Final Report Summary - ENER2I (ENER2I (ENErgy Research to Innovation): Reinforcing cooperation with ENP countries on bridging the gap between energy research and energy innovation) Executive Summary:The project “ener2i: Energy to Innovation - Reinforcing cooperation with ENP countries on bridging the gap between energy research and energy innovation” focused on the need to find innovative and sustainable solutions for the resource efficiency and renewable and sustainable energy sector in four of the six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, namely Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova. The project directly addressed the gap between new energy research and industry. In the EaP countries existing research results are not being sufficiently transferred into innovative processes and products, and cooperation among research institutes, universities, and the business sector is at an early stage of development. In order to bridge this gap, to link EaP stakeholders up with colleagues in Europe, and to accelerate innovation performance, ener2i concentrated and achieved the following main objectives:• With 8 workshops on innovative EE/RES technologies and innovation policies ener2i enhanced the innovation capacity and improved the innovation performance of manufacturers, energy service companies and industry in the field of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy sources (RES). More than 300 colleagues participated in the workshops.• With study visits and staff exchanges ener2i mobilised 47 experts for improved knowledge transfer and innovation support in the field of EE/RES through a comprehensive trans-national cooperation.• With 8 brokerage events, 4 in EaP countries and 4 in EU countries, ener2i stimulated effective linkages between research and innovation, and between colleagues from the EU and the EaP countries Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova. More than 300 colleagues participated in the brokerages.• With 30 allocated innovation vouchers à € 4000 (total €120,000 invested) ener2i strengthened cooperation between research and business actors in EE/RES in the participating EaP countries and at the same time facilitating the cooperation between EU and participating EaP countries.These efforts were accompanied by extensive dissemination activities and clustering with similar projects funded under the Research to Innovation (R2I) scheme (e.g. organisation of joint events, coordination of activities, etc.).The ener2i objectives have been implemented through the following activities:• Setting up a stakeholder database• Analysis of the energy sectors and of the innovation situation in participating EaP countries• Development of a roadmap for EE/RES in industry, including policy recommendations• Twinning activities among EU and EaP partners• Networking activities e.g. brokerages at local (EaP) and international level• Coordination and collaboration with similar projects funded under FP7 (Clustering)• Targeted training activities on technology transfer, innovation issues, energy research, etc.• Establishing an innovation voucher scheme for the implementation of energy innovationsProject Context and Objectives:Energy supply and usage and the stimulation of innovation activities are some of the most important challenges for the EU and for the Eastern European countries within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Increased resource efficiency and innovation in renewable and sustainable energy offers the best potential to solve the urgent, interrelated societal challenges of insecurity over energy supplies, growing energy demand, and looming climate change.The ener2i project focuses on the need to find innovative and sustainable solutions to these challenges, directly addressing the gap between new energy research and European industry. Existing research results are not being sufficiently transferred into innovative processes and products, and in Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Molsova) cooperation among research institutes, universities, and the business sector are at an early stage of development. In order to bridge this gap and accelerate innovation performance, ener2i concentrates on the following main objectives:• To enhance the innovation capacity and improve the innovation performance of manufacturers, energy service companies and industry in the field of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy sources (RES).• To improve knowledge transfer and innovation support in the field of EE/RES through a comprehensive trans-national cooperation.• To stimulate effective linkages between research and innovation with effective knowledge transfer methods in the participating EaP countries Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova.