© European Union, 2020
Policymakers agree: targeted Research and Innovation in the technologies that secure a just and digital energy transition is key for Europe. And wind will have a major role to play as the leading delivering technology of the Green Deal objectives in all European Commission decarbonisation scenarios for 2050.
The European Commissioner for Innovation and Research Mariya Gabriel hosted the second edition of the European Research and Innovation days. 35,000 participants from 188 countries representing policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and general public discussed over three days how to shape the future Research & Innovation (R&I) policy in order to deliver climate neutrality at home and beyond by 2050.
High-level officials from all European Institutions – the Commission’s Executive Vice-Presidents Frans Timmermans and Margrethe Vestager, the European Parliament’s Chair of the Industry & Research Committee Christian-Silviu Bușoi, and the Council Presidency’s Anja Karliczek, German Federal Minister for Education & Research – agreed that European R&I efforts should be focused on the technologies that will deliver a just and digital energy transition such as renewables and wind energy.
ETIPWind stressed throughout the EU R&I Days that support is critical to retain Europe’s competitive edge in wind technologies. Targeted R&I and EU investment will be needed to reach the renewables targets for 2030 and 2050. And wind energy is today a key player in Europe’s industrial footprint with 300,000 people working in the sector and five out of the 10 largest wind turbine manufacturers in the world based in Europe.
This came in prominently first with regards to building up the strategic priorities of the Horizon Europe programme and the co-design of the “Climate, Energy & Mobility” work programme. The core of the discussion was focused on how to improve performance and competitiveness of wind and other renewables including in areas like recycling and renewables-based electrification technologies. The European Commission will consider the outcomes for the finalisation of the draft Strategic Plan document and the preparation of the first Horizon Europe Work programme. A final version is expected in early 2021.
Second with regards to the €1 bn European Green Deal call. This call is part of the Horizon 2020 (H2020) Programme and “Clean, affordable and secure energy” which will dedicate €68 million to support offshore wind and system integration. The priorities of the call are in line with the ETIPWind recommendations to accelerate the large-scale deployment of offshore renewable energy.
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Handover of the EU Missions final reports