A GUIDE TO

EUROPEAN,

NATIONAL

AND INTERNATIONAL

ENERGY RESEARCH

PROGRAMMES

AND ORGANISATIONS

Energy Research in Europe

A GUIDE TO

EUROPEAN,

NATIONAL

AND INTERNATIONAL

ENERGY RESEARCH

PROGRAMMES

AND ORGANISATIONS

Energy Research in Europe

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This publication was produced by the Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC) consortium for the European Commission and represents the consortium’s views on the subject matter. These views have not been adopted or approved by the European Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the views of the European Commission.

The information in this document has been collected by the consortium partners (GOPA-Cartermill, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), ENEA, BIOIS, the Regional Environmental Centre (REC) and the European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER), by their network of national subcontractors as well as by voluntary contributors (including ERA-NET members, programme coordinators and members of the FP7 Energy Programme Committee or persons nominated by them).

Information has been provided for all EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Beyond the current Member States we are covering Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey, as well as selected countries outside Europe.

The following European national chapters have been validated by the sherpas of the SET-Plan Steering Group: Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland. The other European national chapters should be considered as work in progress and will be validated in a later updated version.

Additional information on energy research programmes and related projects is available on the Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC) portal at:setis.ec.europa.eu/energy-research

Manuscript completed March 2013EUR Number: 25927ISSN: 1018-5593ISBN: 978-92-79-29461-7Catalogue Number: LD-NA-25927-EN-NDOI: 10.2790/86778Publisher Name: Publications Office of the European UnionPublisher City: LuxembourgPublisher Country: Luxembourg

© European Union 2013Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.Cover: © GOPA-CartermillPrinted in Belgium

The 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that by 2050, the EU and other developed economies would need to achieve an 80–95 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels. If the EU is to achieve its energy and climate targets, however, business-as-usual and demand-side measures alone will not be enough.

In addition to existing mechanisms, policymakers are therefore looking to energy research to help bridge the gap. Energy technologies must become cleaner, safer and more affordable – meaning research and development (R&D) has to play a major role. A mix of several low-carbon energy technologies will be necessary: energy efficiency in buildings, carbon capture and storage, renewables, such as wind and solar photovoltaic, nuclear and new transport technologies.

Innovative low-carbon technologies are vital if Europe is to have any chance of delivering on the climate goals and its 20/20/20 targets. Just as the economic recession of 2008–2009 proved that the world had been living beyond its means, so climate change and the ‘energy crunch’ indicate that our current economic model is using up too many resources too fast. To deal with this crisis the world needs a new definition of global prosperity – and a green recovery plan.

Many governments are putting in place measures aimed at a ‘green recovery’ from the crisis, with the ultimate aim of supporting the transition to a low-carbon society. Although not formally adopted at either of the last two Conferences of the Parties (COPs) in Copenhagen (2009) and Cancun (2010), there is international consensus that some crucial aspects – such as the need for significant

reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and a strong role for technology (notably in the energy sector) – are necessary to meet this goal.

The widespread adoption and deployment of low-carbon technologies is a powerful tool to mitigate risks related to climate change and reduce resource depletion while enhancing economic development through, for example, investments in renewable energy sources and improved efficiency in the use of energy and materials.

At the same time, a green recovery can result in improved human well-being and social equity through increased employment opportunities and reductions in pollutants which can have negative impacts on human health.

The EU is committed to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time ensuring the EU’s security of energy supply and competitiveness. Focus on the development of low-carbon energy technologies is thus crucial. However, the necessary data on the extensive array of energy research and innovation programmes and projects is currently fragmented. It is often difficult to get a clear overview of the corresponding activities at the EU, Member State and private sector levels.

The Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC) developed under the SET-Plan Information System SETIS helps to bridge this information gap. It collects and organises validated, referenced information on energy research programmes and projects, including results and analyses from across the EU and beyond.

The ERKC vastly improves access to energy research knowledge, allowing this knowledge

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F O R E w O R D

to be exploited in a timely manner across the EU and thus increasing the pace of further innovation. The ERKC therefore has a key role in gathering and analysing data to monitor progress towards the objectives of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). It also brings important added value to the monitoring data by analysing trends in energy research at national and European levels and deriving thematic analyses and policy recommendations from the aggregated project results. Finally, the ERKC provides a much-needed platform for Europe’s energy research community and decision-makers.

The objective of the ERKC is that all the relevant energy research programmes and projects, whether funded by the EU or at Member-State level, are fully disseminated via the ERKC portal. We hope that this Compendium will prove to be a valuable information source on the wealth of energy research programmes and funding institutions.

The ERKC consortium

Executive summary 8

Research themes and prioritisation 8

Programmes and budgets 10

The organisation of energy research 10 funding in the EU varies among Member States

Activity in energy research programmes 11 is increasing and focusing on renewables and efficiency

New national energy RD&D budgets 11 move into clean energy and energy efficiency

International comparison of EU 13 energy RD&D spending

Introduction 15

What is the purpose of this compendium? 15

How is the document structured? 15

Where can I find out more? 15

How can I include my programme or 15 project in the ERKC?

Who do I contact to give feedback? 16

1. The ERKC portal: collecting, structuring and analysing information on energy research across Europe 17

ERKC framework 17

Scope 17

Focus themes 17

Comprehensive pool of projects and programmes 17

Variety of publications 17

Thematic Research Summaries 18

Dimensions of energy research 18

Policy Brochures 18

2. European and national energy research 19

Chapter structure 19

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3. International energy research 172

USA 174

jAPAN 179

CHINA 182

INDIA 186

BRAZIL 190

4. Themes and definitions 194

EU programmes 20

AUSTRIA 32

BELGIUM 38

BULGARIA 45

CROATIA 49

CYPRUS 53

CZECH REPUBLIC 56

DENMARK 60

ESTONIA 64

FINLAND 67

FRANCE 72

GERMANY 79

GREECE 85

HUNGARY 89

ICELAND 92

IRELAND 95

ITALY 101

LATVIA 105

LITHUANIA 107

LUXEMBOURG 110

MALTA 113

NETHERLANDS 116

NORWAY 121

POLAND 216

PORTUGAL 131

ROMANIA 134

SLOVAKIA 138

SLOVENIA 142

SPAIN 145

SWEDEN 148

SWITZERLAND 153

TURKEY 158

UNITED KINGDOM 163

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Figure 1: National research priorities.

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SET-Plan technologies8

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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

RESEARCH THEMES AND PRIORITISATION

The main drivers for energy research in Europe are mitigation of climate change, warranting security of supply and economic and industrial development. To support these goals the European Commission and all of its Member States have established energy research policy as part of their energy, climate and/or economic policy packages.

In its Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), the European Union has established seven technology focus areas, known as the SET-Plan technology areas: wind energy, solar energy, CCS, nuclear energy, bio energy, fuel cells &

hydrogen and electricity grids. Additionally, many Member States have defined their own specific energy technology priority areas.

For each technology, Figure 1 shows the number of Member States that includes it as a national focus area in its energy research policy. The SET-Plan technologies are all gathered on the left-hand side of Figure 1. The two categories on the right hand side refer to Member States that have established energy research policy, but do not distinguish specific technology areas in energy efficiency or renewable energy sources (res). The high score for these two categories originates from many Member States choosing to provide some support to all technologies, as well as focusing on a few specific areas.

