eu cleantech
quarterly briefing
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1q23

Can the EU pass a significant cleantech industrial strategy?

Welcome to your Quarterly EU Cleantech Briefing

Jules Besnainou
Executive Director
2023 is shaping up to be a decisive year for Europe’s net-zero and industrial competitiveness ambitions. As cleantech venture capital proves resilient in a difficult environment, the EU is debating and negotiating its cleantech industrial strategy.

Despite a global slowdown in venture capital, EU cleantech investments increased both in amount and number compared to Q4 of 2022, with a five-year record quarter in the number of deals closed. This shows significant investor appetite for clean technologies, at a time when broader tech venture capital dries out. Even so, this quarter’s cleantech investments make up less than half the total amount invested in Q1 of 2022, the second highest quarter on record.

If we needed any further reminders of the importance of scaling up clean technologies, we found one in the final instalment of the IPCC report, the result of an eight-year long undertaking from the world’s most authoritative scientific body on climate change. The report highlights strong empirical evidence for the crucial role of clean technologies in the transition to a net-zero economy.

Encouragingly, EU policymakers have been making strides in that direction. Critical parts of the Fit for 55 package—the series of legislative proposals aiming at reducing the EU’s net emissions by at least 55% by 2030—were agreed this quarter. Another package, this time aiming directly at cleantech competitiveness, the Green Deal Industrial Plan, is being negotiated. It includes a Net Zero Industry Act, an Electricity Market Design Reform and a Critical Raw Materials Act.

These proposals by the Commission contain many measures we have long advocated for, including cleantech manufacturing targets accelerated permitting for cleantech projects, and long-term clean electricity contracts for equipment manufacturers. For Europe to maintain its cleantech competitiveness, we now need clear funding mechanisms to meet these manufacturing targets. Without a comprehensive and united pan-European cleantech strategy that sends sufficiently strong market signals, the EU risks drawing the short straw in the global cleantech race.

As the key files move through the EU’s different institutions, we need to ensure that their scope remains focused on scaling the most impactful and proven clean technologies, and that no key sector is left unsupported. Cleantech for Europe will continue to work with its coalitions to ensure that the voice of the cleantech community is heard loud and clear by policymakers. 

Executive Summary

Both deal volume and amounts invested increased for early as well as late-stage venture capital deals
Deals happened in 18 out of 27 Member States, with the most active countries being France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Denmark. Innovators in Energy & Power saw the most investments this past quarter
New cleantech funds were raised 
The energy crisis is driving a significant increase in demand for solar to wean off dependence on Russian gas
EU solar investment shone in Q1: 3 of the top 10 largest deals involved solar companies
Recent moves by the EU to remove permitting hurdles and boost domestic manufacturing could accelerate this traction
After years of trailing behind North America, EU VC investment into solar was multiple times larger this quarter
The EU Commission unveiled its Green Deal Industrial Plan (GDIP), and related proposals to maintain cleantech competitiveness
Legislative files include the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), and a reform of Electricity Market Design (EMD)
Proposals include key asks from the cleantech community, but more clarity is needed on scale-up funding
Critical parts of the Fit for 55 package; the series of legislative proposals aiming at reducing the EU’s ne temissions by at least 55% by 2030, are being finalised
Closing the cleantech funding gap
Creating clear demand signals
Building infrastructure fit for net zero
De-risking instruments
Critical materials and supply chains
Enabling deep industrial decarbonization 

01

Q1 2023: a strong cleantech opening to 2023

€1.9
billion

invested in EU Cleantech in Q1 2023

Deal volume and amounts invested increased for both early and late-stage venture capital deals
Regular readers will notice a change in the 2021 and 2022 investment totals, compared to our FY 2022 publication. We re-categorised a large 2021 deal as debt instead of equity and added new deals to 2022. As a result, our new data shows 2022 EU cleantech investment almost match the 2021 record.

