[en] The physics interest in a luminosity upgrade of RHIC requires the development of a cooling-frontier facility. Detailed cooling calculations have been made to determine the efficacy of electron cooling of the stored RHIC beams. This has been followed by beam dynamics simulations to establish the feasibility of creating the necessary electron beam. Electron cooling of RHIC at collisions requires electron beam energy up to about 54 MeV at an average current of between 50 to 100 mA and a particularly bright electron beam. The accelerator chosen to generate this electron beam is a superconducting Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) with a superconducting RF gun with a laser-photocathode. An intensive experimental R and D program engages the various elements of the accelerator: Photocathodes of novel design, superconducting RF electron gun of a particularly high current and low emittance, a very high-current ERL cavity and a demonstration ERL using these components