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Table 1: Technology priorities per country.

SET Plan technologies

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AustriaBelgiumBulgariaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaNetherlandsPolandPortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenUnited KingdomCroatiaIcelandNorwaySwitzerlandTurkey

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

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There is good alignment between the national focus areas and the technology areas of the SET-Plan. Still, there is differentiation in the prioritization of SET-Plan technologies. For nuclear and bio energy there is more national interest than for wind, CCS and fuel cells & hydrogen. Specific national industrial interest and (dis)advantages in the geographic location of Member States may both limit the use of and/or attention for a certain technology. Table 1 shows the technological focus areas for each country, which is the basic data from which Figure 1 was constructed.

PROGRAMMES AND bUDGETS

The organisation of energy research funding in the EU varies among Member StatesThe country reports show little harmonization among Member States on how energy research funding is organised. All Member States have national energy research programmes, but the responsibility for the distribution and management of funding is organised in various ways. Apart from that, Member States use

various types of programmes to manage and distribute funds for energy research over research institutes and businesses.

Most programmes have a fixed start and end date, but open-end programmes also exist.

Programmes may have a fixed budget for their entire duration or receive annually determined budgets.

There are programmes that receive 100 % public funding and programmes that require various ranges of co-funding from industry or other parties.

Some programmes focus on a specific energy technology, but most programmes cover energy technology in general or technology development in general.

The main objectives of programmes differ. There are pure research programmes, but also industrial development programmes.

The responsible party for the management of a programme range from ministries to government agencies to public-private partnerships.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

AustriaCzech RepublicDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyNetherlandsPortugalSlovak RepublicSpainSwedenUnited Kingdom

Total RD&D budget by country in € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Figure 2: Total national energy RD&D expenditure in € million (source : IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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Activity in energy research programmes is increasing and focusing on renewables and efficiencyThe national spending in programmes on energy research that are registered in the ERKC database is presented in in the country reports for each of the EU-27 Member States, the European Commission, Brazil, China, Croatia, Iceland, India, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA.

The lion’s share of the EU-27 total budget for energy research is spent in programmes running between 2006 and 2016. Over this period, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom have the largest national budgets in the EU-27. In 2010, two thirds of the public expenditure on energy research was funded directly by Member States through their own policies, the rest was contributed via programmes under the European Commission.

In 2010, the combined European Commission and Member State public funding of energy research was roughly twice that of the USA, both in absolute and in GDP terms. Japan spent

only half the European budget in absolute terms. However, in terms of GDP, Japan spent significantly larger amounts on energy research than the European Commission and its Member States combined.

A recent increase in programmes running in parallel is observed for most Member States. The majority of these programmes include support for clean energy and energy efficiency research. This implies that in the EU, these areas receive increasing attention in national energy research policies.

New national energy RD&D budgets move into clean energy and energy efficiencyFigure 2 shows the total national energy RD&D budgets for a selection of EU Member States between 2000 and 2010. As a general trend, one can observe a slight increase in national RD&D budgets since 2007. The total national energy RD&D budgets are distributed over various energy sectors. Figure 3 presents the specific national budgets for renewable energy, energy efficiency, fossil fuels and nuclear energy1.

1 Figures 2, 3 and 4 rely on data from the IEA Beyond 2020 database. Under auspices of SETIS, similar information will be collected by ERKC to complement the IEA data with figures from the non-IEA members of the EU Member States.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

Renewables RD&D budget by country in € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Figure 3a: National RD&D expenditure in € million on (a) renewable energy, (b) energy efficiency, (c) fossil fuels and (d) nuclear energy (source : IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

Austria

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Energy Efficiency RD&D budget by country in € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Fossil Fuel RD&D budget per country by € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Figure 3b: National RD&D expenditure in € million on (a) renewable energy, (b) energy efficiency, (c) fossil fuels and (d) nuclear energy (source : IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

Figure 3c: National RD&D expenditure in € million on (a) renewable energy, (b) energy efficiency, (c) fossil fuels and (d) nuclear energy (source : IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

Austria

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Nuclear RD&D budget by country in € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Figure 3d: National RD&D expenditure in € million on (a) renewable energy, (b) energy efficiency, (c) fossil fuels and (d) nuclear energy (source : IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

Austria

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While the total annual energy RD&D budgets only slightly increase, the RD&D budgets for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Figure 3a and b show a relatively large increase for all Member States. The RD&D budgets for fossil fuel and nuclear energy in Figure 3c and d are slightly decreasing in some countries, and slightly increasing in others. In absolute numbers France mobilises the highest budgets for nuclear and fossil fuel RD&D in the EU even with a decreasing trend in the considered period. Overall, the total RD&D budgets for fossil fuels and nuclear energy remain roughly constant.

Figure 3 indicates that on a national level, the slightly increasing total budget for energy RD&D generally benefits renewable energy and energy efficiency. This confirms our earlier observation of the increasing number of energy research programmes for 2006-2016. There is an increasing attention to renewable energy and energy efficiency research while the budgets for traditional energy sources are not changing significantly.

International comparison of EU energy RD&D spendingFigure 4 shows a comparison of energy research budgets in terms of GDP for a selection of EU Member States with Japan and the United States between 2000 and 2010. In general the energy RD&D spending in the EU is similar to the United States and until 2007 below Japan’s investment in energy research.

Only since recent years, national energy research budgets in Europe are increasing. However, apart from the three exceptions Finland, Hungary and Denmark, the national energy research budgets are far below those of Japan and for some Member States below those of the United States. Although Europe has globally positioned itself with strong targets on emission reduction, energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, its overall research budgets do not change significantly. Member States seem to implement these policies through a different

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Figure 4 as recently, it has increased its energy research budget significantly more than the other countries. Figure 3 indicates that most of this increase was spent on energy efficiency RD&D.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

allocation of more or less stable RD&D budgets in favour of these targets.

Historically Finland has been the Member State with the largest spending on energy research compared to its GDP. Finland stands out in

AustriaBelgiumCzech RepublicDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyJapanNetherlandsNorwayPortugalSlovak RepublicSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUnited KingdomUnited States

Total RD&D budget by country in € million (2011 prices and exch. rates).

Figure 4: National spending on energy RD&D per thousand units of GDP for a selection of EU Member States, Japan and the USA (source: IEA database ‘Beyond 2020’).

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

wHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPENDIUM?

This Compendium provides summary information on the outputs of the Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC), the free-of-charge web portal dedicated to energy research in Europe. As part of the SET-Plan Information System SETIS, the ERKC portal collects, organises and provides analyses of validated and referenced information on energy research programmes and projects, and their results and implications across the EU and beyond. The ERKC portal has been developed as the leading portal on energy research by the ERKC project consortium and is funded by the European Commission.

This Compendium is designed as a primary information source for energy and energy research policymakers, research managers and officers at European, national and local level. It provides an overview of how the funding of energy research is organised at European and national levels, together with information on the most important programmes and a directory of funding organisations. It also includes a synopsis of thematic definitions across all energy technologies and application fields that are covered within the ERKC.

HOw IS THE DOCUMENT STRUCTURED?

Following this introduction, Chapter 1 sheds light on the rationale behind the ERKC project, particularly the methodology used to collect, monitor and analyse energy research programmes and projects across Europe. It also contains a short description and explanation of forthcoming key publications such as Thematic Research Summaries and Policy Brochures.