Investment into EU cleantech
defies global headwinds

European cleantech investment defied global headwinds for venture capital (VC), rebounding from the previous quarter, in contrast to the key regions of North America and Asia Pacific, which both fell significantly.
The number of deals closed marked a quarterly record in the last 5 five years, with both early and late-stage deal volume increasing significantly
Late-stage investment (series B and growth equity) grew the most, increasing by 29% on last quarter, while deal volume increased by 35%. Early stage investment increased by 22% on last quarter, while deal volume increased by 26%.
Despite this resilience, EU cleantech investment in the first quarter significantly underperformed Q1 2022, representing less than half what was invested in Q1 2022. This reflects the global contraction of venture capital compared to last year.
EU27 Cleantech Seed, Series A, Series Band Growth investment, 2018 – Q1 2023
EU27 Cleantech Venture and Growth deals by stage, 2018-22

Q1 deal distribution:
geography & sector

Cleantech venture capital deals took place across 18 out of 27 EU member states, compared to a quarterly average of 16.5 in 2021 and 17 in 2022. This shows that cleantech is becoming a growth opportunity for an increasing number of Member States.
Looking at the deal count, the most active countries were France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Denmark
Energy & Power sector innovation garnered the largest share of investments this quarter (40%), a significant jump compared to 2022, in which Energy gathered only 18% of EU investment.
Strong traction for solutions to protect natural environments, sustainably source materials, prevent waste, improve circularity, and adapt to climate change, puts Resources & Environment in second place
Deals by Member State, Q1 2023
EU cleantech VC investment by sector, Q1 2023
Q12024_early_Sensors
Sensors
France
€15M
€15M
Q12024_early_Alternativeproteins
Alternative proteins-Q124
Germany
€15M
€15M
Q12024_early_wastemanagementq124
Waste management-q124
France
€21M
€21M
Q12024_early_industrialmaterials
Industrial Materials
France
€23M
€23M
Q12024_early_carbonremovals
Carbon Removals
Germany
€25M
€25M
Q12024_early_energystorage
Energy Storage
Finland
€26M
€26M
Netherlands
€15M
€15M
Q12024_early_transportation
Transportation
Croatia
€99M
€99M
Austria
€20M
€20M
Italy
€15M
€15M
AB2023_early_Construction
Construction
Germany
€45M
€45M
AB2023_early_Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
France
€46M
€46M
AB2023_early_Nuclear fission
Nuclear fission
France
€50M
€50M
AB2023_early_Supply chain Logistics
Supply chain & Logistics
Germany
€50M
€50M
AB2023_early_EV Charging
EV Charging
Germany
€70M
€70M
AB2023_early_Heat pumps
Heat pumps
Sweden
€86M
€86M
AB2023_early_Carbon Management
Carbon Management
Germany
€100M
€100M
AB2023_early_Green IT
Green IT
France
€100M
€100M
France
€90M
€90M
AB2023_early_Electric Vehicles
Electric Vehicles
France
200M
200M
3Q23__Others__Logistics
Transportation & Logistics
Germany
€177M
€177M
3Q23__Others__Hydro
Green Hydrogen
Germany
€169
€169
Netherlands
€130M
€130M
3Q23__Others__CRM
Critical Raw Materials
Ireland
€184
€184
3Q23__Others__Plastic
Plastic Alternatives
Netherlands
€338M
€338M
Germany
€130M
€130M
3Q23__Others__Energy
Energy & Power
Germany
€685M
€685M
3Q23__Others__EV
EV Batteries
Sweden
1100M
1100M
France
€650
€650
France
€600M
€600M
3Q23__Late__Energy
Energy & Power
Sweden
€45M
€45M
3Q23__Late__Hydro
Green Hydrogen
Portugal
€61M
€61M
3Q23__Late__Agri
Agriculture & Food
Belgium
€72M
€72M
Netherlands
€32M
€32M
3Q23__Late__Solar
Solar
Lithuania
€93M
€93M
3Q23__Late__Construction
Buildings & Construction
France
€106M
€106M
Ireland
€26M
€26M
Netherlands
€25M
€25M
3Q23__Late__EV
EV Batteries
France
€850M
€850M
3Q23__Late__Steel
Green Steel
Sweden
€1500M
€1500M
3Q23__Early__Geo
Geospatial Imagery
Germany
€17M
€17M
3Q23__Early__Transportation
Transportation & Logistics
Germany
€18M
€18M
Spain
€16M
€16M
3Q23__Early__Quantum
Quantum Computing
France
€19M
€19M
3Q23__Early__Energy
Energy & Power
Germany
€25M
€25M
3Q23__Early__Agriculture
Agriculture & Food
Denmark
€30M
