The ultimate objective of the NEEDS Integrated Project is to evaluate the full costs and benefits (i.e. direct + external) of energy policies and of future energy systems, both at the level of individual countries and for the enlarged EU as a whole.

A major result of the project is the NEEDS Life Cycle Inventory Database of future electricity supply systems. The NEEDS LCI database contains international industrial life cycle inventory data on future electricity supply systems (advanced fossil, hydrogen, fuel cells, offshore wind, photovoltaics, solar thermal, biomass, advanced nuclear, wave energy, future material supply and future transport services.

The NEEDS consortium includes 66 partners, representing 26 Countries (12 Member States from the EU-15, 9 new EU Member States, 3 Mediterranean Countries, and 2 Countries from other parts of the World). It presents a balanced mix of Universities, Research Institutions (both public and private), Industry, NGOs. Most leading institutions in the area of energy externalities research are represented. NEEDS is supported by the Directorate General for Research of the European Commission in the context of the 6th Framework Programme.

Our staff contributed to the methodology development and was in charge of organising and co-ordinating data collection and supply, and of operating the central LCI database.