• To strengthen cooperation between research and business actors in EE/RES in the participating countries and at the same time facilitating the cooperation between EU and participating EaP countries.Project Results:WORK PACKAGE 1: PROJECT COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT Under this WP ener2i implemented a sound administrative and financial management with regular face to face and virtual meetings of the project management board, coordination of work packages and tasks by the respective leaders, implementation of most activities as planned, and preparation of deliverables as scheduled. Furthermore a quality assurance of the project results was performed.Main activities done under WP1 were:• Establishment of an internal and external project communication (establishing mailing lists, Telephone conferences, internal e-mail newsletter, etc.).• Holding virtual and “face to face” Project Management Board meetings and drafting of minutes.• Financial and administrative management.• Establishment of an External Review Panel and related communication.• Conducting and chairing regular online meetings with the project consortium.• Quality assurance of the project deliverablesSubmitted deliverables in this WP:D1.1 Interim Progress and financial reportD1.2 Quality assurance plan D1.3 Final Quality Assurance Report D1.4 Final Progress and financial reportWORK PACKAGE 2: ANALYSIS & RECOMMENDATIONSA joint methodology for country analysis (D2.1) was developed for the analysis of the local energy sector and the potential in energy efficiency and RES of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova. This methodology was also used for the identification of stakeholders in the respective countries. Successful expert workshops in all four target countries (with the participation of EU experts and representatives of local private and public sector) took place in order to support the elaboration and validation of the country reports.The four country reports and a cross-country analysis were prepared in 2014. These country reports focus on the local energy sectors and their potential in energy efficiency and RES including an overview of available technologies and technology providers, identification of opportunities and barriers and mapping of relevant stakeholders (D2.2). These reports, as well as the cross-country analysis have been updated in autumn 2015/early 2016. Based on the findings and results of the analysis, a policy recommendation and roadmap for energy efficiency and RES have been prepared (D2.3) and presented in the frame of a joint synergy workshop held in Graz, where the outcomes of the project have been discussed. Submitted deliverables in this WP:• D 2.1 Joint methodology for country analysis (ZSI)• The methodology gives a common structure for the country reports and provides common definitions so that the partnership has a common understanding of the different stakeholders and issues at stake.• D 2.2 Collection of 4 country reports, one per ENP country: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus & policy Brief on country analysis (RCISD) Reports on the local energy sectors and innovation systems in the four ENP target countries of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova + a cross country analysis based on the country reports. • D 2.3 Recommendations report incl. roadmap on EE/RES in business & Policy Brief on Recommendations (eseia) The recommendations report synthesizes the experiences that have been generated throughout the ener2i project. On the basis of the countries report (D2.2) and the cross-country report, the present energy efficiency and renewable energy in the ENP countries have been assessed and an indication of the countries’ institutional framework for energy has been presented in the report. A roadmap on innovating in energy efficiency and renewable energy in the ENP countries is included, and the report contains valuable recommendations based on the activities and lessons learned in the ener2i project. WORK PACKAGE 3: NETWORKING & TECHNOLOGY-ORIENTED BROKERAGEThe overall objective of work package 3 was to facilitate contacts between EaP countries and EU stakeholders and strengthening transnational cooperation between scientists, business representatives, and innovation agencies in the field of energy efficiency and RES. Four local brokerages in the EaP countries and four trans-national brokerage events with different thematic and regional focus were organized to encourage the stakeholders to find partners for their innovative project and business ideas and set up joint research initiatives. Each ener2i brokerage event gathered between 20-50 participants with in total more than 300 participants.The project generated valuable public-private partnerships between EU Member States, Associated Countries, and EaP countries. Partners from Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Armenia have been involved in at least eight project proposals to EU R&I funding programmes. