EU needs to ‘leverage its energy efficiency expertise’ to compete globally

Speaking at the European Parliament, Climate-KIC CEO Mary Ritter said Europe needs to leverage its combined expertise on climate change mitigation and adaptation to compete globally on energy efficiency.

Ritter spoke at a high level roundtable on Europe’s energy future ‘Efficiency and competitiveness through smart integration’ hosted by former President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek MEP as part of the Knowledge4Innovation Forum, which also featured a keynote speech by EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger.

The discussion was chaired by Dominique Ristori, Director General at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy. Ritter explained how Climate-KIC, as the European Union’s main climate innovation initiative, contributes to Europe’s competitiveness in the energy efficiency sector as part of its mission to address climate change mitigation and adaptation. To do this, the organisation interacts across global, EU, national, and regional levels.

Participants of the roundtable agreed competitive, secure, and sustainable energy is widely seen as vital for a thriving European economy and society. Ritter stressed the need for systemic development of the energy efficiency in the sector. Europe needs investment and knowledge innovation, not only new technologies or inventions, she said.

It will require innovation in design, finance, policy and regulation – and above all, it demands new types of collaboration drawn from across the public and private spheres to identify and generate opportunity from this systemic challenge, Ritter emphasised.

Europe needs new collaborative mechanisms to be integrated, impartial, and influential and this is what Climate-KIC was established to do, she added.

Ritter pointed out that Climate-KIC is set to increase its ties with global partners, connecting Europe with major developing markets in key carbon-producing nations such as China and Brazil. Climate-KIC is expected to represent Europe’s climate innovation community on the international stage throughout the year.

Climate-KIC’s public private partnership is partially funded by the European Commission through its European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) – which has confirmed an initial €63m grant for 2014 – and receives financial and in-kind support from over 200 businesses, universities and public bodies across Europe.