Joint activities to achieve sustainable energy development in the Mediterranean region
The EU-funded ETRERA_2020 (Empowering trans-Mediterranean renewable energy research alliance for Europe 2020 challenges) project gathered stakeholders to improve science and technology and entrepreneurial relationships between Member States and Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs) in renewable energy production, distribution and storage. It also bridged the existing gap between research and innovation. ETRERA_2020 targeted five technologies seen as a way to store energy: wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, fuel cells, and hydrogen. Project partners developed a catalogue of competences to identify, collect, systematise and map the knowledge developed in various research centres. This helped to provide an overall picture of facilities, know-how and knowledge to be exploited during and beyond the project. They also generated an inventory of organisations belonging to the RES value chain that are involved in different aspects of renewable energy. Desk research, surveys and interviews identified existing and potential bottlenecks for technology transfer in MPCs, and the main barriers to the transfer of knowledge from research to business, this modus operandi has been exploited in the current 5TOI_4EWAS project. Researchers set up the NET-RERA2020, a transregional alliance from different regions focused on RES innovation. This meta cluster seeks to unlock the innovative potential of its members and create innovation and business opportunities in MPCs. It also identifies research and development and innovation activities that can be developed competitively in regions concerned. An alliance, branded R2I Alliance was also created to stimulate cooperation among the different projects financed under the INCO-R2I Programme. This was done by involving different actors along the knowledge value chain, including research, industry, associations, innovation networks, public authorities and end users. The alliance contributed to the formulation of 10 policy recommendations for EU decision-makers. The ETRERA_2020 team defined a joint action plan for MPCs that lays down a common research and development and innovation strategy and the related financial plan until 2020. The objective is to drive economic growth through sustainable energy research and technological development. ETRERA_2020 strengthened collaboration between research and entrepreneurial ecosystems in MPCs, and between MPCs and the EU.
Keywords
Renewable energy sources, ETRERA_2020, Mediterranean renewable energy research alliance, Mediterranean Partner Countries