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action PHOENIX with participation of Belarusian and Armenian partners got accepted. The COST action Pearl – PV is under evaluation, another COST Action will be submitted in December 2016 and one Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action and a H2020 project to the EE06 call will be submitted in 2017.List of events Local Brokerage Events1. 15 October 2014, Energy Expo – 2014 venue, Minsk, Belarus. The brokerage event was embedded in the programme of the 19th International Specialized Exhibition “Energy. Ecology. Energy Saving. Electro (Energy Expo – 2014)” and the 19th Belarusian Energy and Ecology Congress (October 14–17, 2014) and combined with the Innovation Vouchers Award Ceremony foreseen in the Task 5.2 (October 14) and the local workshop on innovation in EE and RES (October 15) envisaged in the Task 4.1. There were 42 participants in the brokerage. Local organiser of the brokerage event was BelISA with support of Belinfund. The INNOVER-EAST project participated in the brokerage.2. 11 December 2014, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chișinău, Moldova. The event was organized back to back with the “Top Innovation Event” and was combined with the local workshop on innovation in EE and RES organized within the framework of tasks 4.1 and 5.1 a day before, and in view of the launching of the ener2i Innovation Voucher competition in Moldova (task 5.2). There were 41 participants in the brokerage. The partners responsible for the organisation of the brokerage event were AITT and ODIMM. The RERAM project participated in the brokerage.3. 2 June 2015, Georgian Technical University, Tbilisi, Georgia. Local organizer Energy Efficiency Centre Georgia, with support of the Georgian Technical University, combined the Brokerage Event with the Innovation Training Workshop. There were more than 60 participants in the brokerage. The event was organized together with the SECURE R2I and INNOVER-EAST projects.4. 2 October 2015, in Yerevan, Armenia. The event was combined with an Innovation Training Workshop on Energy and Innovation, and both events were embedded the Sixth International Renewable and Clean Energy Conference and Exhibition (2-3 October 2015), which gathered around 150 participants from Armenia, EU Member States, Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Central Asian countries, and countries associated to Horizon 2020.+A detailed report on all four Local Brokerage Events is given in D3.3. Final Report on Local Brokerage Events.EU Brokerage Events 1. 23 June 2014, Committee of the Regions, Brussels, Belgium. The event was organized in synergy with the IncoNet Eastern Partnership project, back to back with the EU Sustainability Week. Together they gathered 41 participants from 15 countries, including 6 ENP countries: Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan.2. 2 December 2014, eseia Office, Brussels, Belgium. The second EU International Brokerage Event organized by eseia gathered 38 participants from 16 countries, including 4 EaP countries: Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and Belarus. For the second EU brokerage event a selection of calls already under preparation by eseia members and ZSI were presented.3. 2 December 2015, Brussels, Belgium. In total 30 participants from 11 countries, including Armenia and Moldova, took part in the 3rd EU Brokerage Event. EC representatives gave presentations related to the H2020 Work Programme and several calls have been presented and discussed.4. 5 April 2016, TU Graz, Graz, Austria. The event was organized back to back with the BioEnergyTrain Buying-in Event, and both were embedded in the 2nd eseia TU Graz Conference on Smart and Green Energy Transitions (4-6 April 2016).A detailed report on all four EU Brokerage Events is given in D3.3. Final Report on Trans-national Brokerages.Clustering activities were conducted with the other R2I projects, funded in the FP7. • Regular coordination meetings among R2I projects for the EaP region• Coordination of activities, and establishing a calendar of activities of the six R2I projects and the INCO-Net EaP to this end. • Implementation of joint activities, such as co-organisation of brokerage events and workshops. Most of ener2i events were held in conjunction with other R2I projects. • Attending coordination events organised by the European Commission for R2I projects. • Information on the other R2I projects has been placed at the ener2i website: http://www.ener2i.eu/related_projects/r2i_cluster_east and http://www.ener2i.eu/related_projects/r2i_cluster_mediterranean• A database of stakeholders in the energy field has been developed jointly by ener2i, No-GaP and Innover-East.Submitted deliverables in this WP:• D.3.1 Interim report on local brokerage events (BelISA). D.3.1. reports on the local brokerage events organised by ener2i in the first reporting period.• D.3.2 Minutes of Final (& clustering) conference (ZSI). The final conference was organized to summarize the experience of the various activities and events within the ener2i project, as well as a final clustering event to connect with local and transnational stakeholders to set up new partnerships and launch new collaborative projects.