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This Wind Energy Technology Development Report 2020 presents an assessment of the state of the art, development trends, targets and needs, technological barriers, as well as techno-economic projections until 2050. Particular attention is paid to how EC funded projects contributed to technology advancements. It includes an overview of Member States' activities based on information from the relevant SET Plan Temporary Working Groups as well as the objectives and main outcomes of the most relevant international programmes., JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewables

This report presents a concise overview of the role that clean energy technologies can play for the identified regions in the path to their transition from coal mining activity under a low carbon energy consumption and production lence. The focus is on power generation technologies from wind, solar photovoltaics (free standing and roof-top), bioenergy, geothermal sources, as well as on coal-fired power plants with carbon capture. We also address energy demand technologies and specifically assess the potential for energy efficiency refurbishments in buildings. Energy storage is dealt with presenting activities relevant to batteries, to give an insight on planned or ongoing activities within coal regions. The report summarises the main findings across regions, complemented by one detailed fact sheet per region. Estimates on the renewable energy and clean energy technology potential in each region are presented. We also assess the potential of technologies in terms of investments needs and the impact this could have on job creation and regional economic development. Renewable and clean energy technology options can be an alternative to the continuation of the current model for economic development, power generation and job creation in each region, in line with EU’s climate and energy targets., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

This Wind Energy: Technology Market Report 2018 presents an assessment of the state of the art, development trends, targets and needs, technological barriers, as well as techno-economic projections until 2050. Particular attention is paid to how EC funded projects contributed to technology advancements. It includes an overview of Member States' activities based on information from the relevant SET Plan Temporary Working Groups as well as the objectives and main outcomes of the most relevant international programmes., JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewables

The objective of this report is to provide recommendations for long-term R&D priorities for crosscutting EC funded projects in the energy domain. Nineteen JRC experts analysed synergies and issues of the future energy system in following areas: * objectives of Horizon 2020 projects were compared with national and international projects; * key energy technologies for a cost-effective energy transition using the energy system model JRC-EU-TIMES; * development trends of LCEO technologies with regard to their potential to provide grid support services; and * R&D synergies between LCEO technologies to accelerate development and use research budgets efficiently., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

This report presents a bibliometric analysis of scientific articles issued on blades and on offshore wind support structures. It uses the JRC-developed TIM software for data analysis and visualisation, drawing on text mining and network analysis to count publication activity levels and identify collaboration patterns between entities. Our bibliometric searches detected increasing densification in the co-publication networks mapped by TIM for blades and on offshore support structures. This indicated that scientific publication activity could be intensifying, and this was confirmed by experts and by literature on wind energy. Both provided evidence of growth in these two research fields, and of intensified collaboration among partners – following the wind-energy industry orientation towards larger blade designs and innovative offshore support structures. The recent EC Communication on a renewed European Agenda for Research and Innovation points out that Europe is relatively strong in adding or sustaining value for existing products, services and processes, known as incremental innovation. But Europe needs to do better at generating disruptive and breakthrough innovations. Thus, the agenda encourages cooperation between research teams across countries and disciplines, supporting them to make breakthrough discoveries. Also countries outside the EU have put policies in place (e.g. China's 12th Five Year Plan) explicitly focussing on technology innovation in the sector of onshore and offshore wind. Within this context, this analysis uses the JRC's Tools for Innovation Monitoring (TIM) software developed by the JRC to retrieve bibliometric data on blades (a component more benefitting from incremental innovations) and offshore wind support structures (a relatively new research field in which disruptive innovations like floating power plants might become breakthrough innovations) to - measure the publication and collaboration activity, - identify leading organisations and new entrants, - identify the main areas of publications of the leading players and - identify the leading countries and country collaboration patterns. The bibliometric results obtained are then contrasted with data for research funding on wind energy from the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, to analyse the thematic focus of publication and funding activity. Results are also complemented with recent information from the wind industry and research news on the latest developments in the investigated areas. Thus, this study can support policies aiming for prioritisation and alignment of European research efforts within the wind energy topic., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

The European coal sector currently employs nearly half million people in direct and indirect activities. By 2030, it is estimated that around 160 000 direct jobs may be lost. Regional development based on a carefully planned restructuring process, to which renewable energy plays central role, will create new employment opportunities., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

This report presents the status and development of main market, technology and regulatory issues of onshore and offshore wind energy. Global installed capacity reaches a new record year after year. This intense growth is enabled by the strong and fast technological development of wind energy and new solutions and innovations that continuously emerge aiming to reduce the energy cost. As technology is becoming more competitive, policy support in EU Member States keeps adapting., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

This report aims at providing an overview of the supply chain of a number of renewable energy technologies. The report currently addresses the following technologies in detail: wind energy, geothermal energy and ocean energy but might be expanded at a later stage. In particular, the report focuses on the current market for renewable energy technologies and components and the position of EU companies and organisations as well as the EU's strengths and weaknesses. The main EU companies and competitors from outside the EU for each part of the supply chain or market segment are also presented., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

