RandD Investment in the Priority Technologies of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan.

The present report estimates the current R&D investments in selected low-carbon energy technologies in the EU-27 funded by the Member States, through the 6th EU Research and Euratom Framework Programmes and by companies with headquarters registered in the EU. The technologies considered are those for which the EU's Strategic Energy Technology Plan proposes to launch European Industrial Initiatives or for which joint initiatives already exists: wind energy; photovoltaic and concentrating solar power; carbon dioxide capture and storage ; smart grids; hydrogen and fuel cells; transport biofuels; nuclear fission and fusion. A novel approach has been developed to estimate corporate R&D investments by technology, combining available data with other publicly available information and with expert judgment. With regard to public R&D investments, information from existing databases (Eurostat and the IEA) has been complemented and improved through the direct contact with Member States. On this basis and despite some associated uncertainties, the current R&D efforts in Europe dedicated to SET-Plan priority technologies are approached and policy-relevant conclusions are derived.