Chapter 2 describes the various approaches to the funding of energy research taken by the EU and each of the focus countries: the 27 EU Member States, three EFTA members, one EU Acceding and one EU Candidate Country. It also includes a list of the main energy research programmes and a directory of the main funding organisations involved.

Chapter 3 describes the approaches to the funding of energy research taken by a selection of international organisations and countries beyond Europe.

Chapter 4 provides short definitions of each of the 45 themes we have chosen to use when categorising energy research projects in the ERKC. These themes will also be used to summarise the relevant research results in our Thematic Research Summaries.

wHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

This Compendium provides a snapshot of the key energy research funding strategies and programmes, and the main funding organisations at European, national and international level in 2013. More extensive information about the programmes cited and others, including examples of projects and contact details for programme coordinators and secretariats, can be found on the ERKC portal at:setis.ec.europa.eu/energy-research

The ERKC portal also features details of the projects conducted under these programmes, including project results and analytical findings about the research conducted. Further information can also be found on many of the programme websites given in this document.

The information in this Compendium has been taken from a variety of sources, including websites of ministries, funding agencies and other institutions. More information can also be found on the websites listed under each country section.

HOw CAN I INCLUDE MY PROGRAMME OR PROjECT IN THE ERKC?

Although the ERKC portal is in the build-up phase, it already hosts information on about 180 energy research programmes and some 500 projects from across the European Research Area, at both national and European levels. The ERKC team is continuing to expand

AustriaBelgiumCzech RepublicDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyJapanNetherlandsNorwayPortugalSlovak RepublicSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUnited KingdomUnited States

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the database and expects to be able to provide access to over 200 programmes and about 5 000 project entries by mid-2014.

Energy research programme managers and project leaders can provide information about their own programmes or projects by joining the ERKC community at:setis.ec.europa.eu/energy-research

wHO DO I CONTACT TO GIVE FEEDbACK?

We welcome your comments on the content of this Compendium. If you have new or additional information to provide on the country and programme data, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to take into account any relevant information, and update accordingly the country and programme pages on the European Commission’s ERKC website.

To contact us please send an email to: erkc@biois.com

I N T R O D U C T I O N

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1. The ERKC portal: collecting, structuring and analysing information on energy research across Europe

FOCUS THEMES

The EU promotes research, technological development and demonstration through programmes stimulating cooperation between different research actors within and outside Europe. To take account of the large variety of energy research topics, and to enable easier searching and analysis, we have structured the various themes by priority and research focus. The thematic structure of the ERKC has therefore been categorised into 45 themes covering nine priority areas, as shown in the table below. Further information on the definition of these 45 themes can be found in Chapter 4.

COMPREHENSIVE POOL OF PROjECTS AND PROGRAMMES

The ERKC portal provides a thematically classified and comprehensive database of EU and national energy research programmes. These are presented in a unique structure based on advanced web technologies, allowing users to search the ERKC and external databases from a single interface. At the time of launching the portal, some 180 energy research programmes and some 500 projects are featured. The aim is to successively increase the number of project entries to 5 000. Some 400 of these will feature detailed descriptions and analyses of project results, many including final reports or other relevant documents.

VARIETY OF PUbLICATIONS

The ERKC project offers a wide range of publications focused on the challenges that energy research faces and showcasing the various ways in which new ideas are being implemented.

Through a series of Thematic Research Summaries and Policy Brochures we will provide energy research policymakers, decision-makers

ERKC FRAMEwORK

The Energy Research Knowledge Centre (ERKC) is a three-year project (2011–2014) funded by the European Commission. The scope of the project includes collecting in-depth information on energy research programmes and projects. Using a common set of categories we disseminate structured results and analysis of energy research programmes and projects, supported both at EU and national level.

SCOPE

The objective of energy research under FP7 is to aid the creation and establishment of the technologies necessary to move the current energy system towards one that is more sustainable, competitive and secure. The future energy system should also use a more diverse mix of energy sources, in particular renewables, new energy carriers and non-polluting sources.

EU energy research policy is framed by European policies on energy, climate and research. The technology pillar of Europe’s energy policy is the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), in which international cooperation plays an important role. The EU supports research over a broad portfolio of energy technologies: renewable energy (such as bioenergy, solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, geothermal energy), advanced fossil fuels and carbon capture and storage technologies, nuclear fission, smart electricity grids, energy efficiency, fuel cells and hydrogen, socio-economic research, materials, and future and emerging technologies.

A key objective of the ERKC is to gather information that contributes to the monitoring of the SET-Plan objectives. In addition to that, the scope of coverage will initially focus on those projects which contribute to the 20/20/20 targets and the 2050 visions, but may be progressively expanded as necessary.

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and researchers with high-quality information about energy research activities and their results throughout Europe, thus offering them a greater insight into the impact and implications of energy research on related policy.

THEMATIC RESEARCH SUMMARIES

The Thematic Research Summaries provide an overview of innovative research results relevant to the 45 themes which have been identified as of particular interest to policymakers and researchers. They are drawn up so as to provide specific information about particular themes and present research results with their immediate implications.

Each Thematic Research Summary comprises a section describing the issues relevant to the

theme, a synthesis of findings from completed projects and their implications for further research, and ‘Technology Mapping’ and ‘Capacities Mapping’ sections which show how the projects relate to the SET-Plan.

POLICY bROCHURES

The Policy Brochures highlight the policy implications of the results of energy research projects. They are principally designed for policymakers and their advisers within the European institutions and in national and, where relevant, regional and local governments.

All Policy Brochures follow a standard structure which addresses the policy background, existing research needs, relevant research programmes and research results, and their policy

Priority area 1: Low-carbon heat and power supply

Bioenergy / Geothermal / Ocean energy / Photovoltaics / Concentrated solar power / Wind Hydropower / Advanced fossil fuel power generation / Fossil fuel with CCS / Nuclear fission

Nuclear fusion / Cogeneration / Heating and cooling from renewable sources

Priority area 2: Alternative fuels and energy sources for transportBiofuels / Hydrogen and fuel cells / Other alternative transport fuels

Priority area 3: Smart cities and communitiesSmart electricity grids / Behavioural aspects - SCC / Small scale electricity storage /

Energy savings in buildings / ICT in energy / Smart district heating and cooling grids - demand Energy savings in appliances / Building energy system integration

Priority area 4: Smart grids

Transmission / Distribution / Storage / Smart district heating and cooling grids - supply Priority area 5: Energy efficiency in industry

Process efficiency / Ancillary equipment Priority area 6: New knowledge and technologies

Basic research / Materials

Priority area 7: Energy innovation and market uptake

Techno-economic assessment / Life-cycle assessment Cost-benefit analysis (Market-) decision support tools / Security-of-supply studies / Private investment assessment

Priority area 8: Socio-economic analysis

Public acceptability / User participation / Behavioural aspects

Priority area 9: Policy studiesMarket uptake support / Modelling and scenarios / Environmental impacts / International cooperation

DIMENSIONS OF ENERGY RESEARCH

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2. European and national energy research

CHAPTER STRUCTURE

The first section introduces the programmes at European level. It is followed by an overview of the 32 European countries in alphabetical order according to their names in English. For each country overview there is:

A short introduction outlining the main themes of energy research funded by the country concerned.