€30M
3Q23__Early__Plastic
Plastic Alternatives
Germany
€36M
€36M
Finland
€23M
€23M
3Q23__Early__Construction
Buildings & Construction
Germany
€45M
€45M
Germany
€22M
€22M
2Q23__Late__Carbon
Carbon Management
Luxembourg
€34M
€34M
2Q23__Late__Agri
Agriculture
France
€162
€162
2Q23__Late__EV
EV Charging
France
€252M
€252M
Germany
€153M
€153M
Finland
€66M
€66M
Ireland
€57M
€57M
2Q23__Late_Energy
Energy, Energy Storage & Networks
Germany
€433
€433
Germany
€370M
€370M
Sweden
€90M
€90M
Italy
€41M
€41M
2Q23__Early__Electro
Electronic Devices
Germany
€20M
€20M
2Q23__Early__Biotech
Biotechnology
Germany
€20M
€20M
2Q23__Early__Construction
Buildings, Building Materials & Construction
France
€29M
€29M
France
€20M
€20M
2Q23__Early__Logistics
Transportation, Supply Chain & Logistics
Germany
€41M
€41M
Germany
€29M
€29M
France
€21M
€21M
Austria
€18M
€18M
2Q23__Early__Green-IT
Green IT
France
€91M
€91M
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__geo
Geothermal
France
€45M
€45M
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__waste
Waste Management
Netherlands
€50M
€50M
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__agrifood
Agriculture & Food
Denmark
€65M
€65M
Denmark
€47M
€47M
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__buildings
Buildings & Construction
Austria
€93M
€93M
Germany
€44M
€44M
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__blockchain
Blockchain
No items found.
2023-Q1-chart__series-B__solar
Solar
Germany
€215M
€215M
Italy
€117M
€117M
Sweden
€29M
€29M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__solar
Solar
Ireland
€15M
€15M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__heatpumps
Heat Pumps
Netherlands
€15M
€15M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__fusion
Nuclear Fusion
France
€15M
€15M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__energy
Energy & Power
Slovakia
€16M
€16M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__agrifood
Agriculture & Food
Netherlands
€21M
€21M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__geospatial
Geospatial imagery
Latvia
€28M
€28M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__transportation
Transportation and Logistics
Germany
€42M
€42M
France
€21M
€21M
Germany
€15M
€15M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__buildings
Buildings
Sweden
€42M
€42M
2023-Q1-chart__series-A__carbon-management
Carbon Management
Germany
€101M
€101M
2022-Q3-chart__transportation-logistics
Transportation & Logistics
Belgium
€20M
€20M
2022-Q3-chart__carbon-management-02
Carbon Management
Sweden
€45.7M
€45.7M
Germany
€10.9M
€10.9M
2022-Q3-chart__food-waste
Food waste
Sweden
€65.7M
€65.7M
2022-Q3-chart__energy-services
Energy Services
Germany
€214.7M
€214.7M
2022-Q3-chart__green-steel
Green steel
Sweden
€297.8M
€297.8M
2022-Q3-chart__advanced-materials
Advanced Materials, Fuels & Chemicals
Netherlands
€15.1M
€15.1M
Denmark
€11.7M
€11.7M
Netherlands
€11.2M
€11.2M
Denmark
€10.2M
€10.2M
2022-Q3-chart__alternative-proteins
Alternative Proteins
France
€16.8M
€16.8M
Finland
€15.3M
€15.3M
2022-Q3-chart__energy
Energy, Energy Storage & Networks
Netherlands
€30.5M
€30.5M
France
€13.9M
€13.9M
Netherlands
€12.3M
€12.3M
2022-Q3-chart__electric-vehicles-02
Electric Vehicles
Germany
€50.3M
€50.3M
2022-Q3-chart__supply-chain-logistics
Supply Chain & Logistics
Germany
€153.7M
€153.7M
2022-Q3-chart__crop-inputs-02
Crop Inputs
Slovenia
€14.5M
€14.5M
2022-Q3-chart__biomass-waste
Biomass & waste to energy
Germany
€37.7M
€37.7M
2022-Q3-chart__fuel-cells
Fuel Cells
Denmark
€54.4M
€54.4M
2022-Q3-chart__electric-vehicles
Electric Vehicles
Netherlands
€159.7M
€159.7M
2022-Q3-chart__hydrogen
Hydrogen
Germany
€271.3M
€271.3M
2022-Q3-chart__agriculture-food
Agriculture & Food
France
€485.3M
€485.3M
2022-Q3-chart__carbon-management
Carbon Management
Sweden
€11.6M
€11.6M
2022-Q3-chart__hvac
HVAC
Czech Republic
€15.7M
€15.7M
2022-Q3-chart__solar
Solar
Sweden
€22.9M
€22.9M
2022-Q3-chart__crop-inputs
Crop Inputs
France
€23.9M
€23.9M
2022-Q3-chart__construction
Construction
Spain
€37.9M
€37.9M
2022-Q3-chart__ev-charging
EV Charging
France
€180M
€180M
Denmark
€47.2M
€47.2M
Netherlands
€19.9M
€19.9M
Lithuana
€7.2M
€7.2M