• D.3.3 Final report on local brokerage events (BelISA). This deliverable reports on all local brokerage events organised by ener2i in the project period and their impacts.• D.3.3 Final report on Trans-national Brokerage Events, (eseia). This report described all four EU Trans-national Brokerage Events and also promoted project results and their impact on the state of the art in energy research to Innovation.WORK PACKAGE 4: TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING Work package 4 was focused on training and capacity building. Cooperation between research and innovation actors was enhanced through the implementation of 4 Innovation Training Workshops. In total 233 participants were trained. Additionally 47 exchanges between Europe and EaP countries were implemented. These exchanges included 9 study visits with 39 participants and 8 staff exchanges.List of events Innovation Training WorkshopsI. 15 October 2014, Energy Expo – 2014 venue, Minsk, Belarus. The Innovation Training Workshop was embedded in the programme of the 19th International Specialized Exhibition “Energy. Ecology. Energy Saving. Electro (Energy Expo – 2014)” and the 19th Belarusian Energy and Ecology Congress (October 14–17, 2014) and combined with the Innovation Vouchers Award Ceremony foreseen in the Task 5.2 (October 14) and the Local Brokerage Event RES envisaged in the Task 3.1. Local organiser was BelISA with support of Belinfund. II. 11 December 2014, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chișinău, Moldova. The event was organized back to back with the “Top Innovation Event” and was combined with the Local Brokerage Event organized within the framework of task 3.1 a day before, and in view of the launching of the ener2i Innovation Voucher competition in Moldova (task 5.2). The partners responsible for the organisation were AITT and ODIMM.III. 2 June 2015, Georgian Technical University, Tbilisi, Georgia. Local was the Energy Efficiency Centre Georgia, with support of the Georgian Technical University. The workshop was combined with the Local Brokerage Event (T3.1). The event was organized together with the SECURE R2I and INNOVER-EAST projects.IV. 2 October 2015, in Yerevan, Armenia. The event was combined with the Local Brokerage Event and embedded in the Sixth International Renewable and Clean Energy Conference and Exhibition (2-3 October 2015), which gathered around 150 participants from Armenia, EU Member States, Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Central Asian countries, and countries associated to Horizon 2020. NAS-RA and TTA were the local organizers of the event.Study VisitsTable 1: List of study visitsDate Organisation # Participants City + Country18 – 21 March 2014 BelISA 1 Minsk, Belarus22–25 April 2014 University of Twente 3 Enschede, the Netherlands10–13 June 2014 several 2 Yerevan, Armenia9– 2 December 2014 several 2 Chisinau, Moldova15–17 December 2014 SINTEF 2 Oslo, Norway12–17 April 2015 EnergyAgency.NRW 4 Düsseldorf, Germany18–20 May 2015 ZSI 9 Wien, Austria8–10 September 2015 TUHH 1 Hamburg, Germany19–21 October 2015 BAV 3 Lindlar, Germany19–21 September 2016 Transilvania University of Braşov & ZSI 12 Braşov, RomaniaStaff ExchangesI. 14 - 27 July 2014, Transylvania University of Brasov, Romania. Three participants from Georgia took part in the study visit hosted by the Transylvania University of Brasov back to back with the eseia International Summer School 2014 on “Smart Metropolitan regions of tomorrow”. II. 13-24 July 2015, LNEG, Lisbon, Portugal. The National Laboratory of Energy and Geology as well as at the Campus of the New University of Lisbon hosted a staff exchange back to back with the eseia International Summer School on 'Integrating Bioresources and Waste in Urban and Rural Energy Systems'. Three participants, 2 from Belarus and 1 from Moldova, were enrolled in the ISS.III. 18-29 July 2016, LNEG, Lisbon, Portugal. The National Laboratory of Energy and Geology hosted a staff exchange back to back with the eseia International Summer School on ‘Novel Development in Biorefineries'. The ISS was aimed to cover fundamental aspects and to reveal solutions in the quest for innovations in the biorefinery framework converting underexplored biomass into biofuels and chemicals. Two participants from Belarus and Armenia took part in the ISS.Table 2: List of participants for staff exchanges# Country Name Organisation1 Armenia Armen Gharibyan State Engineering University of Armenia2 Armenia Narine Kalantaryan NAS RA3 Belarus Galina Novik Institute of Microbiology Belarus Academy of Sciences4 Belarus Anna Poznyak Belarusian National Technical University5 Belarus Viktor Velichko Belarusian National Technical University6 Georgia Gviniashvili Zviad Georgian Technical University7 Moldova Igor Plamadeala Agency for Innovation and Technology Transfer8 Moldova Natalia TIMOFTE Institute of Power EngineeringSubmitted deliverables in this WP:• D4.1: Interim progress report on Innovation training workshops including twinning study visits and twinning mini-projects. This report presents the ener2i capacity building programme and in particular the Innovation Training Workshops and Twinning activities which were implemented in the first reporting period of the project. It also promotes project results and its impact on the state of the art in energy research to innovation.