Brief explanations of the how the funding of energy research is organised. In most cases a chart maps out the government departments, state agencies and other organisations involved.

Information about selected programmes funded at national level. This includes a table listing the programme name, budget, time-frame and funding organisation. For each programme there is also a brief description of its scope, including a link to the specific programme website if there is one, or to another page providing further information about the programme. Note that many programme websites are in the national language only.

A list of national government departments and other organisations involved in energy research funding. For each organisation there is a brief description and a link to its website.

The budget figures appearing in the country chapters may be approximate, depending on the precision of the information available at the time of writing. This is especially the case for the countries outside the euro area, where budgets have been converted from the original currency into euro to facilitate comparison.

The following chapter provides an overview of energy research across Europe. It includes the EU level, 27 Member States of the European Union, three EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), one Acceding Country (Croatia) and one Candidate Country (Turkey). The programmes included are those oriented towards energy research and technological development and innovation rather than implementation or deployment, although some programmes include elements of both. A programme may be a formal grouping of projects, or it may be simply a loose group of projects funded by a certain ministry or other body on an ad-hoc basis. Semi-state and non-governmental bodies, such as research institutions which fund their own internal programmes, are also included. However, private research which is commercially confidential and not disseminated is not included.

Many programmes have a number of sub-programmes. Only the high-level programmes are listed in this section. However, energy research is sometimes included in a large programme that also includes other non-energy related themes and sub-programmes. In such cases only the parts relevant to energy are described.

It should also be noted that the list of energy research programmes in each country is not necessarily exhaustive. For reasons of space we have had to make a selection, and for many countries there may be a number of smaller research programmes implemented at national or regional level in addition to those included here.

implications. They identify issues for future research, highlighting information that may be relevant for EU and national policies in the field.

Thematic Research Summaries and Policy Brochures will become successively available from mid-2013 and can be downloaded at:setis.ec.europa.eu/energy-research

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Research themes and prioritisationEnergy research in the EU is driven by the EU energy and climate policy, which aims to establish a sustainable, secure and competitive energy system. This aim is implemented by making energy technologies cleaner, safer and more affordable. EU research policy supports these requirements by providing an effective R&D framework, tools and information.

Specific targets related to climate and energy are included in the Europe 2020 strategy, which sets the EU’s growth strategy for the current decade. At the same time, the Energy 2020 strategy puts forward the concept of sustainable growth by setting three specific EU targets:• A reduction of at least 20 % in greenhouse gas

(GHG) emissions by 2020 (compared to 1990), rising to 30 % if the conditions are right1

• A 20 % share of renewables in the EU’s energy consumption by 2020

• A 20 % reduction of the EU’s total primary energy consumption by 2020 through increased energy efficiency (compared to projected 2020 levels).

In 2008, the European Commission proposed the Climate and Energy Package as binding legislation to achieve the 20/20/20 targets. The package became law a year later and imposes complementary legislation in areas such as strengthening of the Emissions Trading System (ETS).

In 2011, the European Commission set long-term targets by adopting the Low-Carbon Road-map 2050 (covering all sectors of the economy) and the Energy Roadmap 2050 (specifically for the energy sector). Through these two docu-ments the EU committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 80–95 % below 1990 levels by 2050. The Roadmaps serve as a basis to de-velop a common long-term European framework in energy and climate change.

The policy framework for energy research at EU level is spearheaded by the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), which acts as the

technology pillar of energy and climate policy in the EU. The SET-Plan was adopted by the European Commission in 2008 with the aim of putting in place an energy technology policy for Europe. The main objective of the initiative is to enhance the development of low-carbon energy technology solutions leading to their market uptake, while boosting European competitiveness in the field. It is also one of the initiatives that contribute to two Flagship Initiatives, ‘Innovation Union’ and “Resource Efficient Europe’, and it is a vehicle to promote renewable sources of energy.

Key components of SET-Plan implementation include:• Joint large-scale technology development

projects. These include six European Industrial Initiatives (EIIs) on Wind, Solar (both concentrated solar and photovoltaic), Carbon Capture and Storage, Electricity Grids, Bioenergy, and Nuclear Fission, and one Joint Technology Initiative on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen.

• The Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership. This proposes the pooling of resources to support the demonstration of energy, transport, and information and communication technologies (ICT) in urban areas. The energy, transport and ICT sectors are invited to work together with cities to combine their technologies to address cities’ needs.

• European Energy Research Alliance Joint Programmes (EERA JPs). JPs were created in 2010 in the areas of Photovoltaics, Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy and Smart Grids. In 2011 another six EERA JPs were launched on Advanced Materials and Processes for Energy Application (AMPEA), Concentrated Solar Power, Energy Storage, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen, Ocean Energy and Smart Cities.

Energy research in the EU stretches across a large number of fields beyond those mentioned above. It is also funded by a wide range of programmes, including ones that are only indirectly related to energy, such as FP7 Environment and FP7 Transport.

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1 i.e. if there is an international agreement committing other developed countries to ‘comparable emission reductions’ and ‘economically more advanced developing countries to contributing adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities’.

Other FP7 Cooperation themes also include some energy-related projects

European Industrial Initiatives

joint Technology Initiative Community and International Initiative

Figure 1: Organisational structure of energy research in the EU.

FP7Environment

Wind

FP7 (Horizon 2020 from 2014)

SET-Plan (planning,implementation, resources,international co-operation)

European Energy Research Alliance

European Energy Programme for Recovery

Other initiatives that support some energy research: NER300, Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, LIFE+ etc.

Research Fund for Coal and Steel

FP7 ICT

Solar

Fuel Cells andHydrogen Nuclear fusion (ITER)

FP7 Energy

FP7Transport

Electricity Grids

EuratomFissionEuratomFusion FP7 KBBE

CCS

ERA - NETs

FP7 NMP

Nuclear Fission

FP7 Security

Bio-Energy

FP7 jTI

Smart Cities

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Organisation of researchEU activities in the field of research aim to develop a common policy, improve co-ordination and promote the use of science in policymaking. Research is promoted through programmes that promote co-operation among actors within and outside Europe. The EU also plays a key role in promoting the dissemination of research results, and the training and mobility of researchers,

engineers and technicians. All these activities complement the research being carried out at Member State level. The EU dedicates considerable resources to supporting research, but much funding is made available at national level. Efforts are therefore being made at EU level to improve the effectiveness and coherence of the research effort at both EU and Member State levels.

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The SET-Plan’s joint technology projects play an important role in this effort. They define a common vision of the energy system and the tools to achieve it, thus implementing the concept of the European Research Area (ERA) in the energy field. The ERA concept was established in 2000 with a view to bringing national research activities closer together and increasing collaboration between Member States, for example through the development of common research agendas on selected topics.

Figure 1 shows a broad outline of the structure of energy research in the EU. The EU, mainly through the European Commission, designs and implements energy research in the EU with the help of stakeholders including Member States, industry and research bodies. The role of each stakeholder at the various stages of research varies between different programmes.