Q1 Eu Cleantech
top deals and activities

(Seed and series A)

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{{2023-Q1-chart__series-A__agrifood}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-A__energy}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-A__fusion}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-A__heatpumps}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-A__solar}}

(Series B and Growth Equity)

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-B__solar}}

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{{2023-Q1-chart__series-B__agrifood}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-B__waste}}

{{2023-Q1-chart__series-B__geo}}

investor news

€3.75b

The European Investment Bank Group along with contributions from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund-of-funds with €3.75 billion of capital to tackle the European scale-up funding gap.

€160m

Planet A Ventures, which is taking a science-based approach to impact investment, closed its first fund at €160 million.

€75m

Matterwave Industrial Technologies II fund did its first closing of €75 million, with a target size of €130 million.

€55m

PFR Ventures invested €55M in four green venture capital and growth equity funds. PFR Green Hub is one of the Polish Development Fund’s strategic programmes to support the energy transition in Poland.

€1b

Germany  launched a new €1bn fund for deeptech and climate tech growth-stage companies. The capital comes from the federal government’s future fund and the ERP special fund.

€450m

Planet First Partners, a cleantech growth fund, closed its second funding round at €450 million. The fund had an initial target size of €350 million but was oversubscribed.

02

In focus: solar energy

€215
million

raised by enapal for solar energy

The energy crisis is driving a significant increase in demand for solar to wean off dependence on Russian gas

in focus
Solar Innovation

EU investment in solar innovation shined in Q1: 3 of the quarter's 10 largest deals - the 1st, 2nd, and 10th - involved solar companies, innovating in both solar technology and new solar business models.
The energy crisis is driving a significant increase in demand for solar – the EU added 41.4GW of solar power capacity in 2022, enough to power 12.4 million homes – and catapulted permitting bottlenecks and security of supply to the forefront of EU energy policy.
Last year, the EU unveiled a series of measures under the REPowerEU package to double EU solar capacity by 2025 and almost quadruple it to 600GW by 2030, including by accelerating permitting.
This seems to have accelerated the traction of solar innovation funding in the EU.  While the EU has for years led North America in solar capacity installations, North America has consistently exceeded the EU in venture capital investments into solar – until now. In the first quarter of 2023, EU VC investment in solar was almost three times larger than in North America.
More than a decade after China's industrial policy dealt a fatal blow to Europe's solar industry, could this be the start of a recovery?
VC investment in Solar, EU27 vs. North America, 2018 - Q1 2023

eu innovator profile

Enpal is a provider of rental solar systems and installation services.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Berlin
Recently raised €215 million in growth equity to support global market expansion and the development of new products. 
Enpal rents out solar energy systems and manages their servicing and maintenance for more than 40,000 customers in Germany and installs 2,000 new solar systems per month.
Clients can choose between renting or owning their installations.
Distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar can be aggregated and connected to storage and demand response to form a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) to manage and shift surplus energy between buildings.

