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From research to industry
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation.
Discover the main research areas on which the CEA works.
Find the latest scientific and institutional news of the CEA.
The CEA publishes various scientific and technical periodicals and videos. Through them, you can discover the CEA’s major research topics and the latest technological innovations produced by its laboratories.
CEA contributes to public debates at the European level, where it provides its expertise on issues within its competence. It responds to consultations and issues opinions on European matters. These answers and opinions are available below.
The Commission has proposed a series of provisions to support the European low carbon technology industry. While going in the right direction, the proposed Act lacks precision on the budgets allocated and the selection of eligible technologies could be improved.
The Strategic Energy Technology Plan has seen its role decline with the Fit for 55 package and the REPower EU communication, which do not refer to it. The CEA therefore supports a reform of the SET Plan in order to align it with these new tools and makes some recommendations in this sense.
European decarbonisation policies are leading to an increase in the use of raw materials, coming mainly from countries outside the Union. The regulation on critical materials planned by the European Commission needs to guarantee the continent's strategic autonomy and security of supply in a rapidly changing geopolitical context.
Digital development policies will lead to an increase in the amount of electrical and electronic waste. The WEEE directive needs to take this context into account to help extend the life of equipment and components and ensure optimal conditions for their end-of-life management.
In the context of the consultation on the mid-term review of Horizon Europe, the European Union's framework programme for research and innovation, the CEA shares its feedback and makes several suggestions, ranging from the structuring of the programme to its implementation.
In response to the energy crisis, the European Commission has published two communications outlining the short, medium and long term actions that the European Union can take to wean itself off Russian fuels. While recognising the severity and emergency of the situation, as well as the diversity of the levers to be used, these communications still need to be further developed on several levels.
The rules defined in the delegated acts of the renewable energy directive will be structuring for the European hydrogen industry. It is therefore essential that they are coherent and follow a long-term approach.
The European Commission is about to publish its innovation agenda. In this context, CEA offers several recommendations aimed at stimulating technology transfer to the industry and the creation of start-ups. Image's copyright: AdobeStock
Solar power is part of the solutions for the EU to meet its climate targets. It can also help the EU to reduce its dependency on imports, provided that the European Union succeeds in strengthening its industry in this field. Image © P. Jayet/CEA
Methane is the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. Reducing methane emissions from the extraction and transport of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) is therefore a major climate issue. While the draft European regulation is a step in the right direction, several points need to be strengthened.
As part of the strengthening of its climate objectives, and in order to avoid carbon leakage resulting from the erosion of competitiveness induced by the ETS, the European Commission has proposed a new border carbon adjustment mechanism. This mechanism is essential to preserve industry while decarbonising the European economy. To do so, it must be robust, cover all activities subject to the ETS and be implemented quickly.
In the course of strengthening its climate objectives, the European Commission has proposed a revision of the Emissions Trading Scheme. While sharing the broad lines of this revision, CEA wishes to draw the Commission's attention to several measures.
The European Commission has proposed a revision of its Renewable Energy Directive, to strengthen its targets in order to align them with its climate policy. This revision also updates the directive on certain energy technologies. The reopening of this text should be used to rectify other elements – key to achieving our climate goals – including the dysfunctional electricity guarantee of origin mechanism.
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CEA is a French government-funded technological research organisation in four main areas: low-carbon energies, defense and security, information technologies and health technologies. A prominent player in the European Research Area, it is involved in setting up collaborative projects with many partners around the world.