Page 46 - European Energy Innovation magazine - autumn 2022 edition

Autumn 2022 European Energy Innovation
46 RENEWABLE ENERGY

Using the European Parliament’s

recent support of innovative

renewables to transform the

energy industry

By Wolfram Sparber (pictured)

Wolfram Sparber is the Vice President of EUREC, The Association of European Renewable Energy
Research Centres, and the head of institute for renewable energy at Eurac Research (Bolzano-
Italy) since its foundation in 2005. Since 2011 he has been involved as chairman of the executive
board and later member of the advisory board of one of the leading renewable energy utilities in
Italy (Alperia, formerly SEL). On the EU level Wolfram was Vice President of the ETIP-RHC from
2011 to 2019 and has been a member of the Clean Energy Industrial Forum since 2021.

’m glad many renewable energy • setting a new indicative target project carrying technology risk must
associations joined EUREC in for innovative renewables of be overcome. Public guarantees from
hailing the European Parliament’s 5% in each Member State of Member States could underwrite
ICommittee on Industry, Research all renewable energy capacity financing offers, accelerating and
and Energy (ITRE) adoption of installed between the entry improving deals.
vital amendments to support the into force of the revision to the
development of innovative Directive and 2030; Capital grants
renewable energy technologies Renewable energy technology is
on 13 July. • establishing the need for a target generally “high-CAPEX low-OPEX” and
for storage technologies and capital grants have been identified
In these pages a year ago, EUREC’s suggesting another for demand- as the best way to support some
Secretary General presented a side flexibility technologies, e.g. solar thermal for
proposal to correct the lack of industry.
attention to R&I in EU energy policy. • clearing the path for National
Skyrocketing energy prices in wake Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) Revenue support
of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to be the vehicle for Member Countries could specify tenders
rising costs of living and record heat States to set out the policies to specifically for the innovative
extremes have since made action all deliver innovative renewables; renewables technologies supporting a
the more urgent. national strategy.
Operationalising ITRE’s “innovative
We need bold approaches to scale renewables” amendments R&D support
up next-generation renewable How, concretely, could this indicative R&I support can indirectly lead to
technologies, bring them to market target be made to help industry? It tomorrow’s benchmark-setting
quickly and reap the economic would need to push Member States technology. However, as “5% by
benefits that can come from to create new measures that ensure 2030” implies 10s of GW across the
renewables businesses thriving from they reach it. EU, “innovative renewable energy
the installation and manufacture of technologies” will on average have to
technology. Measures to support innovative survive on aid intensities far less than
renewables typical R&D projects.
The ITRE Committee’s vote Favourable financing
ITRE pushed the energy innovation The hesitant attitude of financial Regulatory support
agenda forward by: institutions when presented with a Cleantech for Europe has sought

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