Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SUPEERA (Support to the coordination of national research and innovation programmes in areas of activities of the European Energy Research Alliance) Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2022-06-30 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. The transition to a climate-neutral society is both an urgent challenge and an opportunity to build a better future for all. Therefore, setting the right policy framework priorities will be essential to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral economy and maximise its impact. The EU has set out for this transition with the presentation of the European Commission's Green Deal policy programme in 2019. Climate action has become a number one priority for the Union in order to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.The transition towards climate neutrality by 2050 gives energy sector a central role, as energy is responsible for more than 75% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions. The energy transition will consist of a socially fair and cost-efficient process moving from fossil fuels to a clean energy system based on increased use of renewable energy sources, their systemic integration, and the reduction of remaining greenhouse gas emissions.Against this background, Research and Innovation (R&I) is critical for delivering the solutions and system transformations needed and determining the speed at which this transition will occur. Promising technologies and high-efficiency devices and materials have the potential to become game-changers in the process. The systemic integration of existing renewable and low-carbon energy technologies will be essential to ensure the continuous development and deployment of the full range of cross-sectorial solutions available. The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is a crucial framework to foster the Clean Energy Transition in Europe. It sets the roadmap by which the EU aims to meet its Energy Union targets by 2050, helping to align R&I priorities between the European Commission, the EU Member States, Associated Countries and the industry. Therefore, it is necessary to support the realisation of the existing framework while setting the direction in coordination with new and long-term EU climate policies pertaining to the Clean Energy Transition.In this context, the SUPEERA project supports the SET Plan and the Clean Energy Transition to support Europe's strategic long-term vision, a Clean Planet for all. Therefore, EERA aisbl and its linked third parties strive to connect the dots by:• Facilitating the coordination of the research community in support of the execution of the SET Plan towards the Clean Energy Transition• Accelerating innovation and uptake by industry• Providing recommendations on R&I priorities and policy frameworks through the development and analysis of the energy and macroeconomic indicators• Supporting and promoting the connection of the SET Plan and the Clean Energy Transition with all stakeholders Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far The work carried out in the RP2 compliments the work performed in the RP1 (for details please reffer to the previous technical report). The 2nd reporting period signifies a milestone for the delivered impact of the SUPEERA project, bringing into play all the implemented work of the 1st reporting period. As the second half of 2021 sees the lifting of pandemic restrictions that were in place since the very early stages of the SUPEERA project, the first half of 2022 brings multiple changes and new challenges that call for swift decisions, immediate actions, but also the full mobilisation of the EERA community at large.In more specific, the revamping process of the SET Plan brings a new mission for SUPEERA and repurposes its methodology to deliver an added value to the high-level objectives, supporting the the execution of the SET Plan towards the Clean Energy Transition. In that front, the entire EERA community (and the ETIPs) sufficiently responded to the surveys and took action to provide a thorough feedback that extends beyond the core scope of the SET Plan, in line with the priorities of the EU Policy Agenda.SUPEERA is efficiently adapting its course of action as well as its communication and outreach activities to the rapidly evolving EU policy framework in the energy field, providing an immediate response to the latest geopolitical developments in Europe and in relation to the emergency actions set out in the REPowerEU communication. Without downplaying the importance of existing prominenet legislation packages (e.g. European Green Deal, Fit for 55 etc.), SUPEERA played a critical role on the massive mobilisation of EERA community – where REPowerEU was a central topic of discussion, from the workshops with industry players and stakeholders in EU13 countries, to the JPC meeting and ASM 2022. As the first half of 2022 allowed for the organisation of physical workshops, SUPEERA contributed to enhance transnational cooperation with industry and facilitate the discussion on key cross-cutting issues, involving various stakeholders at different levels (e.g. policy makers, industry and academia) and across key European economies. Significant actions and fruitful discussions facilitated the endeavour to both attract interest and encourage mobilisation of resources from RTOs and universities from the EU13 countries to contribute to the implementation of the SET Plan and to gather evidence and knowledge on the most significant barriers in each visited country.In this period, communication and dissemination efforts played a crucial role on increasing the impact of the outcome of the project and raising awareness of the ongoing activities and highlight the most important results. Such actions facilitated knowledge sharing, spreading best practices and cross-fertilisation of results, and engaging relevant stakeholders, ensuring a synergetic and collaborative approach.Lastly, significant progress has been made on the identification of indicators to measure progress towards a sustainable energy ecosystem, and the address of principle research questions emerging from the EC’s policies that try to shed light on perspectives close to the heart of the R&I community.The SUPEERA communications activities (WP4) supported the project using digital tools, such as social media and the project's website. Thanks to the support of the project's linked third parties, the activities carried out in the context of SUPEERA were disseminated not only through the online channels but also at various (online) events held over the secodn half of 2021 and the first semester of 2022. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) SUPEERA fosters the acceleration, expansion, widening, and better-coordinated implementation of the SET Plan R&I activities and explores cross-cutting and interdisciplinary aspects. Moreover, the project enhances transnational cooperation with industry by creating and fostering fruitful dialogue models and drafting preliminary recommendations for policymakers on R&I priorities, cross-cutting issues, and policy frameworks to accelerate the CET. SUPEERA is making a crucial contribution in disseminating SET Plan activities, its implementation progress, and increasing its outreach to a broader stakeholder community. Such actions facilitated knowledge sharing, spreading best practices and cross-fertilisation of results. SUPEERA logo
