PILLAR I: Enhancing modelling capacities to increase understanding of interactions and interdependencies between actors, technologies and policy interventions in Europe’s energy system
Modellers have worked not only on updating their models, but even more so on augmenting their models such that they better address the key challenges identified for each of the case studies. Model linkage enhancements have proven to be extremely important on analysing and implementing the SET-Nav pathways. The project has accomplished a unique modelling exercise to address the multiple dimensions of the energy transition by extending models boundaries through new soft-linkage approaches.
Pillar II: Providing model-based decision support for enhancing energy innovation towards a clean, secure and efficient energy system
- Case studies concerning specific policy questions:
In a first step, modelling teams have extended and calibrated their models, reviewed their input data and developed case studies setup. Then, the case study results and reporting were at the forefront of setting up the framework for the pathways analysis and implementation. The successful case study implementation carried out significant lessons learned to ensure synchronization among coupled models for the pathway analysis.
- Pathway development and assessment:
Four distinct pathways were set up in order to explore the transformation processes that meet the climate targets agreed upon in Paris in 2015. They were set up along two uncertainty dimensions, i.e. the level of cooperation and the degree of (de)centralisation resulting in four comparatively extreme future directions: Diversification, Directed Vision, Localisation and National Champions.
Modelling, assessing and comparing these four pathways delivered important insights on the consequences and technical/political needs that come along with a deep decarbonisation under different (extreme) framework conditions. The challenges are significant, and the need for change appears enormous. The results however also proof that a deep decarbonisation is feasible, even if framework conditions appear at first glance less promising.
- Incorporating the needs of innovation system processes:
Analysis of innovation system processes in WP3 has informed a critical evaluation of the current SET Plan portfolio in terms of its balance, consistency and alignment. This has generated a series of policy recommendations for strengthening the diversity and effectiveness of the SET Plan in the short-to-medium term. Econometric analysis of the EU's innovation system historically has identified significant determinants of knowledge generation and innovation actor collaboration within the EU over the period 2000-2015.
Pillar III: Ensuring a proper research orientation and a high impact through a continuous and in-depth stakeholder involvement and dialogue
SET-Nav organised a multitude of stakeholder events, i.e. five policy workshops, five modelling workshops, a final policy event and a final conference held in Brussels involving a total of more than 1200 stakeholders. Additionally, SET-Nav organised three events in collaboration with other H2020 initiatives, inter alia the Energy Modelling Platform (EMP-E) 2018 conference where we acted as the lead organizer.
During the project duration of SET-NAV, partners have developed more than 20 scientific publications as well as eleven issue papers intended to answer specific questions.
For an appealing dissemination of results from case studies and the pathways, we created the SET-NAV Scenario Explorer. This open data platform provides interactive features and supports pre-defined workspaces to guide users to specific sections of our results.
