Activities of Xabier BENITO ZILUAGA related to 2017/2084(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Accelerating clean energy innovation (debate) ES
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on accelerating clean energy innovation PDF (570 KB) DOC (97 KB)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas a fully functioning internal energy marketn appropriate framework is essential for further stimulating R&D and maximising the market uptake of new technologies across all EU regions by providing economies of scale and regulatory and investment certainty, thereby enabling the EU to reap the full potential of energy innovation and fostering efficiency, a sustainable technology-neutral use of indigenous sources, and storage and transport solutions;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU’s energy policy and financing instruments, specially public investments, should primarily focus on a gradualpid and just transition to high- efficiency, low-emission systems and avoid setting technology-specific benchmarks that distort market mechanis and 100% renewable systems;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of energy sources, distribution networks and technologies should be taken as reference when addressing concrete policies and incentives aimed at fostering lowzero-emission solutions at EU level;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that a cost-effectivejust energy transition towards environmentally friendly, consumer-orientrenewable based and more digitalised, decentralised systems with active customers and communities requires research and the deployment of innovation in all energy system sectors, including non- technology specific, systemic solutions; recognises that this transition is fostering new organisational models, particularly in energy generation, transmission, distribution and storage, business and needs management, as well as service provision; underlines the role that sustainable and community-based large- scale pilot projects can play in deploying systemic energy innovation;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Considers that innovations tackling energy poverty must be considered as a priority;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that research and innovation in energy crucially depends on predictability and certainty, which require long-term policy vision in line with the Union's long-term energy and climate goals for 2050 and the Paris Agreement, sustained targeted incentives and patient equity capital in order to attain the necessary critical mass for market deployment; welcomes the focus on key technologies, as confirmed in the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) and Commission communication; stresses, however, the need for greater prioritisation of cross- cutting, systemic innovation in energy, as innovation is not only technology-driven;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. SIs concerned about the variety and complexity of the existing financial instruments and stresses the need for greater coherence between the relevant funds, including structural funds, dedicated to technology-neutralenergy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and for the existing financing instruments at EU and Member State level to be made more comprehensible; calls on the Commission to provide mapping of different funding and financing instruments and introduce cross-cutting sustainability criteria; considers that the possibility of pooling the various instruments should be assessed;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to propose a focused, long-term, technology- open energy-industrial strategy as an integral part of the EU strategy and action plan for a consistent and comprehensive energy dimension of the EU’s industrial policy;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the fundamental role that re-use and cascade use of materials can play in energy savings and sustainable energy innovations and calls on the Commission and Member States to step up their efforts for ensuring coherence and consistency among both policy fields;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point b
Paragraph 9 – point b
(b) reinforce existing stakeholder fora on energy research and innovation, especially on energy efficiency and renewable and establish new ones where necessary; provide tools for inter-sectoral, inter- disciplinary and inter-regional exchanges, including on energy innovation projects, national and local long-term energy innovation policies, joint investment opportunities, the appropriation of the energy transition by citizens and grass-root initiatives;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c
Paragraph 9 – point c
(c) establish a compendium of best practices, policy and financing instruments in energy, including PPPs, public procurement and tax incentives, exchange and information mechanisms, communication tools and campaigns, as well as operational guidelines on mobilising clean energy innovation, deployment and prosumer involvement, so as to ensure that the EU can adequately support all stages of the innovation cycle, and ultimately provide a practical toolkit for the Member States, local authorities and stakeholders;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Recalls that energy innovation policies have to go in line with the EU commitment to conserve and enhance CO2 sinks while preserving biodiversity, especially in forests, lands and seas;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates Parliament’s call for an increased overall budget of EUR 120 billion for FP9 and urges the Commission to increase by 50 % the proportion of sustainable energy-related financing under FP9 from the corresponding H2020 level, so as to ensure sufficient funding to support effective implementation of the Eenergy Untransition;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises the role of the SET- Plan, the Knowledge Innovation Community (KIC) InnoEnergy and the relevant Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) in driving energy innovation; stresses the need to better connect these various frameworks together with, inter alia, the InnovFin initiative, the EFSI and the proposed Pan-European Venture Capital Fund(s)-of-Funds programme (VC FoF) as part of a coordinated, focused investment strategy in clean energy innovation that would help early-stage projects and start- ups effectively overcome the ‘valley of death’ and reach the market maturity levels needed for global expansion; considers that effective incentives for investment in energy innovation, such as not considering public investments as public deficit as established by the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, by means of national investment funds and pension funds, could play a crucial role in mobilising the necessary equity capital;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers that citizen-driven energy innovation opens untapped opportunities for innovation financing; calls on the Commission to explore effective ways to promote energy innovation crowdfunding and to consider the setting up of a clean energy innovation crowd equity fund, considers, nevertheless, that those new ways of financing shall be additional and complementary to the current ones;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to privilege investments and research focusing in energy- cooperatives and community-driven models of the self-generation of decentralized renewable energy;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recognises the role that the Paris Agreement couldan play in fostering global efforts for accelerated clean energy innovation; calls on the Commission to explore means by which capacity-building measures under the Agreement can help strengthen energy innovation ecosystems in developing countries;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Encourage technology transfers to developing countries’ citizen and community-driven and public initiatives, in a spirit of cooperation;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission to exploit the full potential of the Mission Innovation initiative by seeking synergies with initiatives such as the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and with global equity and investment funds, and through a possible coordinated division of labour in energy innovation on a global scaleother possible stakeholders;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of enhancing the promotion of cleansustainable energy technology exports within the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTA)its foreign policies, including through a dedicated support facility and focused assistance from EU delegations in third countries;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Believes that accelerating clean energy innovation requires Europeans to undergo a change in their mindset that would transcend simple awareness of energy issues and move towards a deeper understanding of the behavioural changes and newneeded, specially energy savings and production and consumption new patterns, needed to meet the pressing challenges of sustainable growth, so as to reap the advantages of the digital revolution and innovation in all fields and succeed in energy transition;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recognises the importance of a fully democratic involvement of European citizens and communities, as an essential tool to a successful energy transition; recognises the need for systemic education and engagement schemes designed to enable society to fully engage in the transformation of the energy system and enable Europeans of all ages to gradually progress from awareness and understanding to active involvement and taking a guiding role; calls on the Commission, the Member States, local authorities and the private sector to promote conscious consumer choices and energy-related citizens’ engagement through, inter alia, EU-supported awareness campaigns, comprehensive information on energy bills and price comparison tools, the promotion of self- generation, demand response and cooperative sharing schemes, participatory budgets for energy-related investments, tax and investment incentives, as well as by steering technological solutions and innovations;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Believes that regions and cities have a crucial role to play in enhancing sustainable energy models; calls the Commission and Member States to include them, together with civil society, in the dialogue for elaboration and implementation of the energetic transition;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Urges the Commission and the Member States to assist EU regions in taking coordinated steps to incentivise energy innovation at local and trans- regional level with the aim of developing coherent strategies; stresses that particular focus should be put on regions faced with the challenges of phasing-out lignite and coal generation and mining industries; underlines the need for assisting them in the development of inclusive, local just transition strategies and addressing societal, socio-economic and environmental impacts along with the reconversion of sites; inclusive stakeholder processes should develop how best to attract alternative new and innovative businesses and start-ups or industries with the aim of building a sustainable regional economy and boost peoples´ dignity, and to replace electricity generation capacity with renewables or energy efficiency solutions; calls for research and innovation policies to focus on how to revitalise concerned regions in terms of sustainable employment and growth perspectives, in particular where retiring lignite or coal-generating capacity is linked to mining activities;