Accelerating the Incubation and Commercialisation of Innovative Energy Solutions in the EU and China: Joint Statement Report Series, #5

By EU-China Energy Cooperation Platform Project

This report was prepared by:

 

    Helena Uhde, ECECP,

    Antoine Bernez, Independent Consultant,

    LIU Yi, Tsinghua Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute, 

    WANG Yanjia, Tsinghua University, and

    Flora Kan, ECECP.

 

With the support of research assistants:

 

    DAI Miaoqiang, Tsinghua Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute, and

    LU Yichen and TANG Yuchen, New Energy Nexus.

 

EU-CHINA ENERGY COOPERATION PLATFORM

The EU-China Energy Cooperation Platform was launched on 15 May 2019 to strengthen EU-China cooperation on energy policies, and to support the implementation of activities announced in the 'Joint Statement on the Implementation of EU-China Energy Cooperation'. In line with the EU's Green Deal, Energy Union, the Clean Energy for All Europeans Package, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the EU's Global Strategy,      this enhanced cooperation will help increase mutual trust and understanding between the EU and China and contribute to a global transition towards clean energy on the basis of a common vision of a sustainable, reliable and secure energy system. Phase II of ECECP is implemented by a consortium led by ICF, and with National Development and Reform Commission-Energy Research Institute. Policy steering is by the EU (DG ENER) and the China National Energy Administration.

 

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

The information and views set out in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union, the China National Energy Administration or ECECP. Neither the European Union nor China National Energy Administration or ECECP can guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study. Neither the European Union, China National Energy Administration, ECECP nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use, which may be made of the information contained therein.

 

© 2021, 2022 European Union. All rights reserved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Flora Kan
• Release date: May 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201095314

Book preview

Executive Summary

The EU’s pledge to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and China’s target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 require a rapid and radical transformation of their energy sectors and entire economies.

Innovative European and Chinese companies, large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have already developed market-ready low-carbon technologies and services: from cutting-edge renewable energy and hydrogen technologies to energy storage and digitalisation services, developers are following the political and economic signals and contributing to meeting these goals. However, companies face considerable challenges when bringing these innovative energy solutions to the European and Chinese markets.

This report has twin objectives. It aims to (i) identify barriers to the diffusion of innovative energy technologies in the EU and China; and (ii) highlight best practices that support the acceleration of incubation and commercialisation of innovative solutions. SMEs make up the largest part of the economy in the EU and China and, as innovators, are making an important contribution to the energy transition, and therefore this report focuses specifically on this business sector.

Based on an extensive series of formal and informal interviews with industry experts, business representatives from the EU and China, and representatives of associations, as well as publicly available reports and academic articles, material published in the EU-China Energy Magazine, and the results of various workshops, the key findings of this report include the following