High-performance, low-cost, low-carbon and sustainable energy

The EU’s strategy for innovation and energy technology is an integral part of the EU’s energy policy. It aims to further develop energy technology and innovation.

ACT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Energy technologies and innovation (COM(2013) 253 final of 2 May 2013)

SUMMARY

The EU’s strategy for innovation and energy technology is an integral part of the EU’s energy policy. It aims to further develop energy technology and innovation.

WHAT DOES THIS COMMUNICATION DO?

It lays out a strategy that complements existing legislation to ensure the EU continues to have a leading technology and innovation sector that can tackle the energy challenges for 2020 and beyond.

It aims to bring high performance, low-cost, low-carbon and sustainable energy technologies to the market, thus achieving objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

KEY POINTS

This communication encapsulates the principles of:

• looking at the whole energy system when setting priorities (i.e. how an individual technology impacts on the entire energy system);
• strengthening the link between innovation and energy policy;
• pooling financial resources for research and innovation; and
• focusing on technologies for post-2020.

The European Commission, alongside stakeholders in the EU’s strategic energy technology (SET) plan*, seeks to ensure the development (under the guidance of the SET plan steering group) of an integrated roadmap that:

• 1.

  consolidates technology roadmaps of the SET plan;

• 2.

  covers the entire research and innovation chain (from basic research to market roll-out); and

• 3.

  identifies clear roles and tasks for the various stakeholders, such as the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Furthermore, an action plan of joint and individual investments in support of the integrated roadmap is to be defined.

The Commission and EU countries are to strengthen the reporting and monitoring of the integrated roadmap and the action plan by means of the strategic energy technologies information system (SETIS) of the SET plan.

The Commission is to establish a coordination structure (under the steering group of the SET plan) to promote investments in research and innovation on energy efficiency.

The communication calls on the European Parliament and the European Council to:

• reaffirm their support of the SET plan;
• endorse the key principles and developments needed for energy technology and innovation across the EU; and
• support aligning EU, national and private resources to contribute to this strategy.

BACKGROUND

Low-carbon technologies (i.e. solar power, wind power or carbon capture and storage) have great potential in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), improving sustainable energy, creating jobs, economic growth and decreasing European reliance on external energy suppliers. However, innovation in this field is generally expensive, risky and slow, which is why a strategy for its development is needed.

For more information, see technology and innovation and the strategic energy technology plan on the European Commission’s website.

KEY TERMS

*The SET plan aims to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies. It promotes research, innovation and cooperation across Europe whilst seeking to improve technologies and bring down their costs.

last update 26.08.2015