03

EU cleantech Policy: The Green Deal Industrial Plan and Fit For 55

The EU Commission unveiled its Green Deal Industrial Plan (GDIP), and related proposals to maintain cleantech competitiveness

Critical parts of the Fit for 55 package; the series of legislative proposals aiming at reducing the EU’s net emissions by at least 55% by 2030, are being finalised

Green Deal Industrial Plan
The European Commission’s plan to make Europe the home of cleantech

The Green Deal Industrial Plan comes as a complement to the European Green Deal presented in 2019, which sets out the EU’s green transition ambitions and climate targets towards reaching net zero by 2050. The Plan sits alongside other Green Deal initiatives, including the Fit for 55 package (which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030), as well as builds on provisions existing in REPowerEU (introduced to reduce reliance on Russian gas and provide clean and affordable energy).

GDIP : why now?

On February 1, the European Commission announced a Green Deal Industrial Plan (GDIP). GDIP is a complement to the European Green Deal, the EU’s legally binding plan for reaching climate neutrality by 2050.  GDIP comes in the context of the US's Inflation Reduction Act and the accelerating global cleantech race. Therefore, GDIP aims to catalyze cleantech innovation in the EU by increasing technological development, cleantech manufacturing production and installation of net-zero products and energy supply.

The GDIP Comprises of 6 key initiatives, tools and communications as follows:  
The Net-Zero Industry Act
The Critical Raw Materials Act
Electricity Market Design framework
Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (relaxation of state aid rules)
The Net Zero Industry Act, the Critical Raw Material and the Electricity Market framework are now headed to the European Parliament and the European Council for scrutiny. The European institutions  aim to adopt the these before the EU elections of May 2024.

GDIP’s four core pillars across files

Simplifying the current regulatory framework. The proposals put fast tracked permitting and simplified administrative procedures at the core of enabling factors, particularly for strategic net-zero and raw materials projects; All applications for such projects will be handled by the one-stop shops which will be created in each Member State within 3 months of entry into force.
Access to funding: GDIP opens a window of opportunity to steer more existing EU funding towards cleantech projects.
Enhancing skills. The Commission proposes to establish Net Zero Industry Academies to roll out cleantech upskilling and reskilling programs. It also proposes a large-scale skills partnership for onshore renewable energy, and a Heat Pumps skills partnership.
Fostering global cooperation and trade openness. The Commission proposes the development of a Critical Raw Materials Club to ensure supply of raw materials, and a cleantech/Net-zero Industrial Partnerships initiative promoting the adoption of cleantech globally.

What we are missing

Closing the funding gap: the GDIP does not address Europe’s scale-up funding gap. The Commission previewed the announcement of a new Sovereignty Fund, but has so far failed to make existing funding tools such as the Innovation Fund more accessible to cleantech companies, or to propose new funding instruments such as performance guarantees.
Binding targets for priority sectors: while the GDIP does include a list of cleantech priority sectors and sets an ambitious target of 40% of domestic cleantech production , it does not set binding manufacturing targets for each sector, or lay out clear funding mechanisms to achieve targets.
An EU wide cleantech strategy: while GDIP is a step in the right direction, it risks creating regional disparities. Cleantech companies based in Member States with limited financing power could be left behind.

Setting the foundations
for a predictable and simplified regulatory environment

The first pillar of the Green DealIndustrial Plan comprises of three legislative proposals which aim to simplify the EU’s regulatory framework for cleantech businesses. These proposals will determine Europe’s industrial competitiveness.

Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA)

On 16 March, the European Commission proposed the NZIA with the goal for strategic net zero tech manufacturing capacity to reach at least 40% of the EU’s deployment needs by 2030.

