Page 31 - European Energy Innovation - Autumn 2016 publication

Autumn 2016 European Energy Innovation 31
vision is very much in our chords: as
societal challenges are cross-border,
we support research activities oriented
to solve them and which have an
impact. Results can be assessed in a
number of ways and based on different
time perspectives, included, but not
limited to, solutions that can be taken
up by the market in the medium and
short timeframe. Dialogue with industry
is essential to achieving this. However, alignment, a number of EERA JPs will
this is not the only impact of research, be involved in the European Common
and EERA’s work is dedicated also
to supporting research collaboration
that can come up with innovative
approaches and new ways of thinking.
This often produces results in the
longer rather than the shorter run and
provides society and industry with
new options for the not-so-near future.
This is crucial particularly in a field
like energy, characterized by a long
innovation cycle and which requires
big investments in terms of time and
resources before research results can
turn into commercial solutions. Keep
on supporting a long-term research
agenda is therefore essential to EERA’s
vision and to our work to contributing
to Europe’s energy goals and its
competitiveness on a global scale.
We are committed to these goals
and we will keep on working to
increase our efficiency and to improve
internal and external cooperation
to support synergies and alignment
of objectives and resources. In this
context, we led a wide internal
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
EUROPEAN ENERGY RESEARCH ALLIANCE
consultation process to develop our
Strategy and Implementation Plan for
2015-2020, outlining EERA’s role to
support European energy research in
coordination with key stakeholders.
We also recently launched a Task Force
to develop a proposal for a mobility
scheme in the energy field, involving
the European University Association in
the exercise. With regards to research
Research and Innovation Agendas
(ECRIA) projects within Horizon2020,
a new instrument proposed by the
Commission to co-fund activities
with Member States and acting
organizations. This is a step further
to aligning national and EU priorities
in energy research and to support
activities in this direction.
Achieving Europe’s energy research
and innovation goals is not a one-man
job. I believe EERA should continue
on the path of cooperation with
industry and the other stakeholders,
while strengthening its identity of key
research player to contributing to the
EU energy strategy and objectives, in
the short and long-term alike. l
Contact details:
For more information about EERA
please visit www.eera-set.eu