Wind power is currently curtailed in order to stabilise power systems and due to economic considerations. Using curtailed wind energy to produce hydrogen could fuel hundreds of thousands of new cars. Producing hydrogen from wind curtailment is however still more expensive than buying it at market price., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is currently developing a monitoring system for tracking the evolution of established and emerging technologies (Tools for Innovation Monitoring, TIM). The editor tool developed is based on semantic analysis, powerful data mining and visualization of complex data sets and holds the promise to complement expert knowledge by identifying emerging trends within a technology. Within this context, this report provides guidance and illustrates possible ways of applying bibliometric analysis to research-for-policy questions on specific energy technologies., JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Union

Der Einsatz solarthermischer Kraftwerke mit Speicher ermöglicht eine bedarfsgerechte Stromerzeugung aus Sonnenenergie und kann in Ländern mit hoher Direktnormaleinstrahlung eine Alternative zur konventionellen Stromerzeugung bieten. Darüber hinaus steigt in Energiesystemen mit steigendem Anteil fluktuierender Stromerzeugungstechnologien wie beispielsweise aus Windkraftanlagen und Photovoltaikanlagen der Bedarf an planbarer und grundlastfähiger Kraftwerkskapazität. Solarthermische Kraftwerke mit Speicher ermöglichen, diese Versorgungsaufgabe zu erfüllen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde eine ganzheitliche Bewertung solarthermischer Kraftwerke vorgenommen, welche wesentlich von dem betrachteten Standort der Anlage und den damit verbundenen Einstrahlungsbedingungen sowie von dem zu erfüllenden Nachfrageprofil abhängig ist. Zur Veranschaulichung der ausgearbeiteten Methodik wird am Beispiel Südafrikas der zukünftige solarthermische Kraftwerksstandort Upington/Northern Cape sowie der nahe den großen Verbrauchszentren gelegene Standort Pretoria/Gauteng Province untersucht. Die Verbindung der am Standort nutzbaren Einstrahlung mit der zu deckenden Nachfrage ermöglicht unter Berücksichtigung der Investitionskosten der Kraftwerkskomponenten die Ableitung kostenoptimaler Kraftwerkskonfigurationen. Das Verhältnis der im Solarfeld gesammelten Energie zur verfügbaren Speicherkapazität bestimmt neben der Verfügbarkeit und den Stromgestehungskosten der Anlage auch die Versorgungssicherheit des Stromerzeugungssystems. Der mit steigender Speicherkapazität höhere Anteil an gesicherter Kraftwerksleistung wird durch die Ermittlung des Leistungs-kredits für die untersuchten Kraftwerkskonfigurationen mit und ohne Speicher ermittelt. Die Berechnung des Leistungskredits erfolgt für unterschiedliche Ausbaustufen der jeweiligen solarthermischen Kraftwerkskonfiguration und berücksichtigt die südafrikanische Nachfragestruktur sowie die installierten Kapazitäten und Verfügbarkeiten des konventionellen südafrikanischen Kraftwerksparks. Die Ableitung der an den Standort angepassten Kraftwerkskonfigurationen hat neben den ermittelten technischen und ökonomischen Auswirkungen auch ökologische Konsequenzen. Zur Ermittlung der ökologischen Auswirkungen wird der gesamte Lebenszyklus der solarthermischen Anlagen im Zuge eines parametrisierten Lebenszyklusansatzes analysiert. Die vorgestellte Methodik erlaubt somit eine Einschätzung der während der Konstruktion, des Betriebs und der Außerbetriebnahme der Anlage verbrauchten erschöpflichen Ressourcen sowie des verursachten anthropogenen Treibhauseffekts. Die Verbindung der in der technischen Analyse ermittelten zeitlich hochaufgelösten Erträge der verschiedenen Konfigurationen mit den damit verbundenen Stromgestehungskosten und dem Treibhauspotential ermöglicht eine standortspezifische, ganzheitliche Bewertung solarthermischer Kraftwerke. Die gewonnenen Ergebnisse dieser Bewertung werden abschließend zur Ermittlung der CO2-Vermeidungskosten gegenüber der konventionellen südafrikanischen Stromerzeugung aus Steinkohle genutzt. Die in dieser Arbeit durchgeführte Analyse zeigt, dass sich solarthermische Kraftwerke eignen unterschiedliche Versorgungsaufgaben in Energiesystemen zu erfüllen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Einsatz des in den Kraftwerksprozess integrierten Speichers Auswirkungen auf die Stromgestehungskosten, die verursachten Emissionen sowie die Versorgungssicherheit des Energiesystems hat. Im Falle der Stromgestehungskosten nimmt der Speicher, neben den Kosten für Kollektorfeld, Power Block und Zufeuerung, einen wesentlichen Anteil ein. Die ökologischen Auswirkungen einer solarthermischen Stromerzeugung werden ebenfalls durch den Speicher mitbeeinflusst. Neben den eher geringen indirekten Emissionen welche durch Bau, Betrieb und Entsorgung des Speichers entstehen, übt die Dimensionierung des Speichers einen wesentlichen Einfluss auf die benötigte Zufeuerungsmenge aus. Die in dieser Arbeit berücksichtigte Auswirkung einer solarthermischen Stromerzeugung auf die Versorgungssicherheit des Energiesystems wird anhand einer Berechnung der Kapazitätseffekte und deren Monetarisierung vorgenommen. Für den betrachteten südafrikanischen Fall ergeben