EERA celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2013. Has this milestone served as an occasion for reflection and, if so, can we expect to see any changes in how EERA will develop over the next five years?

The fifth anniversary was indeed a milestone and we were happy to celebrate it with colleagues and friends of EERA in Brussels in October. Will we see any changes in how EERA operates? Yes and no. During our five years of existence we have gone from 10 founding institutions to almost 200. This year EERA will establish an international not-for-profit legal entity and this will certainly be a change. This implies a continuous development in how we operate and, in parallel to the legal entity, the process of developing both our business model as well as the way our EERA Joint Programmes (JPs) operate, is also ongoing. On the other hand, EERA will remain the same. We will continue to coordinate research activities between the EERA partners in the 15 EERA JPs and with external stakeholders. And we will continue to develop our organisation and help shape the way European energy research is being done.

The budget for energy research has increased to EUR 5.3 billion under Horizon 2020. What practical impact will this increase have on energy research in Europe?

It will make collaboration across borders easier. More European money for research is the easiest way to increase collaboration. Even though good and strong collaborations happens on a bilateral basis between countries – and should continue to do so – the EU Framework programme has been very important in increasing collaborations across Europe. Through EERA we think we can also foster a more efficient use of the resources.

EERA has been involved in developing an Integrated Roadmap for the SET-Plan - what has been EERA’s contribution and what are its priorities in terms of energy research and innovation? What role will EERA play in putting this Integrated Roadmap into action?

The communication on Energy Technologies and Innovation that was issued by the EC in May 2013 foresees an important role for EERA within the European energy technology and innovation strategy.

We are now strongly involved in the definition of the content for the Integrated Roadmap. I participate myself in the Coordination group, while 3 EERA experts are participating in the Working Groups. Our contributions reflect the indications and inputs collected from the EERA JPs. In this way EERA is playing its role to shape the content of the Roadmap. Once the exercise is over, EERA JPs will use the Roadmap as a reference document for updating their research agenda and to guide their research efforts. As foreseen by the Communication, the implementation of the Integrated Roadmap will be carried out in collaboration with the European Industrial Initiatives (EIIs) and Technology Platforms. This will be a continuation of the collaboration between several EERA JPs and EIIs and or Technology Platforms in coordinating the input to the Integrated Roadmap.

Since its inception, EERA has created efficient working partnerships between European research organizations. What have been the main obstacles to energy research collaboration in Europe and how have they been overcome?

Different standards, national priorities and the sheer size of the energy infrastructure are some of the obstacles to research collaboration. It makes European energy research both very complicated but also equally important. And let us be honest; we have not overcome all the challenges yet. But with the SET-Plan and other EU programmes, a common platform has been created that allows us to start speaking the same language and start doing real collaboration on a large scale. With regard to energy research, I really think EERA has contributed positively to this development.

While increased transnational cooperation within Europe is undoubtedly important, the environmental challenges identified in SET-Plan are essentially global in nature. Does EERA have plans to increase its collaboration with actors outside Europe?

EERA already has collaborations with actors outside Europe. We have participated regularly in meetings and delegations with the European Commission and many of our Joint Programmes also have collaborations with partners in the US, Asia and elsewhere. But you are absolutely right that the challenges are global in nature and EERA will therefore also continue to strengthen our global relations.

Has 2013 been a good year in terms of progress towards SET-Plan targets? What do you see as the main achievements of the past year and what are your main hopes for the year ahead?

I think we can say for a start that 2013 was interesting and 2014 is getting even more interesting! The final preparations of Horizon 2020 and its impact on energy research funding obviously had everyone’s attention. But for the SET-Plan specifically, the Commission’s communication on Energy Technologies and Innovation that called for the SET-Plan Integrated Roadmap was an important step forward. Speaking for EERA, I can say that the writing of the proposals for the so called Integrated Research Programmes (IRPs) and the negotiations that followed was both a lot of work and a lot of learning for us but in some ways also for the Commission I think. Together, these three things – Horizon 2020, the Commission’s communication and the IRPs – have meant a step forward in EERAs ability to contribute to the SET-Plan.

Now, looking ahead I could mention many interesting developments both inside and outside the SET-Plan. I have already mentioned the IR several times as well as the EERA legal entity and the launch of Horizon 2020. They will all have a big impact. But I am also looking forward to see a strengthened dialogue between member state representatives and EERA – something I hope the SET-Plan IR will also support. And personally I am also looking forward to see the EERA legal entity in place and then hand over the chairmanship of EERA to one of my colleagues in the EERA Executive Committee. It is an interesting and challenging task to head an alliance the size of EERA with multiple internal and external stakeholders that in cooperation contribute to energy research in Europe.