European Commission drafts rules for smart energy

The S3P-Energy is a joint initiative of the Directorates-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Energy, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The S3P-Energy is planned to become an enabling tool for regions to coordinate, rationalise and plan their respective energy strategies, develop a shared vision on knowledge-based energy policy development, and set up a strategic agenda of collaborative work .

The S3P-Energy is addressing energy issues as part of the European efforts to achieve a shared vision on knowledge-based energy policy in regions. Activities initiated at local or regional level should be developed in a more coherent manner: although they rely on local potential, they have to be also consistent with EU broad energy policy objectives. The goal is to better align local and regional activities through the identification of the technologies and innovative solutions that contribute to the EU energy policy priorities. These priorities include sustainability, competitiveness and security of supply.

The main objective of the S3P-Energy is to support the optimal and effective uptake of the Cohesion Policy funds for energy, and to better align energy innovation activities at national, local and regional level through the identification of the technologies and innovative solutions that support in the most cost-effective way the EU energy policy priorities.

The ultimate objective is to contribute to the shift towards a low carbon economy by 2050 and to respond to some of the societal challenges identified in the EU 2020 Strategy. The EU has set out plans for a new climate and energy policy framework. Europe is determined to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 % by 2030 compared to 1990. Respectively, it has committed itself to achieve at least 27 % share of renewables. Hence, there is a clear link between innovation and the EU’s energy and climate targets.