Building a Long-Term Africa Union (AU) and European Union (EU) Research and Innovation joint collaboration on Sustainable Renewable Energies

This Destination includes activities targeting a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply. In line with the scope of cluster 5, this includes activities in the areas of renewable energy; energy system, grids and storage; as well as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Ensuring more sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply through solutions for smart energy systems based on renewable energy solutions’.

This destination contributes to the activities of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and its implementation working groups.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Renewable energy

1. Energy producers have access to competitive European renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies and deploy them to enhance the EU’s energy security. This will contribute to the 2030 “Fit for 55” targets (in particular, at least 42.5% renewable energy share and aiming for 45% in the EU energy consumption, 5.5% advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin share in EU fuel consumption). It will also contribute to the indicative target of at least 5% innovative renewable energy technology for the newly installed renewable energy capacity. By 2050, climate neutrality in the energy sector will be achieved in a sustainable way in environmental (e.g., biodiversity, multiple uses of land and water, natural resources, pollution) and socioeconomic terms, and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
2. Technology providers have access to European, reliable, sustainable, and affordable value chains of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies.
3. Economic sectors benefit from better integration of renewable energy and renewable fuel-based solutions that are among others cost-effective, efficient, flexible, reliable, and sustainable. Such integration is facilitated by digital technologies and by renewable energy technologies that provide network stability and reliability.
4. European researchers benefit from a stronger community and from a reinforced scientific basis on renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies, also through international collaborations.
5. European industries benefit from a reinforced export potential of renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies, also through international collaborations.
6. European industries become frontrunners and maintain technological leadership in innovative renewable energy technologies in line with the energy union strategy.
7. European citizens, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, have access to an energy market that is affordable, fair and equitable, more resilient, uses all different types of local renewable energy resources, and is less dependent on fossil fuels. Local communities benefit from a more decentralised and secure energy system and from multiple uses of land and water. Less citizens experience fuel and energy poverty.
8. Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) implementation working groups on solar photovoltaics, solar thermal technologies, renewable fuels and bioenergy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and ocean energy benefit from a reinforced scientific basis and collaboration on renewable energy and renewable fuel technologies towards meeting the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal.

Energy systems, grids & storage

R&I actions will support the just digital and green transformation of the energy system through advanced solutions for accelerating the energy systems integration and decarbonisation. The developed clean, sustainable solutions will contribute to making the energy system and supply more reliable, resilient, and secure. The solutions will contribute to increase flexibility and grid hosting capacity for renewables through optimising cross sector integration and grid scale storage. They will enhance the competitiveness of the European value chain, reduce pressure on resources (also by making technologies ‘circular by design’) and decrease dependencies.

Innovative and cost-effective energy storage (integration) solutions are developed, that provide flexibility to the energy system, reduce total cost of grid operation and enhancement and that minimise the use of critical raw materials and ensure, to the best extent possible, their reuse and recycling, are key elements of the energy system.

Carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR)

1. Accelerated development of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) as a CO₂ emission mitigation option in electricity generation, in industry applications and carbon dioxide removal technologies (including conversion of CO₂ to energy products).
2. Reduced EU’s dependency on imported fossil fuels and increased energy security, reduced energy system’s vulnerability to the impacts of the changing climate.

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