The EU is heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. But to meet our climate change commitments and safeguard the security of our energy supply, urgent transformation is required.
To make this change happen, we need to innovate. High-performance, low-carbon, cost-effective technologies can create the sustainable, competitive and secure energy system we envisage for 2030 and beyond. The JRC contributes to a number of initiatives related to energy innovation.
Strategic Energy Technology Plan Information System
The JRC leads the European Commission's Strategic Energy Technologies Information System (SETIS). SETIS supports the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) by providing timely, reliable and independent information to underpin decision-making.
The SET Plan brings together industry, academia and policymakers across Europe to streamline and accelerate research and innovation in the energy technologies which can best help us achieve the energy transition, taking them closer to commercialisation and deployment.
Clean Energy Technology Observatory
The JRC also monitors EU research and innovation activities on clean energy technologies through the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO), which was set up in 2022 to provide a repository of techno and socio-economic data on the most relevant technologies and their integration into the energy system.
CETO produces a series of annual reports that form a basis for the annual Competitiveness Progress Report on clean energy technologies, which accompanies the State of the Energy Union report.
Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerial
To advance international cooperation on clean energy innovation, the Commission continues its engagement in Mission Innovation (MI) and the Clean Energy Ministerial on behalf of the EU.
MI is the key forum for the Commission to globally stimulate action and investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible to all. The JRC is a member of the MI Steering Committee, Technical Advisory Group and Secretariat, and manages the Insights Module.
Energy implications of transport automation
JRC work in this field includes the assessment of energy needs linked to automated mobility services and automated delivery services. This covers aspects such as
- the energy consumption of technologies enabling automation
- vehicle operation
- changes in behavioural patterns
The JRC collaborates with the CCAM Association on evaluating the energy intensity of new mobility services, and conducts additional studies on the energy and sustainability impacts of last-mile automation.