutions of various sources of energy costs and of the price attributed to CO2 emitted. An analysis of sensibility of these parameters is also included.
Read More

18 Oct Wind-power: can it be the energy for the 21st century?

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
Given the oil price increase and climate evolution issues, the wind-power is of a renewed strong interest. Many countries are investing in this form of energy and the European Union has set ambitious objectives regarding it. With over 20 years of experience, is this form of energy fulfilling its promises? What are the most immediate problems to solve in order to continue its development and harmonious distribution throughout Europe? Is the investment in wind-energy the most profitable and efficient way to reduce CO2 emissions?
Read More

18 Oct Carbon credits

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
This short opinion of the “Energy and Climate Change” Commission of the NATF emits 3 recommendations; 1. 80% of carbon credits exchanges take place in Europe and 20% in the Kyoto market, via the CDP (Clean Development Mechanism). It should be more widely extended. 2. The complexity and the heavy process of carbon credits attribution should be simplified and a special attention should be paid not to only consider important industries. 3. Given its relatively short lifetime, methane is not as accumulated in the atmosphere as is CO2. The GIEC stressing the importance of methane vs. CO2 (1CH4=25CO2) may detour the fight against the CO2 emissions and disperse our efforts.
Read More