Energy research is implemented mainly through the SET-Plan and the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), including their respective components. Although the diagram shows these programmes separately, in practice they are closely linked since the majority of FP7 energy topics are in line with the objectives of the SET-Plan’s Industrial Initiatives. Such links exist in other programmes, too. For example, the European Technology Platforms have contributed to the definition of the FP7’s Cooperation themes, while the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) addresses key challenges and priorities for projects in the field of gas and electricity infrastructure, as well as offshore wind energy (OWE) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) identified in the SET-Plan (see below).

Programmes and budgetEnergy-related research and demonstration is supported by FP7-Energy, the European Energy Programme for Recovery and other programmes, shown in Table 1. Table 2 shows the indicative breakdown of Horizon 2020, with energy research to be funded under

III.3 Secure, clean and efficient energy and also other lines.

Programmes and initiatives

European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)Adopted in 2008, the SET-Plan provides the energy research policy framework of the EU. Key components in the SET-Plan are its joint large-scale technology development projects. These include six European Industrial Initiatives (EIIs) on Wind, Solar (both concentrated solar and photovoltaic), Carbon Capture and Storage, Electricity Grids, Bioenergy and Nuclear Fission, and one Joint Undertaking on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen. The SET-Plan also encompasses the SET-Plan Information System (SETIS), the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) and the SET-Plan Steering Group.

EERA was founded by leading European research institutes and aims to accelerate the development of new energy technologies with the help of Joint Research Programmes supporting the SET-Plan by concentrating activities and resources, combining national and EU sources of funding, and maximising complementarities and synergies. It works by identifying and defining Joint Programmes of research, sharing information and strategic plans, and engaging proactively with industry.

SETIS, led by the JRC, is the European Commission’s Information System for the SET-Plan. It supports the strategic planning and implementation of the SET-Plan. The Energy Research Knowledge Centre in turn facilitates the efforts of SETIS to analyse trends in energy research activities at national and European levels, derive thematic analyses and policy recommendations from the aggregated project results, and provide a platform for Europe’s energy research community.

The SET-Plan instituted the SET-Plan Steering Group to ensure the implementation and

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joint planning of its initiatives. The Steering Group consists of High Level representatives from Member States and the European Commission. The European Commission provides the Chair and Secretariat and each Member State can designate up to two representatives, usually from their energy and

research authorities.setis.ec.europa.eu/about-setis

Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)FP7 is the chief EU instrument for funding scientific research and technological development over the period 2007–2013.

Table 1: Main funding programmes related to energy research at European level.

Programme name Funding organisation

Budget Time period

FP7 Cooperation – Energy European Commission – DG RTD and DG ENER

€2 350 m 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

European Commission – DG RTD

€2 002 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP)

European Commission – DG RTD

€1 244 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Transport European Commission – DG RTD and DG MOVE

€827 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Environment (Including Climate Change)

European Commission – DG RTD

€414 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE)

European Commission – DG RTD

€270 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Cooperation – Security European Commission – DG RTD

€109 m* 2007–2013

FP7 Euratom: Nuclear Fission and Radiation Protection

European Commission – DG RTD and jRC

€287 m 2007–2013

FP7 Euratom: Fusion Energy Research European Commission – DG RTD and jRC

€1 947 m 2007–2013

Research Fund for Coal and Steel EU (assets of European Coal and Steel Community)

€27 m 2012

European Energy Programme for Recovery (budget of sub-programmes for CCS and offshore wind)

European Commission – DG ENER

€1 565 m 2009 onwards

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)

European Commission (several DGs)

€1 554 m* 2007–2013

LIFE+ European Commission – DG ENV

€67 m 2007–2013

NER300 Member States, EIB, European Commission

Revenues from sale of 300 million CO2 emission allowances

2011 onwards

* This is the total budget, only a small share goes to energy-related research..

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One of the objectives of FP7 is the development and promotion of technologies that are necessary to establish a safe, sustainable and competitive energy supply.

Energy research activities under FP7 aim to:• Improve energy efficiency throughout the

energy system, taking into account overall environmental performance;

• Accelerate the penetration of renewables;• Decarbonise power generation and, in the

longer term, substantially decarbonise transport;

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;• Diversify Europe’s energy mix;• Enhance the competitiveness of European

industry.

Energy is addressed in several FP7 activities that are aligned with the SET-Plan. FP7 is made up of four specific programmes, namely Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities, and a programme on nuclear research. Most activities related to energy are funded through the Cooperation Programme. The Cooperation specific programme supports a wide range of transnational research in 10 different areas, notably Energy. Energy-related research is also partly addressed in other cross-cutting FP7 themes, such as ‘Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology’ (Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy), ‘Information and Communication Technologies’, ‘Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies, ‘Environment (Including Climate Change)’ and ‘Transport (Including Aeronautics)’. These themes often cover issues related to energy or energy efficiency.

Energy research is also supported by the specific programmes People (particularly the ‘Marie Curie’ programme) and Ideas, which is implemented through the European Research Council (ERC). In some cases resource efforts are directed through a Joint Technology Initiative (JTI). JTIs are long-term public-private partnerships that are set up

when the objective of the research and the resources involved can justify this approach.

FP7 provides grants to researchers and research projects and helps bring together different organisations active in a wide range of research areas. It is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research (DG RTD), with the FP7 Energy programme being co-managed with DG ENER.

Another key component of FP7 is Euratom, which is legally separate from the EU institutions but is managed by EU institutions, namely the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and DG RTD.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm

Below are short descriptions of the FP7 themes that relate directly or indirectly to energy, most of them under the specific programme Cooperation. They are followed by a description of Horizon 2020, which will replace FP7 for the next research funding period.

FP7 Cooperation – EnergyFocus is given to the following activities:• Hydrogen and fuel cells – complementing

electricity production;• Renewable electricity generation –

increasing conversion and cost efficiency and lowering the environmental burden;

• Renewable fuel production – improvement of fuel production and conversion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels from biomass;

• Renewables for heating and cooling – development of passive heating and cooling systems with the use of renewable energy sources;

• CO2 capture and storage technologies for zero-emission power generation – increasing cost-effectiveness and safety;

• Clean coal technologies – closely connected to the activity on CO2 capture and storage technologies, this activity aims to minimise CO2 emissions;

• Smart energy networks – enhancing the efficiency and safety of electricity and gas networks;

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• Energy efficiency and savings – developing new technological concepts for improved efficiency of energy consumption;

• Knowledge for energy policymaking – assessment of social and economic issues to support policymaking.

cordis.europa.eu/fp7/energy/home_en.html

FP7 Cooperation – Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)The main objective of ICT research under FP7 is to increase the competitiveness of EU industry and to strengthen the European scientific and technology base. Several projects carried out under this programme address ICT related to energy, such as in renewable energy technologies and ICT for energy efficiency.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict

FP7 Cooperation – Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP)This research theme aims to develop knowledge-based traditional industries and new high-added-value products. NMP addresses energy through several material-related projects in areas such as batteries and building efficiency.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/nanotechnology_en.html

FP7 Cooperation – TransportFP7 Transport covers energy-related aspects of transport research in aeronautics and air transport (including the greening of air transport) and sustainable surface transport (rail, road and waterborne, including the greening of these modes). cordis.europa.eu/fp7/transport

FP7 Cooperation – Environment (Including Climate Change)FP7-Environment funds some research topics that include energy-related issues such as climate change mitigation, sustainable consumption patterns and life-cycle assessments of technologies.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/environment

