Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-11-Speech-4-007"
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"en.20100311.2.4-007"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, President-in-Office of the Council, this question relates to the fact that, in 2007, the Commission brought forward a plan with the objective of promoting technologies in the field of energy with low CO
emissions so that they could come into use quickly. Proposals were made for very specific measures: European industrial initiatives, above all in the fields of wind energy, solar energy, bio-energy, carbon capture and storage, electricity grids and nuclear fission, the creation of a European Energy Research Alliance, the sustainable conversion of European energy infrastructure networks, constantly updated European energy technology systems and the establishment of a steering group on strategic energy technologies.
At that stage, one crucial question was left unanswered, namely the issue of funding. The Seventh Framework Programme for Research provides for EUR 886 million per annum for energy research. It is clear to all, however, that that is not enough. In 2009, the Commission brought out its communication on the funding of low-carbon energy technologies, in which it described the need to treble the funding for energy research over the next 10 years. That would mean that EUR 50 billion would have to be invested. The communication described how the money for the most important low-carbon technologies should be apportioned so that Europe can move away from its heavy dependence on fossil fuels to a stronger reduction in CO
emissions. The final plan estimates EUR 6 billion for research into wind energy, which, according to the Commission, could make up a fifth of EU energy provision by 2020; EUR 16 billion for solar energy, in order to develop new photovoltaic concepts and a major industrial concentration of solar energy facilities; EUR 9 billion for bio-energy research, in order to cover 14% of the EU’s energy needs. In order to integrate renewable energy sources into the energy market, electricity grids would receive EUR 2 billion so that half of the grid would be able to operate on the basis of a ‘smart grid’ principle. Apart from renewable energy sources, a further EUR 13 billion is envisaged for up to 12 projects in the field of carbon capture and storage, while nuclear research would receive EUR 7 billion. The funding proposal also envisaged a further EUR 11 billion for the ‘smart cities’ programme so that appropriate answers can be found in this field, too.
The Commission suggested at the time that public-private partnerships are the most credible way of funding energy research but was unable to spell out precisely how the funding burdens in such arrangements would be split between the two sides. At present, the split in the field of energy research is 70% private and 30% public, excluding nuclear research. The EU argues that there is a need for a significant increase in public funding. In projects in which the risks are higher, public funding should play a major role, the Commission stated. In order to optimise the level of the intervention, the Commission called for the institution of EU programmes particularly in areas where there is a clear added value at EU level, such as where programmes are too expensive for the Member States individually. At present, 80% of public investment in non-nuclear energy research is funded at national level. This communication, too, ultimately leaves open the question of where the money is to come from. The Commission calculates that there is a need for an extra EUR 75 to 80 billion.
That is the reason why we concentrated, in our committee, on obtaining a little more clarity on a few issues in this area of funding. I would like to just remind you of the questions. Firstly, how does the Commission intend to set its priorities for the 2010-2020 roadmap to support the financing of low-carbon technologies? When will industrial policy initiatives to that effect be introduced? Secondly, how does the Commission intend to make additional EU budget resources available? How, specifically, is the Commission committed to ensuring that funds will start flowing in advance of resources from the Eighth Framework Programme? Will the Commission ensure that the budgets identified for the various industrial initiatives will be respected? Last but not least, how will the Commission – and, of course, this will also always apply to the Council – make additional funding from the EU budget available for the funding of technological options other than those specified in the communication, including storage technologies, ocean energies and so on. There is no need for me to read out all the questions. We have introduced the questions here, and we ask for answers from the Council and the Commission."@en1
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