European Commission – Study on Clean Energy

Energy security in the future will increasingly rely on access to clean energy technologies, materials, and components, rather than traditional fossil energy sources. The European Commission commissioned a study by RAND Europe, CE Delft, and E3-Modelling to assess the energy security challenges of clean energy value chains up to 2050. The study methodology included analyzing future scenarios and conducting in-depth assessments of clean energy technology value chains to identify research and innovation actions to strengthen European energy security. Key drivers affecting EU clean energy security include decarbonization, international relations, geopolitical uncertainty, digitalization, cybersecurity, and climate adaptation. The study analyzed 48 specific clean energy technology value chains and identified energy security criticalities based on key indicators such as raw material availability, circularity of the value chain, supply chain complexity, and sustainability. These criticalities were prioritized for research and innovation interventions based on expert judgment and qualitative assessment, taking into account potential interactions with future scenarios. This approach aimed to generate a list of criticalities against which potential R&I actions could be developed to enhance European energy security.