• D4.2: Final report on 4 Innovation training workshops including twining study visits and twining mini-projects. This report is an update of D4.1 including the Innovation Training Workshops and Twinning activities of the second reporting period.WORK PACKAGE 5: INNOVATION SUPPORTThe WP 5 focused on: • Development of a comprehensive concept for innovation voucher competitions that enable the implementation of applied research projects in the area of renewable energies and energy efficiency within the 4 EaP-Countries Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and for linking the EaP colleagues to partners in the EU• Successful execution of 5 independent competitions within the four countries• Provision of seed money to kick start the implementation of 30 projects aiming to develop new products and services and therefore stimulate the local economy within the innovative sector• Project consortia comprised small business and research partners and thus effectively bridged the gap between research institutions and the business sector• Validation that the applied concept is a suitable methodology to make use of existing research results in a commercial manner• Establishing an interconnection between the single projects and enable the exchange of experienceThe Innovation voucher procedure was organised as follows:IVC – procedurePreparation • Recruiting of Jury members• Preparation of IVC documents: concept, Terms of Reference, template for IV contract, template for final IV report• Preparation of submission forms at ener2i website• Preparation of IVC launchCompetition • Competition launch/announcement• Proposal preparation phase• Proposal submission• Eligibility check and pre-selection of IV proposals• Proposal evaluation• Selection of winning project teamsRealisation • Preparation and conclusion of contracts with the selected IV projects • Award ceremony • Implementation of projects• Monitoring of progress and support during IV project implementation (e.g. answering financial questions, etc.)Finalisation • Collecting final project reports• Report assessment• Preparation of deliverable 5.3 (summary report on voucher implementation)List of events • 14 October 2014, Minsk, Belarus:“Award ceremony for the successful innovation voucher applications in Belarus”. The awardees presented their project ideas to the participants of the ener2i national brokerage event and received the funding contracts.• 16 March 2015, Chisinau, Moldova:“Announcement of successful innovation voucher applications”.• 2 June 2015, Tbilisi, Georgia:“Award ceremony for the successful innovation voucher applications in Georgia”. The awardees presented their project ideas to the participants of the ener2i national brokerage event and received the funding contracts.• 2 September 2015, Yerevan, Armenia:“Award ceremony for the successful innovation voucher applications in Armenia”. The awardees presented their project ideas to the participants of the ener2i national brokerage event and received the funding contracts.• 26 January 2016, Chisinau, Moldova:“Presentation of the implemented innovation projects in Moldova, and review of results achieved.”• 25 March 2016, Minsk, Belarus:Award ceremony for the successful innovation voucher applications of the second competition in Belarus.Submitted deliverables in this WP:• D5.1 Interim progress report on Innovative Thinking workshops • D5.2 Innovation voucher scheme methodology (responsible: EE). Within deliverable 5.2 the overall concept of the voucher competitions has been developed. All relevant guidelines (e.g. role of partners, timelines for competition and project implementation, evaluation and funding criteria as well as the communication strategy) have been defined to serve as input for the 4 individual Terms of reference for the competitions on national level.