The European Parliament's Energy and Research Committee (ITRE) has voted today to allocate three-quarters of the next energy research budget to renewables, energy efficiency, smart grids and storage. This would make a total of 6 billion Euros, including the Intelligent Energy Europe programme1, out of an overall 80 billion Euros for R&D under Horizon 2020.

"MEPs have understood how crucial wind energy and other renewables are to the EU's economic growth, technology leadership, fighting climate change, and that sufficient R&D funding is essential to further their development in line with the EU's climate and renewable energy priorities", commented Vilma Radvilaite, Regulatory Affairs Advisor at the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

"With 75% of its energy funding going to renewables, energy efficiency, smart grid and storage technologies and an additional 15% going to the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme, Horizon 2020 gives a real boost to green growth", she added.

The ITRE Committee also boosted transparency and clarity for wind energy research by agreeing on dedicated and separate budget lines for wind energy and the other Strategic Energy Technology Plan technologies.

The Horizon 2020 R&D programme will run from 2014 to 2020. Based on today's outcome, ITRE now enters negotiations with the European Council.

(1) 'Intelligent Energy Europe' is an EU funding programme for organisations wishing to improve energy sustainability: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/about/index_en.htm