Page 18 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2018 publication

18 Summer 2018 European Energy Innovation

SOLAR SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM

The Solar Smart Specialisation
Platform

Promoting solar electricity exports from southern to central and northern European countries

By Dr. Díaz-Vázquez, A.R. (Joint Research Centre), Dr. Caldés-Gómez, N., (Ciemat)

In the light of the Paris Agreement and cohesive Energy Union and is aligned with the Energy Union R&D
and the EU Climate and Energy ultimately to the 2020 and 2030 and competitiveness priorities and
framework, Europe must find European strategy. promote the energy related Thematic
ways to decarbonize its economy Objective (TO) TO1, Research and
in a cost-effective manner while 3. Since the best solar resource innovation, TO4, Low carbon economy
improving its energy security, social potential is found in the many of and TO7, sustainable transport,
and economic development. It the least developed regions in together with the commitment to the
must endure its leadership in the Europe, the deployment of such Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET
Renewable industry and moving projects could create remarkable plan) 10 key actions
towards an integrated and well- social and economic impacts
functioning Energy Union. In this in such regions, contributing to THE FIRST OF A KIND (FOAK)
context, generating and exporting reduce regional disparities within SOLAR GENERATION PLANT
solar electricity from Southern to Europe. Within this context, Solar Energy has
Central/Northern European countries been identified by various regions
can contribute to achieve many of SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM as one of their key S3 priorities. As a
these goals. ON ENERGY (S3PENERGY) result, a Smart Specialisation Solar
The S3PEnergy is a joint initiative of European partnership has been
1. Regional cooperation can help the Directorates-General for Regional created as a way to support solar
decarbonize the European power and Urban Policy, Energy, and the electricity generation and distribution
system in a cost-effective manner Joint Research Centre. The S3PEnergy in Europe and maintain the European
by generating renewable electricity is planned to become an enabling concentrated solar power industry
where the resource is most tool for regions to coordinate, leadership worldwide.
abundant and/or system costs are rationalize and plan their respective http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/s3-
lower. energy strategies, develop a shared energy-partnerships-solar-energy.
vision on knowledge-based energy
2. Regional cooperation is a policy development and set up a A cross-border solar electricity
step forward towards a more strategic agenda of collaborative project, to export electricity from
integrated, well-functioning work. The Smart Specialization (S3) Southern to Central and Northern

The project, a first of a kind generation
plant, could bring multiple benefits for Europe
as well as for the involved countries and regions,
addressing the main goals of the Energy
Union and CLIMA priorities

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