The National Strategy for Research & Innovation in Energy and Water l (2021-2030)
Overview First National Strategy to be exclusively dedicated to research and innovation (R&I) in the fields of energy and water. • Overview of the Agency • Background to the National Strategy for R&I in Energy and Water • 2030 Strategy and Aims • Platform-RINEW • Funding and Resources • Evaluation and Monitoring
Overview of the Agency • Established in 2014 within the Ministry for Energy and Water Management. • Technical and policy support arm of the Ministry. • Has grown significantly in terms of resources - by the end of 2019, the agency had a workforce of over 50 professionals including engineers, architects, scientists, lawyers, and economists. • The Agency is tasked with the development of policies to ensure secure, sustainable and affordable energy and water for the Maltese consumer. • Well-placed to take into account and identify synergies arising from the energy- water nexus in the Maltese Islands.
Background (1) • Under the Regulation of the Governance of the Energy Union, Member States were required to submit their National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) 2021-2030 covering the 5 dimensions of the Energy Union. • Research, Innovation and Competitiveness is one of the five dimensions. • Considered key cross-cutting area enabling member states and the EU to deliver on the overarching objectives of the Energy Union . ENERGY DECARBONISATION ENERGY INTERNAL RESEARCH & SECURITY EFFICIENCY MARKET INNOVATION
Background (2) • Necessitated initiation of work on a strategy for R&I in The Strategy is guided by: the field of energy. National policy direction • • Expanded to include R&I in water (supports the and sectoral ambitions implementation of supplementary measures under the Water Framework Directive). European objectives and • long-term vision • Innovation potential in both fields. Engagement with • national stakeholders • Current support at the national level limited to and the public experimental design and commercialisation The wider R&I landscape • stages. • Energy and water research not directly eligible for BOLSTERING STRENGTHS & European Structural and Investment Funds for R&I. ADDRESSING GAPS
Working within a rich R&I landscape • Significant focus at EU level on energy and water – largely from a EU LEVEL perspective of sustainability, climate change adaptation and resource management Horizon Europe and other programmes • European Commission proposed to increase target of EU budget expenditure on climate objectives to 25% between 2021-2027 (EUR 25 billion). NATIONAL Post-2020 National R&I • Ensure complementarity with national and EU policies. Strategy (MCST) • Seeking to avoid overlaps and duplication. – work is ongoing • Enhance synergies. SECTORAL • Seeking to ensure multi-level coordination between the different Other sectoral government entities responsible for R&I and academia already strategies with an R&I undertaking R&I activities. aspect
R&I in Energy & Water: 2030 Strategy • Provide clarity on priority areas for R&I Boost R&I in energy & water • Provide additional support for R&I activities Enhance • Create a framework for coordination & enhanced dialogue between stakeholders coordination & cooperation • Centralisation of activities & opportunities
Boost R&I in Energy & Water Supporting research and Objective 1 - Strengthen and support R&I that: innovation that: Addresses national policy priorities and challenges; and/or • Addresses national • Bolsters national competitiveness and growth in a variety of • challenges sectors. Contributes to the • realisation of national Seeking to ensure a balance between research and innovation : objectives in energy Addressing the above will require a combination of research- and water focused (fundamental and applied) and innovation-focused Contributes to national • activities. economic development / Not a purely technological focus. • competitiveness Policy & regulatory tools, institutional and behavioural norms, • technical constraints & opportunities etc. AIMING FOR BOTH EXCELLENCE AND IMPACT
Priority Areas for R&I in Energy & Water ENERGY-WATER NEXUS ENERGY WASTEWATER/ RENEWABLE INTEGRATION EFFICIENT WATER WATER USE DESALINATION WATER SOLUTIONS OF RES SOLUTIONS FOR FRIENDLY EFFICIENCY PROCESSES TREATMENT & ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY AND URBAN CENTRES FOR ISLANDS RECLAMATION SERVICES AREAS OF RESEARCH ENGINEERING AND NATURAL SCIENCES BIG DATA, DIGITALISATION AND ARIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND BEHAVIOURAL RESEARCH
Platform-RINEW Objective 2 – Enhance coordination and cooperation : • Facilitate frequent coordination between stakeholders, maximising mutually beneficial opportunities; and • Enable the translation of R&I outcomes into tangible impacts. Platform-RINEW will be established : • Primary tool for coordinating the implementation of the Strategy. • Development of periodic (multi-year) Implementation Plans. • Bring together government, academia, industry and the commercial sector. • A more horizontal relationship between those executing the Strategy, those participating within its support framework and those benefitting from its outcomes.
Platform-RINEW: Structure & Roles STEERING COMMITTEE • Co-chaired by high-level executives (proposal for joint chairmanship between MEW & Ministry responsible for R&I) • Approval of Implementation Plans & budgetary control. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE • Representatives from public sector, academia, industry & other relevant institutions. • Co-chaired by technical executive from EWA & research institutions (rotating). • Ensure frequent interaction and coordination between stakeholders. • Design of the Implementation Plans, including identified targets. SECRETARIAT • Day-to-day running of Platform-RINEW. • Act as one-stop-shop for all matters related to R&I in energy and water. • Regular collection of data.
Funding • Fundamental and applied research (TRL 2-6) are prioritised under this Strategy. • Early engagement with experts and stakeholders; • Existing and planned support at national and EU level; and • JRC Policy Support Facility Peer Review (2019). • Expected to take the form of research grants, disbursed through two distinct mechanisms: 1. Calls for bottom-up proposals relating to the Priority Areas; and 2. Calls for proposals to structured research questions relating to the Priority Areas.
Resources • Budget 2020: EUR 500,000 for the first year of implementation of the Strategy. • It is planned that a pilot scheme will be launched in mid-2020. • European Structural and Investment Funds – portion dedicated to Member States for R&I ( if available ). • Smart Specialisation Strategy (currently being developed by MCST). • Flexible design of the Strategy, allowing for the exploitation of synergies as they emerge and thus, the maximisation of resources available for research.
Evaluation & Monitoring • Essential to set quantifiable targets & track progress of the Strategy and the Implementation Plans. • In-depth stock- taking exercise to be conducted to establish ‘ baseline ’. Indicator Justification Number of publications Indicator of fundamental research Number of publications in high-impact journals Indicator of fundamental research Level of public sector funding to energy & water Indicators of magnitude of activity (% GDP) Level of EU-funding (% of total EU funding Indicator of magnitude of activity & level obtained for energy & water R&I) of international participation Number of projects Indicator of level of activity Number of researchers Indicator of critical mass for research
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