Page 30 - European Energy Innovation - Autumn 2016 publication
P. 30
30 Autumn 2016 European Energy Innovation
EUROPEAN ENERGY RESEARCH ALLIANCE
It’s all about cooperation: the
role of EERA as a key stakeholder
to accelerate energy transition
By Hervé Bernard, Chairman of EERA
The establishment of the A renewed SET-Plan, launched in EERA’s strengthened role is the fruit
Energy Union - the EU September 2015, has given new of both a regular dialogue with the
overall strategy for secure, impetus to the role of the European European Commission, the Member
competitive and sustainable Energy Research Alliance (EERA) States and other stakeholders and of
energy - as one of the main priorities as research backbone and key EU our members’ huge work to deliver
of the Juncker Commission, has energy stakeholder. It also calls for excellent results in energy research.
strengthened the importance of the EU more cooperation and increased
Strategic Energy-Technology Plan (SET- coordination to maximize synergies In the framework of our role, a
Plan) as a framework to achieve the EU and pool resources at different particular focus has been placed
energy objectives, with research as one levels. Cooperation, both internal on cooperation with industry. This
of the key pillars. and external, is at the heart of is developed in a number of ways,
EERA’s mission and work: internally, including through joint projects, both
by mobilizing and coordinating within the Joint Programmes and
the research community, bringing bilaterally, and via recommendations to
together over 175 leading energy EU decision makers based on common
research centers and universities research and innovation priorities. In
from 27 countries in 17 thematic Joint addition, we recently developed a
Programmes, and aligning bottom- software tool to make research results
up activities with the directions easily available to industry and facilitate
set out by the SET-Plan; externally, knowledge transfer. We also signed a
working in close coordination with Memorandum of Understanding with
stakeholders. This is well reflected in EMIRI, the Energy Materials Industrial
the key objectives of EERA’s 2015- Research Initiative, with concrete
2020 strategy, namely: delivering and cooperation measures in the field of
disseminating results on the SET-Plan materials for energy. Another way to
actions; acting as SET-Plan ambassador; increase our link with industries will
advising on the priorities of the SET- be explored at the EERA conference
Plan, on strategic energy targets and in Birmingham on November 24th-
on foresight work; coordinating the 25th, where companies will sponsor
scientific community in the energy the event and will join the programme,
sector to delivering excellent research; thus getting direct access to the
supporting the mobility of researchers whole research community for fruitful
and implementing student training exchanges.
programmes, in collaboration with
university stakeholders (in particular Cooperation with industry is key to our
the European University Association); work and to help companies taking up
facilitating the transfer of research research results and turning them into
results, solutions and knowledge to innovative solutions for the citizens
industry. and the market. The solution-oriented
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
