Business-driven innovation and research needed to deliver Energy Union

Europe has the potential to bring new low-carbon technologies to the market, Markku Markkula, President of the European Committee of the Regions, underlined in a keynote presentation during the IT4Energy Conference in Lisbon yesterday.

Based on the CoRs' work on the Energy Union, the EU's digital agenda and the new EU financial framework until 2020, the President Markkula also highlighted the role of local and regional authorities in promoting business-driven innovation and research, "We need to implement smart energy strategies at the EU, national, regional and local levels so that the public and private sectors contribute to a more sustainable society and economy" he said. "To achieve this, we need to focus on SME development, new employment opportunities and ultimately, empowering citizens as responsible and creative local participants of rapidly changing energy markets."

Drawing on experience from Finland's Helsinki region, Markkula explained how IT has been key to citizens' empowerment allowing them to save energy and produce renewable energy in a cost effective way. The region's smart specialisation strategy addresses the societal challenge of sustainable energy and enhances open innovation, through the full use of the EU's research and innovation funds, combined with various other private and public sources. Moreover, cooperation among the local and regional research community has allowed the Helsinki region to provide practical solutions to involve citizens in better implementing the EU's energy policy objectives.

The CoRs' Environment, Climate and Energy (ENVE) Commission is currently preparing an opinion on the Energy Union, which the President believes will be "a unique opportunity for local and regional authorities to step up their efforts in the area of smart metering and local and regional smart grids".