• D5.3 Summary report on the implementation of the 30 innovation vouchers (responsible: EE). The major results of the 4 individual innovation voucher competitions have been summarized in deliverable 5.3. Subject of evaluation was e.g. the administrative implementation of the competitions, the results of the 30 innovation projects and the overall impact resulting from the projects. Besides that, a general evaluation of the “tool” innovation voucher has been conducted in order to assess the effectiveness in terms of innovation support.WORK PACKAGE 6: COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATIONThe overall aim of the ener2i project was to improve knowledge transfer and innovation support in the field of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy sources (RES) through a comprehensive trans-national cooperation programme directed to bridging the gap between research and business, and for accelerating innovation performance. The activities were directed to stimulating the linkages between research and innovation with effective knowledge transfer methods in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova, and to establish a sustainable cooperation between research and innovation actors across the EU and the EaP countries with support from EU partners from Austria, Germany and Hungary.Communication and dissemination of project-based results to the stakeholders and to the wider public have been essential and crucial components for the success of the project as well as for the sustainability of the project results in the long term. Therefore, the communication and dissemination measures have been one of the core activities within ener2i. Besides the dissemination of the project results (i.e. formal deliverables, project events, etc.) also promotional activities of EE/RES related conferences in the target countries and other project-related news (i.e. providing information on other R2I projects) were carried out.The dissemination and communication infrastructure as well as relevant and targeted stakeholders have been described in the D6.1 –Dissemination and communication strategy. The dissemination activities were organised in Work Package 6. The main dissemination channels and tools from October 2013 until September 2016 have been the following: • ener2i website (www.ener2i.eu)• ener2i brokerage events• ener2i innovative thinking and training workshops• External networking, brokerage events and conferences• Dissemination towards other networks (i.e. R2I clustering)• Project leaflet• ener2i Facebook website (https://www.facebook.com/ener2i) • article about the ener2i project in Europe's leading research dissemination magazine "EU Research" (Volume 2015, issue 1), https://ener2i.eu/object/document/96 The detailed dissemination and communication activities are described in the following submitted deliverables:• D6.1 Dissemination and communication strategy • D6.2 Interim Dissemination report including project flyer and project website • D6.3 Final Dissemination reportPotential Impact:ImpactBy implementation of the following activities:• Setting up a stakeholder database• Analysis of the energy sectors and of the innovation situation in participating EaP countries• Development of a roadmap for EE/RES in industry, including policy recommendations• Twinning activities among EU and EaP partners• Networking activities e.g. brokerages at local (EaP) and international level• Targeted training activities on technology transfer, innovation issues, energy research, etc.• Establishing an innovation voucher scheme for the implementation of energy innovationsBased on the activities presented, the following impacts were expected and have been achieved over the project’s lifetime:• Ex-ante target and achieved 4 analytical reports on the research and innovation landscape and on players in EE/RES in the participating EaP countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova). In addition achieved: 4 workshops in the EaP countries to discuss and validate the reports with about 80 local key stakeholders.• Ex-ante target and achieved 4 local brokerages in participating EaP countries and 4 brokerages in EU countries. Participants in these events were more than 300.• Ex-ante target and achieved 8 training workshops on various aspects of innovation, which are relevant for EE/RES in participating EaP countries. Innovative energy technology workshops were combined with innovative thinking workshops and linked to the brokerage events for sake of synergies. Participants in these events were also more than 300.• Ex-ante target Staff exchanges/study visits – 24 experts exchanged in the frame of a twinning scheme. Achieved: 47 experts mobilised and exchanged in these schemes.• Ex-ante target 24 innovation vouchers. Achieved: 30 innovation vouchers, allocated to start-ups and businesses in the participating EaP countries as a result of a merit-based competition. Increase by 6 vouchers due to successful grant application to Central European Initiative (CEI) and re-allocation within Belinfund budget.In addition, as a result of brokerage events colleagues from EaP countries have been involved in at least eight project proposals to EU R&I funding programmes, whereby one has already received funding (Phoenix project). Moreover an EaP solar cluster has been established and linked to EU colleagues and initiatives (KIC InnoEnergy).List of Websites:https://www.ener2i.eu/Telephone: +43 1 495 04 42 - 0E-mail: office@ener2i.euCentre for Social InnovationLinke Wienzeile 246, A - 1150 Wien, Austria Related documents final1-final-publishable-summary-report.pdf