FP7 Cooperation – Knowledge-based bio-Economy (KbbE)The primary aim of funding the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology research theme is to build a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE). The scope of this programme includes energy, since it addresses the cultivation and use of biomass as well as energy efficiency in the agricultural sector.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/kbbe/

FP7 Cooperation – SecurityFP7 Security focuses on increasing the security of citizens, infrastructure and utilities. Security-related research also contributes to developing technologies and capabilities in support of other European Community policies in areas including energy. Energy research under FP7 Security includes, for example, the analysis of security in infrastructure (including energy networks). cordis.europa.eu/fp7/security/

FP7 joint Technology Initiatives (jTIs)Transnational co-operation is promoted within the framework of FP7 through JTIs. JTIs are long-term public-private partnerships that promote research supported by a combination of private (or national) and European funding. In line with the Cooperation Programme, the following energy-related JTIs have been set up:• Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) – part of

the SET-Plan Industrial Initiatives, this aims to develop and commercialise hydrogen technologies and fuel cells (€840 million);

• Aeronautics and Air Transport (Clean Sky) – promotes the development of environmentally-friendly aircraft (€1 600 million); and

• Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMIS) – aims to reinforce EU leadership in embedded computing systems (€2 700 million).

ec.europa.eu/research/jti/index_en.cfm?pg=home

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FP7 Euratom – Nuclear Fission and Radiation ProtectionThe objectives of the FP7 Euratom thematic area of Nuclear Fission and Radiation Protection are to:• Establish a sound scientific and technical

basis to accelerate practical developments for the safer management of long-lived radioactive waste;

• Enhance the safety performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy;

• Ensure a robust and socially acceptable system of protection of man and the environment against the effects of ionising radiation.

cordis.europa.eu/fp7/euratom/home_en.html

FP7 Euratom – Fusion Energy ResearchThe objectives of the FP7 Euratom thematic area of Fusion Energy Research are to:• Develop the knowledge base for the

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER);

• Make ITER a major step towards the creation of prototype reactors for power stations that are safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically viable.

cordis.europa.eu/fp7/euratom/home_en.html

Other relevant energy research programmes at European level are described below.

ERA-NETThe objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up co-operation and co-ordination in research activities carried out at national or regional levels in Member States and Associated States through the networking of research activities conducted at national or regional level.

The scheme contributes to making a reality of the European Research Area (ERA) by improving the coherence and coordination of research programmes across Europe. It also aims to enable national systems to take on

tasks collectively that they would not have been able to tackle independently.

The main active ERA-NETs for the Thematic Priority Energy are ERA-NET Bioenergy (BIOENERGY), Initiative for Fossil Energy Technologies towards Zero Emission Power Plant (FENCO-NET), Networking and Integration of National and Regional Programmes in the Field of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (PV-ERANET 2) and Geothermal ERA-NET.

ERA-NETs are linked to FP7, not as a stand-alone programme but as an implementation tool that is used mainly in the context of the specific programme Coordination. In this context, ERA-Nets are implemented by national and regional authorities and the European Commission supports the research activities by providing a co-ordination framework.

The total budget of the energy-related projects co-ordinated by ERA-NETs reached around €194 billion in the period 2004–2012. This funding was provided mainly by national sources.netwatch.jrc.ec.europa.eu/home

European Technology PlatformsThe European Technology Platforms (ETPs) are established as industry-led initiatives with the aim of bringing together all relevant stakeholders to develop a strategy for leading technologies. ETPs are not funding programmes but define research objectives and roadmaps with a medium- to long-term horizon. The overall objective is to create synergies among the different research actors, which apart from industry also include public authorities, research institutions, the financial community and civil society. Individual ETPs have been developed in the areas of Biofuels, Smart Grids, Wind Energy, Photovoltaics, Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants, Sustainable Nuclear Energy, and Renewable Heating and Cooling.

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ETPs provide a more stable co-operation framework at the sectoral level. Specifically, ETPs are led by industry and the aim is to define research priorities in areas that will require major technological developments in the medium to long term. ETPs are established through dialogue among national government representatives and public and industry researchers, which fosters the development of effective public-private partnerships.cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms

Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS)The Research Fund for Coal and Steel supplements the Seventh Framework Programme by supporting research in steel- and coal-related areas. It generates revenues from the assets of the European Coal and Steel Community, which were transferred to the European Union in 2002.

The projects financed by RFCS cover several energy-related topics in the areas of production processes and reduction of CO2 emissions. The use of coal as a clean energy source is also included in the scope of this research programme. The programme distributes total financing of approximately €55 million per year, of which an estimated €27 million is for energy research.

RFCS complements FP7 but is managed separately. RFCS is managed by the European Commission, the Coal and Steel Committee (COSCO), the Coal and Steel Advisory Groups (CAG, SAG) and 12 Technical Groups. RFCS supports research in the coal and steel sectors, a significant amount of which is related to energy.cordis.europa.eu/coal-steel-rtd/home_en.html

European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR)The European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) was set up in 2009 to speed up investment in energy infrastructure and technology and to boost economic recovery in Europe. EEPR is managed by

DG ENER and co-finances energy projects to make energy supply in the EU more reliable and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EEPR funds projects in three main areas:• Gas and electricity infrastructure – supports

activities in gas interconnectors, reverse flow gas projects, electricity interconnectors and small island projects;

• Offshore wind energy (OWE) – promotes the development of large-scale OWE projects, including the grid integration of wind;

• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) – supports CCS pilot projects in the EU.

In 2011 as part of EEPR, the European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEE-F) was established to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The Fund was initiated by the European Commission in co-operation with the European Investment Bank. The EEPR is relevant to energy research insofar as its sub-programmes for CCS and OWE contribute to financing innovative demonstration projects (see http://setis.ec.europa.eu/implementation/eepr). EEPR was introduced as a key element of economic recovery from the effects of the financial crisis. The total budget for the two sub-programmes is €1 565 million. Commitments had to be made by the end of 2010.ec.europa.eu/energy/eepr/index_en.htm

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) supports innovation activities and provides better access to finance with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of EU businesses, in particular SMEs. The CIP has three operational programmes, namely the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP), the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP), and the Intelligent Energy Europe programme (IEE). ec.europa.eu/cip

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CIP / Entrepreneurship and Innovation ProgrammeThis programme seeks to support innovation in SMEs. The Eco-innovation initiative in particular aims to promote innovative products, processes and services which would lower the environmental impact of the economy. Although Eco-innovation does not address energy directly, projects are funded that relate indirectly to energy saving, energy efficiency etc. The initiative funds pilot and market replication projects as well as networks of national and regional actors. EIP has an overall budget of €2 166 million for the period 2007–2013. It is managed by the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry (DG ENTR) in conjunction with the Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN). Eco-innovation is managed by DG ENV.ec.europa.eu/cip/eip/index_en.htm

CIP / Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP)ICT PSP aims to stimulate innovation and competitiveness through the wider uptake and best use of ICT by citizens, governments and businesses, in particular SMEs. ICT PSP has funded several ICT projects for a low-carbon economy and smart mobility, in particular for energy efficiency. The programme has a budget of €728 million (2007–2013) and is managed by the Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect).ec.europa.eu/cip/ict-psp/index_en.htm

CIP / Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE)The IEE focuses solely on energy-related issues and supports organisations in three main themes, which also form the key funding areas of the programme:• Energy efficiency and the rational use of

energy (SAVE) – focuses mainly on industry, products and buildings;

• New and renewable resources (ALTENER) – aims to increase the share of renewable sources in the production of electricity,

heat and cooling; and • Energy in transport (STEER) – seeks to achieve energy savings in the transport sector.

