8 February, Brussels – On 9-10 February the European Commission communication on “A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age” will be discussed at a special summit for EU Leaders. The Communication is right to point out that Europe needs to urgently scale up the sectors crucial to reaching net zero and that an acceleration of the green transition is needed to ensure European consumers have access to abundant, indigenous and affordable renewable energy.
currENT agrees that those who develop and manufacture the technology that will form the foundation of tomorrow’s economy will have the greatest competitive edge as we further progress towards a full Energy Union to achieve our dual objective of European energy sovereignty and climate neutrality, agreed by the European Council on 20-21 October 2022. Furthermore, we agree that our common approach must be anchored in EU policies and instruments.
To achieve these objectives, currENT believes there are several aspects this plan needs to consider. First, while there is a strong focus on funding for innovation in the Communication, there needs to be more attention on the rapid deployment of innovative grid technologies that are already commercially available. Secondly, the existing funding opportunities for innovation need to be thoroughly reviewed.
Read currENT’s full response in the document below: