Driving energy innovation through large buyer groups

Topic description

Scope:

Specific challenge: Buyers of energy-related products can foster innovation by specifying energy performance levels that are higher than the best levels available on the market. The larger the group of buyers, the higher is the potential market and therefore the greater is the interest of manufacturers to meet more ambitious product specifications and to deliver new more energy efficient products. This market-transformation tool, commonly referred to as 'technology procurement', has been applied successfully to a few products such as copiers, electric motors and cold appliances but it could be applied to many more energy-related products if more buyers knew how to use it.

Scope: Actions whereby groups of buyers are established and together set higher-than-available performance levels which manufacturers of sustainable energy productsare called to meet through product innovation. Products should represent a large potential for meeting the EU energy policy targets and have the potential for a large market demand.  Buyer groups should be large and influential and/or composed of market leaders. Technical specifications should be ambitious but achievable without large investments in research and development and without distorting competition between manufacturers of products with the same level of energy performance. It is important that the technology procurement process is associated with communication activities to encourage manufacturers to participate and to make their results more visible.

Proposals addressing the procurement of products that already exist on the market should be submitted under topic EE8.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1.5 and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact: New energy-using or -producing products with at least 25% better performance than best available products. Improved competitiveness of manufacturers. Creation of influential buyer groups able to transform the appliances market.  

Type of action: Coordination and Support Actions

Innovation Procurement
Socio-economic science and humanities