The JRC has published the 2013 Technology Map of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan.
The 2013 edition of the Strategic Energy Technologies review covers 22 low carbon-technologies, providing information about current and projected market penetration, barriers to large-scale deployment and ongoing RD&D efforts. This insight allows policy makers and the research and innovation community to identify potential opportunities and the gaps that need to be overcome in order to achieve the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In the 2013 edition, data confirm a steady increase of wind and solar installed capacity in Europe, whose capital costs have also significantly decreased. However, the study also highlights the lack of cost-competitiveness of several low-carbon technologies as one of the main barriers to their large-scale implementation. In addition, the review shows that new investments in conventional fossil-based technologies have also nearly stalled due to reduced electricity demand and increasing shares of variable renewables with low operating costs.
Compared with the previous update (published in 2011), renewable electricity generation technologies continue to increase their share in the EU's energy mix. Onshore wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) added most generating capacity, while biomass also increased its share in gross final energy consumption. On the other hand, nuclear still accounts for about a third of the electricity generation in Europe, equivalent to approximately two thirds of all low-carbon electricity generation.
The report also finds that the low prices of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions allowances in the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) continue to have a negative impact on the competitiveness of several low carbon technologies, e.g. carbon capture and storage (CCS). In addition, large-scale implementation of renewables has been hindered by reduced financial incentives in some countries, e.g. Spain.
The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is the EU's response to accelerate the development of low-carbon technologies. The "Technology Map" is produced by the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC). This new edition will be a key input to the up-coming Integrated Roadmap, aimed to strengthen the SET Plan to respond to the new challenges facing the European Energy System and to consolidate research and innovation capacity and resources across Europe.
You can download the full report here: 2013 Technology Map
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