Saving the environment and shifting to renewables drives new energy technologies development

Detecting and understanding new technologies in their very early stages – emerging technologies – is vital for policymakers who need to create informed strategies for regulation, funding and planning in order to help the development and adoption of these technologies.

Using a hybrid approach to detecting emerging technologies, combining advanced text mining with expert knowledge, JRC has published a new report describing 77 emerging technologies related  to energy, as part of its work in the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO).

The analysis shows that environmental considerations and the transition to renewable energy sources drive the development of most of the technologies identified. About half of them are linked to energy storage and 10 to photovoltaics. The fluctuation of energy supply from natural sources requires effective storage solutions, hence a strong focus on storage technologies which can save energy when production exceeds demand and release energy during high-demand periods.

By looking at the organisations involved in scientific publications and patents the report also shows a strong involvement of public research institutions at the earliest stages. Governmental and public funding agencies are already supporting most of the 77 emerging technologies. Through programmes such as Horizon 2020 or the European Regional Development Fund, the EU actively funds technologies related to biomass, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), wind energy, smart grids, renewable fuels and photovoltaics.

Higher involvement of private companies takes place once technologies enter a patenting phase, according to the report.

Looking at the specialisation of research in different regions, the report finds that Europe is more specialised in areas such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), district heating and wind energy, compared to other major economies.

At the same time, European organisations are less focused on R&D in technologies related to batteries, geothermal energy, solar fuels, energy storage and smart grids. In contrast, China and South Korea emerge as frontrunners in most of these technologies, whereas Japan and, surprisingly, the US, do not show high levels of specialisation in any category.

Related links

Early stage technologies in the field of energy

Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO)

Dashboard exploring the 77 early-stage technologies