IEE also supports integrated projects in several economic sectors in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable resources. The budget is €727 million for the period 2007-2013. IEE is mainly managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI). ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent

LIFE+LIFE+ runs from 2007 to 2013 and is the current phase of a series of programmes first introduced in 1992. It funds both private and public bodies registered in the EU and covers mainly demonstration projects on a wide range of environmental topics including energy and climate. The specific energy-related areas include energy production and distribution, renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency in areas such as industry, services, buildings, transport, lighting and equipment, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gases. The total budget of the programme is €2 143 million.ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

NER300NER300 is a financing instrument managed jointly by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and Member States to set aside 300 million CO2 emission allowances for subsidising installations of innovative renewable energy technology and CCS. The first proposals were received in May 2011 and the second call took place in April 2013. Along with CCS, the categories of renewable energy technology that are eligible for support are biofuels, concentrated solar power, solar photovoltaic, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and the grid integration of renewable electricity capacity. These categories have been split further into up to nine subcategories, each containing a topic eligible for funding. In December 2012

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the European Commission made a funding award of more than €1.2 billion for 23 highly innovative renewable energy demonstration projects. Again, it is the RD&D elements of such projects that are of interest from a research perspective.ec.europa.eu/clima/funding/ner300/index_en.htm

Horizon 2020The Europe 2020 strategy identified research and innovation as being central to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

As of 2014, FP7 will be replaced by the new Framework Programme called Horizon 2020. Horizon 2020 will help to tackle the challenge of climate change, for example through investment in renewable energy research, while creating industrial leadership in Europe and increasing excellence in the science base. Horizon 2020 includes a full range of support integrated across the research and development cycle.

Horizon 2020 will run from 2014 to 2020. It combines and strengthens activities currently funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, the innovation parts of the

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Table 2: Indicative breakdown of Horizon 2020.

EU REGULATION (2014-2020)

I Excellent science, of which:

1. The European Research Council

2. Future and Emerging Technologies

3. Marie Curie actions on skills, training and career development

4. European research infrastructures (including eInfrastructures)

II Industrial leadership, of which:

1. Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies

2. Access to risk finance

3. Innovation in SMEs

III Societal challenges, of which:

1. Health, demographic change and wellbeing

2. Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research and the bio-economy

3. Secure, clean and efficient energy

4. Smart, green and integrated transport

5. Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials

6. Inclusive, innovative and secure societies

European Institute of Innovation and Technology

Non-nuclear direct actions of the joint Research Centre

EURATOM REGULATION (2014-2018)

I Indirect actions, including:- Fusion research and development- Nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection

II Direct actions of the joint Research Centre

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Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the new European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

The priority areas to be addressed under the heading ‘Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy’ are:• Reducing energy consumption and carbon

footprint through smart and sustainable usage;• Low-cost, low-carbon electricity supply;• Alternative fuels and mobile energy sources;• A single, smart European electricity grid;• New knowledge and technologies;• Robust decision-making and public engagement;• Market uptake of energy innovations,

empowering markets and consumers; and• Specific implementation aspects.ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm

European Commission Directorates

Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER)DG ENER is responsible for developing and implementing a European energy policy. The DG supports the Europe 2020 programme which, for energy, is outlined in the Energy 2020 strategy. Apart from developing policies for the energy sector, DG ENER aims to facilitate energy technology innovation by supporting energy research and demonstration projects through European Framework Programmes such as FP7, EEPR and Horizon 2020.ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy/index_en.htm

joint Research Centre (jRC)JRC is the scientific and technical arm of the European Commission. It provides the scientific advice and technical knowledge to support a wide range of EU policies including energy. JRC has seven scientific institutes, one of which is the Institute for Energy and Transport (IET). The IET focuses on technology innovation to ensure sustainable, safe, secure and efficient energy production, distribution and use.ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm

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Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD)DG RTD’s mission is to develop and implement the European research and innovation policy with a view to achieving the goals of Europe 2020 and the Innovation Union. DG RTD supports research and innovation through European Framework Programmes such as FP7 and Horizon 2020, co-ordinates and supports national and regional research and innovation programmes, contributes to the creation of the European Research Area by developing the conditions for researchers and knowledge to circulate freely, and supports European organisations and researchers in their co-operation at international level.ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=dg

Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV)The objective of DG ENV is to protect, preserve and improve the environment for present and future generations. To achieve this DG ENV proposes policies to ensure a high level of environmental protection in the EU and ensures that Member States correctly apply EU environmental law. The DG also finances projects that contribute to environmental protection in the EU through the LIFE+ programme, part of which relates to energy issues.ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/index_en.htm

Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry (DG ENTR)DG ENTR has the mission to promote a growth-friendly framework for European enterprises. It has a key role in the Europe 2020 agenda of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. One of the objectives of the DG is to support research and innovative applications in industry.ec.europa.eu/enterprise/index_en.htm

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European research programme management agencies

Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI)EACI is one of six Executive Agencies that have been established to help the Commission manage EU programmes more efficiently. EACI manages the Eco-innovation and Intelligent Energy Europe programmes; as well as the Marco Polo programme, which supports projects aiming to take freight transport off the roads; and the Enterprise Europe Network.europa.eu/agencies/executive_agencies/eaci/index_en.htm

European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA)ERCEA is another Executive Agency and part of the EU’s Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7) in relation to the FP7 IDEAS specific programme. ERCEA performs several tasks including implementing calls for proposals and organising peer review of research.europa.eu/agencies/executive_agencies/erc/index_en.htm

Research Executive Agency (REA)REA is one of the European Commission Executive Agencies. The key role of REA is to evaluate proposals and manage projects, mainly in the context of the current FP7 research framework programme. Further REA manages the Marie Curie fellowships and acts as a ‘one-stop shop’ helpdesk for enquiries about FP7.europa.eu/agencies/executive_agencies/rea/index_en.htm

FWF

BMWF

FFG

BMWFj

CDG

BMLFUW

FFG

BMVIT

BMWF (General orientation and co-ordination of research and science)

Climate and Energy Funds

Figure 1: Organisational structure of energy research in Austrian federal ministries.

Universities, public and private research institutions, industry

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Research themes and prioritisationAustria’s main motivations for energy research reflect EU energy policy, which aims to combine secure and economically affordable sources of energy with future sustainability in energy supply. With this in mind Austria supports RD&D in SMEs, industry, universities and non-university research institutions. Cooperative research projects strengthen the links between industry and research organisations to create a solid national industrial policy (Table 1).

Organisation of researchThe main responsibility for national research and for science in general lies with the Ministry for Science and Research (BMWF). Energy research is the responsibility of the ministries responsible for research, applied science and demonstration, respectively.

The ministry accountable for the strategic setup and implementation of applied energy R&D programmes is the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT). The BMVIT establishes the research programmes and takes the primary role in coordinating energy research activities within the government. The BMVIT also works with the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW)

as well as the individual states. Other ministries involved in energy research include the Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth (BMWFJ) and the Ministry of Finance – the latter contributing horizontal budgetary competence.

