more as the only realistic replacement option for coal and for securing energy supply in many countries. How to deal with energy Public acceptance of new infrastructures (plants, power grids, effi ciency may need more sociological and and land area), effi cient carbon pricing, and robust low-carbon policy research efforts. Energy effi ciency is the most important energy markets are other critical challenges. Making low-carbon option for future greenhouse gas reductions, but has remained technologies competitive in emerging low-carbon energy markets in the shadow when dealing with energy research needs. Urban will require radical improvements in effi ciency and production cost. areas display a huge potential for increased energy effi ciency due There is an urgent need for accelerating European research efforts to their morphology (building density and distribution) and could in all these fi elds. Renewable energy sources have to become more become centres for innovation with signifi cant impact in several cost-effective in the short and medium term through a combination infrastructure layers. By 2030 cities will house 60% of the world’s of science and market-driven advances in technology, manufactur- population and roughly two-thirds of the world’s energy is con- ing, and implementation. sumed in cities. Cities are also responsible for about 70% of global CO emissions. Environmental problems in cities are also exception- An exceptionally important area for new research is energy stor-2 ally challenging and such issues as defi nition and measurement of age, especially in connection with electricity grids. Biogas and the energy effi ciency of a city with a relevant set of KPIs require gasifi cation of biomass should be emphasised and complemen- further analytic research. Research is also needed to fi nd optimal tary to bio-ethanol production by fermentation. Combinations of solutions and transformative paths as well as to avoid lock-in effects technologies, e.g. gasifi cation and electrolysis for production of due to inappropriate technology implementation. synthetic fuels for transport sector, and energy storage may be highly important for the most effi cient use and conversion or stor- The framework of smart cities provides adequate solutions for age of renewable energy. future urban challenges through radical innovations and new urban concepts. Integrated planning, design, and management of an The role of capture and storage of CO (CCS) has to be rethought, 2 entire energy system at city-level are the key for massive CO and and the approach to CCS in the SET-Plan should be reviewed.2 local pollutant reduction in urban areas. Furthermore, this particu- At this point in time the demonstrators have suffered delays and lar integrative aspect has to be tackled on two distinctive scales: acceptance by the population is fading in several countries. There integrated, process-level, multiple stakeholder participation and is strong public debate, especially in countries that have already systems approaches that embrace different infrastructural layers started investing in this technology. However, CCS may be an and technologies. State-of-the-art methods and concepts in urban important and necessary transition-technology on our way from a planning merely focus on the implementation of single technologies high-carbon to a low-carbon society. Investments in new demon- and lack the necessary multi-disciplinary aspect for understanding stration projects should gain from experiences and lessons learned the entire complexity of integrated urban energy systems and related from existing systems in operation or under construction. The results processes. Hence, a strong demand for innovation and research should give indications and recommendations for further develop- focusing on distinctive areas combining urban energy technology in- ment and scope of this technology. tegration and integrated implementation processes can be identifi ed. Energy from renewable sources and energy effi ciency will be the Energy systems research needs to be increased considerably for two major pillars to achieve the European 2020 and 2050 targets. reasons. First, present energy systems are not able to deploy large It is important for Europe to continue and enhance research and volumes of, e.g. variable renewable electricity sources; and second, innovation related to these technologies in order to maintain Euro- this is a fi eld where major innovations can still take place. Large- pean positions in the global commercial market. The availability scale bio-fuel schemes also need more research, in particular to fi nd of renewable energy sources differs widely within Europe, and it is sustainable ways of producing these fuels. Focus should not be on important to begin the process of change by thinking from national energy technologies alone, but also on the socio-technical systems, perspectives towards a European approach. New super grids including organisational, social, cultural, and behavioural aspects. will probably be needed to balance variations in regional energy production and needs. Natural gas demand is expected to rise in the foreseeable future, as the only major balance power in large-scale grids where a high From a university perspective, it is important to continue giving high contribution from renewable energy sources is present, but even priority to basic and long-term research, such as material sciences. ENERGY 45
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