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The papers in these workshops represent the personal views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of their companies, organisations or the IEA.
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Catching Up: Priorities for Augmented Renewable Energy R&D |
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| Location and date(s) of workshop: |
IEA, Paris: 3 March 2005 |
| Organiser(s): | IEA Renewable Energy Working Party / IEA Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Implementing Agreements on R&D Priorities |
Background: |
The IEA analysis reveals that renewables RD&D has declined, (about 9% lower since 1987 than before). At the same time market deployment funding has increased, but renewables market share has decreased. (from ca. 6 % in 1992, falling to 5.5 % in 2001 of TPES). The technologies that were close to competitiveness in 1973 (hydropower, biomass combustion, and geothermal) have plateaued at about 5% of TPES. Only wind power, several forms of advanced bioenergy (e.g., anaerobic digestion) and to an extent photovoltaics, have made it through the RD&D pipeline to market entry, and they have not yet grown enough to propel renewables overall to higher penetration.
In this context, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, at the International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn, in June 2004, proposed three major changes to the renewable energy strategy; the first of these was a call to increase targeted renewables RD&D funding. It is time to increase RD&D investments to the renewable energy technologies to bring them to market’s door, although not necessarily by increasing overall funding levels. Efficiency and effectiveness are called for in devising strategies to accomplish a wider spectrum of R&D priorities. This Seminar, organised with a broad input of IEA Renewable Energy Implementing Agreements, was a stepping stone in the process of defining strategies and priorities for augmented RD&D on renewable energy technologies. |
| Links to relevant documents: |
Participation by invitation only |
| Proceedings: | Welcome Addresses and Introduction were provided by Claude Mandil, Executive Director, International Energy Agency, Roberto Vigotti, REWP Chair, Italy, Graham Campbell, CERT Chair, Canada Session 1 The session provided context for the seminar and provided a critical look at technological and economic resource potential for renewable energy technologies by 2030-2050. It explored a vision of renewable energy technologies market share and cost. It also discussed policy and regulatory framework aspects of the paradigm shift which is required to meet national and international objectives. Moderator: Neil Hirst, Director, International Energy Agency Presentations: Session 2 The session discussed the potential and application of relevant renewable energy technologies in electricity generation and the long-term R&D needs. It focused on economically-recoverable resource potential, current and future costs, technology R&D challenges and priorities for medium and long term work for large scale integration of renewable energy, including distributed and decentralised generation modalities. Moderator: Ralph Sims, REWP Delegate, New Zealand Panellists: Session 3 The session discussed the potential and application of relevant renewable energy technologies in production of heat and fuels and the R&D needs and where the technologies also produce electricity, those R&D priorities will also be addressed. The discussion intended to summarise the current state of R&D and explore the needs, priorities and challenges to help improve renewable energy technology’s contribution create a renewable option to contribute to an energy emerging infrastructure. Moderator: Christophe Jurczak, REWP Vice Chair, France Rapporteurs Panel and Discussion Rapporteurs highlighted key conclusions of the sessions and drew recommendations for future R&D collaborative work and its priorities. Moderator: Gilles Mercier, REWP Vice Chair, Canada Rapporteur Session 1: Morgan Bazilian, REWP Delegate, Ireland Following the Rapporteurs Panel Discussion, the floor was opened
to a discussion with the audience. The discussion was moderated by Conclusions and Next Steps were summarised by Report from the Seminar |