Since 2007 the Climate and Energy Fund of the Federal Government has been the main source of government funding for energy research. The Cli-mate and Energy Fund is maintained by the BMVIT and the BMLFUW. Sub-programmes under the Climate and Energy Fund are: New Energies 2020, Smart Energy Demo – fit4SET, and Technology Lighthouses for Electromobility in Austria.

The central body for public basic research funding is the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Together with the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the FWF funds applied research and builds contact points for industry-oriented research and the promotion of innovation. This structure also includes other institutions such as the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG).

The most important institutions carrying out energy research are the Austrian Academy of Science, the universities, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and the Austrian Institute of Technology.

Most energy research funding is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency at the operative and administrative level, on behalf

Table 1: The main energy research programmes in Austria.

Programme name Funding organisation

Budget Time period

New Energies 2020/ Climate and Energy Fund

€130 m 2008 – 2011

e!Mission.at – Energy Mission Austria 2012 onwards

Technology Lighthouses for Electromobility Climate and Energy Fund

€40.7 m 2008–2012

House of Tomorrow BMVIT €35 m 1999–2010

House of Tomorrow Plus 2010–2013

Smart Energy Demo (fit4SET) Climate and Energy Fund

€13.39 m per year

2011

Energy Research Initiative BMWFj €10 m 2013-2016

Competence Centres for Excellent Techno-logies (COMET)*

BMVIT, BMWFj €5-6 m per year 2012-2011

Cooperation and Innovation (COIN)** BMVIT, BMVj

BRIDGE*** BMVIT n/a 2005–2013* Estimated share of energy research budget in both programmes. Total budget COMET: €1400 million for the period 2007 to 2017.** Total budget COIN: €46.9 million for the period 2008 to 2012; until the year 2012 the programme line «Aufbau» projects was funded

with a total of €29.6 million and in the programme line «Cooperative Networks» with €17.3 million.***Total budget: €90 million for the period 2005 to 2013 for environment and energy related research and demonstration activities.

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of the Climate and Energy Fund, the BMVIT and the BMWFJ. Further support activities are driven directly by the ministries in the form of subsidies, research contracts, and special actions like prizes and awards.

Priority is given to establishing strategic programmes. These include supporting SMEs, industry, universities and non-university research institutions through cooperative research projects to strengthen links between industry and academia.

According to the current Energy Research Strategy for Austria (2010), energy research has three main pillars: energy efficiency, renewable energy and security of supply. This framework is designed to create a mix of energy sources and raw materials to ensure security of supply, cost-effectiveness, and environmental and social acceptability. In particular, the Strategy focuses on energy-efficient buildings, logistics and mobility, energy-efficient technologies for final energy use, sociological and ecological research, life-cycle analysis, foresight studies, energy storage and distribution, smart grids,

process heat from renewable sources, biofuels, and transport.www.bmvit.gv.at/innovation/enumtech/energieforschungsstrategie.html

Programmes and budgetsbudget overview

The Austrian Climate and Energy Fund in the period 2007–2012 had a budget of €730 million and supported approximately 43 000 projects (as of 2013). From this fund €171 million was spent on energy issues in the period 2007–2011. For 2012 the fund had a total budget of €130 million, of which 67 % (€87.6 million) was dedicated to energy research and market penetration projects.

Besides fundamental research, the Climate and Energy Fund supports research in strategic priority areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, e-mobility and transport, model regions and buildings for applied research, and support for market penetration.

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Programmes and initiatives

New Energies 2020 / e!Mission.at – Energy Mission AustriaNeue Energien 2020 / e!Mission.at – Energy Mission AustriaThis programme focuses on ambitious long-term R&D in energy technology. The idea is to begin with fundamental research, move through pilot and demonstration phases and eventually reach market maturity. The programme has three headings: Efficient Energy Use, Renewable Energies, and Intelligent Energy Systems.

The programme is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and receives its budget from the Climate and Energy Fund. The budget for the period 2008–2011 was €130 million.www.ffg.at/neue-energien-2020-das-programm

www.ffg.at/e-mission

Technology Lighthouses for ElectromobilityTechnologische Leuchttürme der ElektromobilitätBy 2020, several thousand electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are forecast to be operating on Austrian roads. An important incentive for these is provided by the Technology Lighthouses for Electromobility programme, which supports the near-market development and demonstration of innovations and technologies for future electric vehicles. The programme is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and receives an annual budget from the Climate and Energy Fund. The budget for the period 2008–2012 was €40.7 million.www.ffg.at/technologische-leuchttuerme-der-elektromobilitaet-das-programm

House of Tomorrow / House of Tomorrow PlusHaus der Zukunft Plus / Haus der Zukunft PlusHouse of Tomorrow Plus is a programme financed by the Ministry for Transport,

Innovation and Technology. It aims to use fundamental research, cooperation in technology development and accompanying measures, and demonstration projects to commercialise energy-related innovations in the building sector. Topics include: key technologies for future buildings; strategies, education and networking; demonstration buildings; and industrial transformation of innovative technologies. The programme started in 2010 and runs until 2013.

House of Tomorrow Plus is a follow-up to the original House of Tomorrow programme, which ran from 1999 to 2010. By the beginning of 2010 House of Tomorrow had launched six calls and provided €35 million to support 300 projects.www.hausderzukunft.at/ausschreibung/index.htm

Smart Energy Demo (fit4SET)Smart Energy Demo (fit4SET)The objective of this programme is to transform an Austrian city, settlement or urban region into a ‘smart city’ or a ‘smart urban region’. The ultimate aim is to demonstrate the intelligent green technologies and other aspects of sustainable living needed to create the first zero-emission city. The programme contains two calls. The first, which closed in March 2011, was for the formation of consortia and the development of initial concepts. The second call, which closed in February 2012, was for ‘Smart Energy’ demonstration projects. The programme is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and receives an annual budget from the Climate and Energy Fund. The budget for 2012 was €8 million.

www.ffg.at/smart-energy-demo-fit4set

Energy Research InitiativeEnergieforschungsinitiativeThe Energy Research Initiative is the most recent initiative initiated by the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth. The objective of this programme, starting

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in the year 2013, is the motivation of Austrian companies to follow new ways of transforming research into their competitive advantage by the realisation of prototype and demonstration facilities in the frame of the European Energy Roadmap 2050. The initiative should support the development of new processes for the CO2 free generation of hydrogen and the use of pure CO2 as a raw material for market relevant products and for industrial processes. The initiative is bundling existing funding instruments of BMWFJ and FFG for dedicated calls on energy research and demonstration projects with a total budget of €10 million.www.ffg.at/efi/initiative

Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies (COMET)Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies (COMET)The aim of the COMET programme is to foster cooperation between industry and academic research and to push the building and application of common research competences in areas including energy and the environment. The programme’s speciality is its ambitious emphasis on excellence, the integration of international research know-how, and the need for Austrian companies to become technology leaders in support of the country’s position as a research hub. COMET, together with the programme COIN, provided energy related research for €6 million in 2010 and €5 million in 2011.

COMET’s three action lines – ‘K2-Zentren’, ‘K1-Zentren” and ‘K-Projekte’ – support projects with different sets of requirements in terms of international participation, size and duration.www.bmvi