NZIA lists the following technologies as strategic for the EU’s net-zero goals:
Solar photovoltaic and thermal technologies
Onshore wind and offshore renewable technologies
Battery/storage technologies
Heat pumps and geothermal energy technologies
Electrolysers and fuel cells
Sustainable biogas/biomethane technologies
Carbon Capture and storage  technologies
Grid technologies
These technologies are eligible to receive faster permitting and investment support. There are also other technologies referenced in the document, which are net-zero compatible but don't get strategic status. However, if a project in these technologies unfolds in a Just Transition area, then priority status is allocated automatically even if the technology is outside of the scope of the aforementioned list.

Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA)

On 16 March, the European Commission proposed the NZIAOn 16 March, the European Commission put forward its CRMA proposal to secure Europe’s supply of materials required for net zero technologies. The proposal sets out voluntary targets for the EU supply of critical minerals, requiring the following minimum domestic levels for strategic raw minerals by 2030: with the goal for strategic net zero tech manufacturing capacity to reach at least 40% of the EU’s deployment needs by 2030.

NZIA lists the following technologies as strategic for the EU’s net-zero goals:
10% for extraction of CRM
40%for processing of CRM
15%for recycling of CRM
No more than 65% imports of strategic raw materials from a single non-EU country.
Permitting is streamlined for CRMs, especially for Strategic Projects (SPs). Permitting SPs for extraction should not exceed 2 years, and 1 year for processing or recycling.

Circularity: Raised ambitions on circularity and the recovery of CRMs from extractive waste are introduced.

Electricity Market Design (EMD)

On 14 March, the European Commission put forward its EMD revision proposal. The EMD focuses on two key aspects:
Providing easier access to affordable clean electricity
• Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): The proposal introduces guarantee schemes for PPAs backed by member states, which would increase industrial and commercial users’ access to the PPA market.
• Contracts for Difference (CfDs): All direct public price support schemes for new investments in non-fossil generation (listed as wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear) shall take the form of CfDs.
Raising the ambition for grid flexibility, including storage and demand-side response being seen as integral tothe power system, with capacity mechanisms, other flexibility support schemesand the introduction of regular assessments of flexibility needs.

Latest updates
Making the EU fit for 55

The European institutions have finished negotiations on the majority of the legislative files for Europe to achieve its 2030 climate goals. Below, we take stock of some of the finalised files along with two files that are yet to be negotiated by the European institutions.

Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)

Final provisions include: 
Requirement for EU countries to promote innovative financing schemes and green lending products for energy efficiency;
Obligation for the public sector to achieve an annual energy consumption reduction of 1.9%;
Requirements to ensure a fully decarbonised district heating and cooling supply by 2050;
Implementation of energy efficiency improvement measures as a priority for parts of society directly affected by energy poverty;
Binding final energy useage targets for the EU which represent a 25% reduction on 2021 final energy consumption by 2030.

Renewable Energy Directive (RED III)

Final provisions include: 
Target for share of renewable energy in the Union’s final energy consumption raised to 42.5% by 2030.
Sector-specific targets and dedicated measures to boost renewables uptake in industry, transport, buildings and district heating and cooling;
Renewable hydrogen should make up 42% of the hydrogen used in industry by 2030, and 60% by 2035;
Designation of “renewables acceleration areas” with simplified and fast-tracked permitting for renewable energy projects;
Indicative target of at least 5% of newly installed renewable energy capacity for innovative renewable energy technology such as wind energy, solar energy, bioenergy, geothermal and aerothermal, hydropower and ocean energy.

Alternative Fuels Infrastructure

Final provisions include:
Fast-charging stations to be installed every 60kms on main EU roads from 2025
Electric charging infrastructure dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles must be deployed every 120km on 15% of the entire length of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) by the end of 2025;
Roll-out hydrogen refueling infrastructure by 2030;
Set up  an EU database by 2027, containing helpful information on availability, waiting times and prices;
Establishment of minimum infrastructure deployment targets for the other means of transport, such as shore-side electricity supply in maritime and inland ports

CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles

Key provisions of the not yet finalized legislative proposal: 
A 45% reduction to fleet-wide emissions by 2030 (up from 30% under the existing regulation);
A 65% reduction by 2035 and a 90% reduction by 2040. A100% reduction in emissions for new bus sales from 2030 to stimulate faster deployment of zero-emission buses in cities.

