Page 37 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2018 publication
P. 37
Summer 2018 European Energy Innovation 37
REGIONAL RESEARCH & INNOVATION
target by 2035. The region has meet the European Battery connecting sectors, such as climate,
taken an important facilitation role Alliance’s sustainability criteria, their energy, and transport. One aspect
in bringing together not only cities advantages in comparison to current on policy priorities is clear: we
and municipalities but also the battery solutions regarding social expect the draft Horizon Europe to
other actors of the quadruple-helix mining, reuse, recollection, recycling place further emphasis on these
(private sector, research, civil society). and Energy Return on Investment three policy areas, as decarbonising
There is an enormous potential for (EROI) will be discussed.. The our society requires research
encouraging other regions to set their objective will be to raise awareness and innovation, and in particular
regional carbon targets and create on several existing valuable concepts accelerated actions – together. l
further cooperation between the and innovations different from
different actors. Ambitious targets mainstream developments. The ERRIN (European Regions
and actions by cities and regions examples of Thuringia and Friesland Research and Innovation
also send a strong message to the demonstrate that European regions Network) is a Brussels-
national, international and European can offer innovative solutions that based platform that gathers
government levels and can push could contribute to the clean energy together more than 130 regional
forward more ambitious targets and transition the European Union is organisations in 24 European
increased actions at other levels.. aiming at, if they are being integrated countries. ERRIN aims to
in ongoing and future initiatives and strengthen the regional and
OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE EU activities. local dimension in the EU
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEK Research and Innovation policy
Clean energy transition requires EVERYONE IS WAITING TO and programmes. It promotes
further emphasis on sustainable DISCOVER ENERGY PRIORITIES knowledge exchange between
energy storage solutions. Given UNDER THE NEW FRAMEWORK its members, focusing on
the raise of electricity demand PROGRAMME joint actions and strategic
(electrification of the energy sector) The energy transition process partnerships to strengthen
in the coming years as well as requires scaling up existing innovative regional research and innovation
the toxic properties of current models, and both social and capacities and thereby foster
battery technologies, we are facing technological innovation. We hope to sustainable and inclusive growth
resource dependency, environmental see that reflected in the upcoming in regions.
risks but also challenges such as research and innovation programme.
battery fields like Elon Musk’s Giga There are some interesting new We are pleased to invite you
Factory in Australia. There are many features in discussion, such as the to the ERRIN EU Sustainable
environmental, social and economic “mission approach” that should Energy Week (EUSEW) side event
reasons for a different type of battery be part of the societal challenges "Energy Storage Vision 2025. Can
technology. So far, this important pillar in Horizon Europe. Such an Europe beat Elon Musk?", which
dimension is hardly tackled in approach will hopefully provide will take place on 6th June from
European energy storage discussions. further opportunities to regional and 14.00 at the Greater Birmingham
What could be the vision for truly local actors to actively propose their and West Midlands Brussels
sustainable Energy Storage? innovative solutions, and broaden Office (Avenue d'Auderghem
the current call structure, which can 22-28 Oudergemselaan, Brussels)
During the EU Sustainable Energy be quite prescriptive. In addition,
Week, ERRIN will co-organise a silos should be further broken by
session on smart grids, renewables
and storage as part of the official
programme, as well as a side event
on sustainable batteries. The latter
will be an opportunity to showcase
two innovative, sustainable, stationary
energy storage technologies from
two European Regions, Thuringia
and Friesland; the progress of these
technologies, but also what needs to
be done to further improve stationary
battery systems.
In addition, how these technologies
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