sich mit steigender Speicherkapazität und Durchdringung des Energiesystems eine verminderte vorzuhaltende Back-up-Kapazität und damit geringere Back-up-Kosten. Die Anpassungsfähigkeit der jeweiligen solarthermischen Kraftwerkskonfiguration an eine bestimmte Versorgungsaufgabe bietet somit, insbesondere in Ländern mit hoher Direktnormalstrahlung, sowohl eine Alternative zur emissionsintensiven Stromerzeugung aus Kohlekraftwerken als auch zur fluktuierenden Stromerzeugung aus erneuerbaren Stromerzeugungstechnologien., The integration of concentrated solar power plants (CSP) with storage offers the possibility to generate dispatchable electricity from the sun and can be seen as an alternative to conventional electricity generation for countries with high direct normal irradiance (DNI). Moreover there is an increasing need for reliable power plant capacity in energy systems, with an increasing deployment of intermittent energy sources (e.g. wind power or photovoltaics). Concentrated solar power plants with storage have the capacity to cover this demand for reliable electricity generation. The holistic evaluation of concentrated solar power plants depends considerably on the power plant location and the associated direct normal irradiation (DNI) available. The elaborated methodology is used to assess the envisaged solar power plants for different sites in South Africa. As South Africa holds extensive coal deposits, its electricity supply is mainly reliant on coal-fired power plants, which makes it the major emitter of greenhouse gases on the African continent. One proposed action for CO2 mitigation is the deployment of concentrated solar power plants. A suitable location for CSP development is in Upington (Northern Cape). Furthermore, CSP plants are investigated for a site at Pretoria (Gauteng Province), which is the industrial hub of the country. In the present study cost-optimised concentrated solar power plant configurations are derived from assessing the energy yield of the investigated power plant location, the demand structure that has to be met and the investment costs of the plant components. The relation between the energy collected in the solar field and the available storage capacity determines the plant availability, the levelised electricity generation costs and the overall reliability of the energy system. The effect of additional energy storage capacity on the energy system is investigated by calculating the capacity credit for different characteristic concentrated solar power plant configurations. The calculation of the capacity credit considers different CSP penetration rates in the South African energy system, the South African electricity demand structure and the South African power plant portfolio. Besides the derived techno-economic characteristics of the different typical CSP configurations in South Africa, the ecological consequences of this technology are quantified by calculating the demand for materials, the cumulated energy demand and the Global Warming Potential. By conducting a parameterised life cycle assessment the entire life cycle of the CSP configurations is considered. The presented methodology is therefore suitable to quantify the direct and indirect emissions during the construction, operation and dismantling of CSP plants. The integrative approach (which combines the hourly energy yield from the technical assessment, the levelised electricity costs and the life cycle emissions) enables a site specific and holistic assessment of concentrated solar power plants. The obtained results are utilised to calculate the CO2-abatement costs of CSP plants compared to the conventional coal-fired electricity generation in South Africa. The analysis performed in this work demonstrates that concentrated solar power plants can be seen as a suitable option to satisfy different demand structures in an energy system. Results show that especially the implementation of a storage option affects the levelised cost of electricity, the emissions thereof as well as energy system reliability. In case of the levelised electricity costs, the storage, besides the collector field, power block and the cost for fossil co-firing contributes to a significant share. Moreover, the ecological impact of concentrated solar power plants is affected by the implementation of a storage option. While there are only minor indirect emissions from the construction, operation and dismantling during a plant’s lifetime, the direct emissions from co-firing are heavily affected by the storage dimensions. The impact of concentrated solar power plants on the energy system reliability is considered by calculating the capacity effects and the respective back-up costs. In case of the evaluated South African energy system, an increasing storage capacity of the solar plant and an increasing penetration rate of the energy system results in a decrease in the back-up capacity and back-up costs. The ability of concentrated solar power plants including properly adjusted storage to satisfy a predefined demand structure offers an alternative to both the emission-intensive coal-fired power plants and the fluctuating renewable energy technologies, in countries with high direct normal irradiance.