Rationales for a revisited European energy technology policy

Abstract

If the EU wants to meet its 2050 climate objectives, i.e. reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 80-95 % below 1990 levels, while at the same time ensuring the secure supply of energy, the future energy mix will have to rely on a significantly increased share of low-carbon electricity generation. A diverse portfolio of clean technologies has to be employed at a large scale. However, many of those technologies are not yet competitive, or even not technically proven, and substantial additional research, development and demonstration (RD & D) activities are required. The present EU energy technology policy supporting such RD & D needs to be revisited. Market actors and the European public demand new, transparent and lasting policy commitments, not only because the current technology policy framework is running out in 2020, but also because of increasing global competitive pressure in the low-carbon technology sectors. We, therefore, discuss rationales for (a) (revisited) (European) energy technology policy, asking (1) why there is any need for an energy technology policy, (2) why there is a need for some coordinated intervention on the European level, and (3) why there is a need to revise the already implemented policy measures.