The EERA conference – 10 years of lowering Europes CO2

Nils Røkke is the Chairman of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA). This is his opening speech for the EERA 10-year anniversary.

Last year, when we started to think about the EERA 10-year anniversary, the first question was whether to have an internal gathering of the EERA research community, or to celebrate it with
partners and friends who have shared – and will share – this journey with us. The answer was quite immediate, and I am very pleased that today I can welcome representatives of both EERA and of the European energy research and innovation community at large.

The energy world is changing and EERA is evolving with it, looking at new ways to develop its role and to contribute to Europe´s energy and climate goals. The EERA journey started with ten founding members. We are now over 250 organisations, gathering more than 50.000 experts across 30 countries and covering the full spectrum of energy technologies and systems.

EERA researchers are contributing to a low carbon Europe

EERA is about “coordinating energy research for a low-carbon Europe”: our researchers have been working towards this goal through e.g. contributing to lowering the cost of renewables, enhancing consumer empowerment, and working with industry and other partners to coordinate technology priorities and roadmaps.

You will see some examples of EERA´s achievements through the videos that will be shown during the conference. We are not a new kid on the block but we maintain and increase the enthusiasm for contributing to Europe’s energy and climate transformation. I hope you will feel that during these two days and that it will be shared by all participants.

The EERA conference will be a journey too

We will discuss the role of research and innovation in the Energy Union; the results and challenges of stakeholder collaboration for Europe´s energy transition; the achievements, and what still needs to be done and how, to coordinate priorities and resources for the SET-Plan objectives. We will consider how EERA, as research pillar of the SET-Plan, has contributed and can contribute in the future, also in light of the systemic nature of energy and the need to approach the energy transition in a multi-disciplinary and cross-sectorial way.

We will look at the years to come, at the big trends and technology developments which will disrupt our way of thinking, converting and using energy, and dive into possible visions for a sustainable energy future.

Thank you all for being here. I wish you a fruitful conference and trust this event will be another step of this journey together.