Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PIANO (Policies, Innovation And Networks for enhancing Opportunities for China Europe Water Cooperation)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2016-09-01 al 2018-05-31
The overall objective of PIANO is to create a strategic cooperation partnership for water research and innovation between Europe and China, promoting the creation of networks of companies (including SMEs), entrepreneurs, not for profit organisations, policy makers, regulators and funding bodies to create business and social opportunities for China Europe Water Cooperation. PIANO will contribute to and is endorsed by the China Europe Water Platform (CEWP), and its 10 active EU Member States.
First, PIANO will strengthen the existing CEWP network to create a comprehensive China Europe water research and innovation network. Second, based on a comparative analysis of the water innovation landscape in Europe and China, PIANO will identify European technological water innovations with potential for implementation and replication in China. In addition, PIANO will identify opportunities for joint development to address water challenges, where both Europe and China lack market ready technological water innovations. Third, PIANO will identify drivers and barriers for implementation and replication of technical innovations. PIANO will also identify strategies to overcome obstacles and take advantage of drivers, to facilitate creation of business opportunities. Fourth, PIANO will promote knowledge exchange and a policy dialogue to create an enabling environment for the uptake of technological water innovations. Fifth, PIANO will develop a shared strategic research and innovation agenda between Europe and China in the water sector.
PIANO has been a comprehensive and structured framework to identify European TWIs that have a potential for application in China. A number of European technical water innovations with a potential in China were identified. However, it has also shown that several barriers, mainly market related ones, were identified that have to be overcome by European companies to be successful in China. The project has elaborated some suggestions on how the barriers can be overcome to fully utilize the strong drivers for innovation in China and several policy recommendations have been elaborated. Further, PIANO has drafted a strategic research and innovation agenda to further deepen China Europe water research and innovation cooperation
First, PIANO will strengthen the existing CEWP network to create a comprehensive China Europe water research and innovation network. Second, based on a comparative analysis of the water innovation landscape in Europe and China, PIANO will identify European technological water innovations with potential for implementation and replication in China. In addition, PIANO will identify opportunities for joint development to address water challenges, where both Europe and China lack market ready technological water innovations. Third, PIANO will identify drivers and barriers for implementation and replication of technical innovations. PIANO will also identify strategies to overcome obstacles and take advantage of drivers, to facilitate creation of business opportunities. Fourth, PIANO will promote knowledge exchange and a policy dialogue to create an enabling environment for the uptake of technological water innovations. Fifth, PIANO will develop a shared strategic research and innovation agenda between Europe and China in the water sector.
PIANO has been a comprehensive and structured framework to identify European TWIs that have a potential for application in China. A number of European technical water innovations with a potential in China were identified. However, it has also shown that several barriers, mainly market related ones, were identified that have to be overcome by European companies to be successful in China. The project has elaborated some suggestions on how the barriers can be overcome to fully utilize the strong drivers for innovation in China and several policy recommendations have been elaborated. Further, PIANO has drafted a strategic research and innovation agenda to further deepen China Europe water research and innovation cooperation
Work package 1:
This WP encompasses a network analysis that was conducted at the start of the project and identification of relevant networks. Based on this work, various networking activities including social media were conducted and maintained. Further, a database of project activities between EU and China in the water sector was prepared.
The WP has firstly allowed to identify relevant networks through a network analysis which was made through two main tasks: gathering information mainly via internet search on the network and conducting questionnaires and interviews. The work description has been conducted for each European network describing their main objectives and interests when existing for activities development with China. Secondly, database of cooperation projects was elaborated. The purpose of this database was to obtain a general overview on some past and current cooperation projects in the water innovation sector set up between China and Member States in both public and private sector.
Work package 2:
WP2 conducted a comprehensive landscaping – mapping, scoring and ranking – of European and Chinese TWIs to identify and prioritize innovative water technologies in Europe with potential for application in China. The landscaping was conducted across the following 5 water sectors: agricultural water management, municipal water management, industrial water management, river basin management and water for energy. In PIANO, the TWIs investigated encompass products and processes that modify, optimize, support, are part of, or constitute entirely new treatment technologies, water use technologies, water production technologies, water management technologies, and technologies for flood protection or energy production. In total, over 100 TWIs across the 5 sectors have been identified.
