The European Commission’s progress report on the competitiveness of clean energy technologies, published on 26 February, indicates that these technologies will become even more relevant as the EU continues its energy transition, increases electrification and moves away from dependence on fossil fuels.
However, the competitiveness of European manufacturers - which is currently being called into question, not least because energy prices are higher than in China and the United States - will determine whether “an essential part of this transition will be made in the EU or will be imported”.
While the EU is home to a diversified manufacturing industry for carbon-neutral technologies, the report points out that the Union is struggling to maintain its global market share, as China has come to dominate production in key sectors.
Other challenges include the availability of skilled workers and the ageing of the workforce, as well as strong global competition in research and the difficulty of accessing venture capital to start up and scale up European companies.
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/fol (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)