Companies already based in the region, such as GlobalFoundries AG, and Plastic Logic Ltd., are expected to help achieve world-class results as well stimulating the growth of a nanoelectronics infrastructure in the region. Financial support from the authorities, plus the participants' own budgets, is expected to produce a total budget for the program of 150 million euro (about $200 million). The Cool-Silicon-Cluster is beginning with three lead projects, which are expected to spin-off dozens of other projects: Cool Computing, Cool Reader, and Cool Sensomet.

CoolComputing is expected to evaluate the entire value chain of computing platforms for energy efficiency. "To reach our goal we will optimize every part of the processor; even the circuit design and — by employing newly-developed intelligent software — the system integration of various electronic parts from the processor to the power supply," said Stephan Krueger of Globalfoundries AG, who heads up the project. "In earlier days we only used to ask: How can we make our chips faster? Today we ask: How can we make our chips more energy efficient and faster at the same time? We can expect that reduced energy consumption will also have a positive effect on the processor speed."

The Cool Reader project is expected to build on the presence of Plastic Logic in Dresden, while continuing to look at digital options for books and newspapers. "A new electronic mobile end-device will be developed, which replaces the good old newspaper or the book. It supplies itself almost completely with solar energy. As a result energy consumption in the sector of information transmission can be reduced to a third, for instance because less paper needs to be produced," said Professor Frank Ellinger of the Technical University of Dresden, head of communication technology within Cool Silicon.

The third anchor project is devoted to the development of sensor nodes with integrated acoustic piezoelectric sensors, which can be incorporated into the lightweight construction of wings made from carbon-fiber compound, and into other primary structural elements during fabrication of the airplane. If made sufficiently energy efficient these sensors can be powered by the mechanical vibration of the evaluated structure itself. Many other structures could be monitored by such sensor networks.