Boosting the sustainable energy sector: the EIT and KIC InnoEnergy sign the 2012 Grant Agreement

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and KIC InnoEnergy have signed the 2012 Grant Agreement (G.A.). This agreement will see the further strengthening of KIC InnoEnergy activities during the course of 2012, namely the KIC’s education initiatives as well as technological innovation and enterprise development with the overall goal of promoting the development of renewable energy within the European Union.

José Manuel Leceta (EIT Director) and Diego Pavia (KIC InnoEnergy CEO) after the signature of the 2012 Grant Agreement
The agreement consists of a total investment of 155 million € into KIC InnoEnergy, out of which 32 million € are provided by the EIT and 122 million € by members of the KIC InnoEnergy Consortium, consisting of companies, research centers, universities and business schools*.

I am very pleased about the signing of the 2012 annual Grant Agreement with KIC InnoEnergy and I am looking forward to working together in ensuring the ambitious goals of the KIC are achieved.José Manuel Leceta, EIT Director

The KIC aims to achieve tangible results that impact both the creation of products and services within existing companies in the Consortium as well as the creation of new entrepreneurial ventures and the training of new talents all in the field of sustainable energy. In short, KIC InnoEnergy’s overall objective are very much aligned to the EIT’s to promote a cultural change within the European innovation landscape in which universities, businesses and entrepreneurs generate innovation and jobs thus generating real tangible impact on society.
It is thus expected that by the end of 2012, KIC InnoEnergy will create 82 start-ups, 27 patents and 56 products and services as well train 450 new talents all within the specific field of sustainable energy. According to Diego Pavia, KIC InnoEnergy CEO,

This 2012 agreement is intended to be an enabler of innovation in sustainable energy from a global perspective in line with EU strategic objectives of achieving greater energy self-sufficiency in the EU.

More information on this news item and on KIC InnoEnergy
* Partners of the KIC InnoEnergy consortium include Gas Natural Fenosa, ESADE, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), GDF Suez, EDF, The Royal Institute of Technology - KTH, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Vattenfall, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (FHG), Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Catalonia Institute for Energy Research, EnBW, Total, etc.