Title:
Promoting Innovation Excellence in Transformation of Coal Regions to Climate-neutral, Thriving Economies
Author(s):
Mergner, R., Janssen, R., Ketikidis, C., Koutsianou, K., Chrysagis, K., Nikou, K., Geragotellis, Y., Suciu, N., Magyarossy, A., Ardelean, A., Balanean, R., Tata, I., Stoychev, K., Dineva, M., Yonkov, Y., Tilova, E., Angelova, G.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Energy efficiency, Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Storage/Batteries, Hydrogen, Efficient Buildings, climate neutrality, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonization of industries & coal regions are in the heart of European Policies for the new programming period (ie. Green Deal, EU Strategic Energy Technology Plan, Twin Industrial Transition etc.). Many financial instruments have been setup to support these objectives that have a common denominator in sustainability and energy or better yet, sustainable energy. Many EU alliances across the value chains (ie. EBA), IPCEIs (ie. Hydrogen, Batteries) and Research & Policy Platforms (ie. Coal Regions in Transition), are dedicated to facilitating the advancement of R&I in the field, through the collective effort of EU members, and enable the transformation of EU regions to climate neutral, thriving economies. This context finds a lot of countries striving to comply, especially challenging those that traditionally have economies heavily dependent on fossil fuel mining and exploitation; a major shift has to be done in a short amount of time, putting at risk the balances in the local economies and making years-long expertise and well-established skills become obsolete. While currently coal power plants are drastically put in action again across Europe in order to battle the on-going energy crisis which has flaunted EU’s dependence on fossil fuels and the need to speed up the coal phase-out, in the long term this will not be an option. However, coal regions present also a major opportunity. As studies have shown between 106,681 and 314,416 jobs can be created in the coal regions by 2030 by deploying clean energy technologies. Those jobs created by clean energy technologies in the coal regions would be comparable to the nearly 200,000 direct jobs relevant to coal related activities.
Keywords:
capacity building, sustainable energy, r&i strategy, coal regions, just transition, regional transition ecosystems, excellence hubs, joint action & investment plan
Topic:
Biomass, Bio-Based Products and Bioenergy Integration
Subtopic:
Market implementation, investments & financing
Event:
31st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
3CV.8.9
Pages:
578 - 580
ISBN:
978-88-89407-23-3
Paper DOI:
10.5071/31stEUBCE2023-3CV.8.9
Price:
FREE