Alternative Fuels Infrastructure

Key provisions of the not yet finalized legislative proposal: 
Right for consumers to claim repair to producers for products technically repairable under EU law
Producer’s obligation to inform consumers about products they are obliged to repair themselves
Online matchmaking repair forum to connect consumers with repairers
European quality standard for repair services to be developed to help consumers identify repairers who commit to a higher quality

04

Six Policy goals to make 2023 the European Year of Cleantech

Six policy goals
to make 2023 the European Year of Cleantech

Closing the cleantech funding gap

The Green Deal Industrial Plan proposes to redirect  existing funds to inject into cleantech. However, the EU does not provide any visibility of how much public funding is available for which technology, and how cleantech innovators can access this funding. This should start with making the Innovation Fund more accessible to cleantech start-ups and scale-ups. The European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund should have a more strengthened role in financing cleantech through initiatives like the European Tech Champions Initiative by acting as investors in cleantech growth funds.

Creating clear demand signals

As many of the regulatory provisions impacting the wide deployment of cleantech will not be online before at least 2024, the EU can accelerate the deployment of cleantech through a variety of mechanisms such as setting binding targets for cleantech manufacturing, supporting private off-taking schemes, and direct public procurement to create lead markets for innovative technologies.

Building the Infrastructure needed to succeed

The successful deployment of cleantech and cleantech manufacturing depend on investments in Europe's infrastructure and supply chains. Power grids need significant upgrading (globally this translates to an investment need of at least $21.4 trillion), gas networks should be switched to hydrogen use, and the charging infrastructure build-up should be accelerated.

Developing de-risking instruments

De-risking instruments can break down barriers to the wide deployment of cleantech by reducing high upfront costs and risks, fast tracking first movers and helping private investors fund innovative technologies. Examples include blended finance, guarantees for scale-ups, working capital finance and subordinated debt for first-of-a-kind projects.

Critical materials and supply chains

The transition to a net zero Europe is not only capital-intensive but also materials-intensive and requires critical supply chains to function. Europe should focus on building up manufacturing capacity for critical equipment such as heat pumps and electrolysers, investing in materials recovery, building more global partnerships and keeping its pulse on the needs of emerging clean industries.

Enabling deep industrial decarbonisation

In the wake of the revision of the EU's carbon pricing scheme, it is crucial to ensure a level playing field for innovative technologies in industrial decarbonisation. This starts with adjusting benchmarks for free allocations, to include renewable hydrogen, green steel and low-clinker cement. This also means making clean energy accessible and affordable for cleantech manufacturing.

Technology spotlight from IPCC Report

IPCC report main findings

The AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 summarises five years of reports on global temperature rises, fossil fuel emissions and climate impacts
Despite progress in policies and legislation around climate mitigation since the previous such report in 2014, it’s “likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century”
However, there has been progress with adaptation planning and roll-out in all sectors and regions
Delaying taking policy action to improve access to finance for low emissions infrastructure and cleantech will lead to cost escalation risks, lock-in of infrastructure and stranded assets
Reducing the barriers to widely deploying cleantech will require clear signaling and policy support such as decreasing the perceived risks of climate investments and increasing the returns

What innovation needs to scale

The IPCC outlined that “multiple, feasible and effective options are available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human caused climate change”
According to the IPCC, a lot of clean technologies are available at low cost which have the highest potential to address climate change during this decade. These include:
Wide deployment of solar and wind: while wind and solar are among the cheapest energy sources, the IPCC report calls for improved access to financing, especially for developing nations
Cutting methane emissions from oil and gas: the IEA estimates that  an annual investment of $11 billion would be needed to slash methane emissions from oil and has, but the value of the captured methane could be more than enough to cover the cost
Fuel switching in industry to electrify: the IEA estimates that industry has the potential to account for 37%  of electrification globally in 2040 mainly from heatpumps
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