Work package 3:
The main objective of this WP has been “identification of drivers and barriers and elaborating strategies for overcoming such barriers and taking advantage of drivers for implementation and replication of technological water innovations”.
The resulting deliverable D3.2 provides a detailed account of the drivers and barriers, both more general and specific to the identified TWIs across the five considered sectors: agricultural, municipal and industrial water management, river basin management and water for energy. Some of the identified drivers and barriers have been outlined above. Further details can be found in D3.2 where additional, drivers, opportunities and barriers have been summarized for each of the five sectors.
Work package 4:
WP 4 pursues specific objectives 4 and 5, namely “Promotion of knowledge exchange and policy dialogue to build an enabling environment for the uptake of technological water innovations with a great potential for implementation, further replication and market uptake in China.” and “Consolidation of a shared strategic research and innovation agenda between Europe and China in the water sector”. The project has contributed directly to extensive knowledge exchange and dialogue between European and Chinese institutions, industry, thought-leaders, and government bodies that work to advance innovation in the water sector.
Work package 5:
The WP 5 on project dissemination and exploitation had developed important synergies with the communication activities of the China Europe Water Platform.
This WP encompasses a network analysis that was conducted at the start of the project and identification of relevant networks. Based on this work, various networking activities including social media were conducted and maintained. Further, a database of project activities between EU and China in the water sector was prepared.
The WP has firstly allowed to identify relevant networks through a network analysis which was made through two main tasks: gathering information mainly via internet search on the network and conducting questionnaires and interviews. The work description has been conducted for each European network describing their main objectives and interests when existing for activities development with China. Secondly, database of cooperation projects was elaborated. The purpose of this database was to obtain a general overview on some past and current cooperation projects in the water innovation sector set up between China and Member States in both public and private sector.
Work package 2:
WP2 conducted a comprehensive landscaping – mapping, scoring and ranking – of European and Chinese TWIs to identify and prioritize innovative water technologies in Europe with potential for application in China. The landscaping was conducted across the following 5 water sectors: agricultural water management, municipal water management, industrial water management, river basin management and water for energy. In PIANO, the TWIs investigated encompass products and processes that modify, optimize, support, are part of, or constitute entirely new treatment technologies, water use technologies, water production technologies, water management technologies, and technologies for flood protection or energy production. In total, over 100 TWIs across the 5 sectors have been identified.
Work package 3:
The main objective of this WP has been “identification of drivers and barriers and elaborating strategies for overcoming such barriers and taking advantage of drivers for implementation and replication of technological water innovations”.
The resulting deliverable D3.2 provides a detailed account of the drivers and barriers, both more general and specific to the identified TWIs across the five considered sectors: agricultural, municipal and industrial water management, river basin management and water for energy. Some of the identified drivers and barriers have been outlined above. Further details can be found in D3.2 where additional, drivers, opportunities and barriers have been summarized for each of the five sectors.
Work package 4:
WP 4 pursues specific objectives 4 and 5, namely “Promotion of knowledge exchange and policy dialogue to build an enabling environment for the uptake of technological water innovations with a great potential for implementation, further replication and market uptake in China.” and “Consolidation of a shared strategic research and innovation agenda between Europe and China in the water sector”. The project has contributed directly to extensive knowledge exchange and dialogue between European and Chinese institutions, industry, thought-leaders, and government bodies that work to advance innovation in the water sector.
Work package 5:
The WP 5 on project dissemination and exploitation had developed important synergies with the communication activities of the China Europe Water Platform.
Creating market opportunities for European water innovations outside Europe, especially in China, is a key priority of PIANO. As highlighted by a recent report on the Chinese Water Sector by the EU SME Centre in Beijing , China’s water sector is estimated to be worth 60-100 billion EUR each year in the next 10 years. Indeed, due to three important water pricing policies, strategies and decisions introduced during the past three years, the water market is expected to rise significantly over the coming years, hence increasing demand for European technologies. As outlined in section 2.1.2.1 replication of innovations is hampered by various barriers. PIANO has pursued a structured approach that first identified European technological water innovations with a potential for implementation in China, second identified barriers for implementation and replication of those technologies, third elaborated strategies to overcome those barriers and take advantage of drivers, and finally developed recommendations for further EU China cooperation in the water sector. This structured approach will allow PIANO to achieve the expected impact of creating market opportunities.