Technology Introduction and Preliminary Business Case dossiers
The European Commission R&I services have established a strategy for the Dissemination & Exploitation of Results under Horizon 2020 projects (link here; brochure on “boosting the impact of your project through effective communication, dissemination and exploitation” available here).
It is however important to differentiate the two as this section is focused on the Exploitation of results:
- Dissemination means sharing research results with potential users - peers in the research field, industry, other commercial players and policymakers). By sharing your research results with the rest of the scientific community, you are contributing to the progress of science in general. Further information concerning the Common Dissemination Booster, a free of charge and available to all R&I projects, which encourages projects to come together to identify a common portfolio of results and shows them how best to disseminate to end-users, with an eye on exploitation opportunities, can be found here;
- Exploitation is the use of results for commercial purposes or in public policymaking. You will find more information on the Common Exploitation Booster further below.
Barriers to effective exploitation of results exist and unfortunately, it does not happen spontaneously too often.
Why does it not always happen in FCH JU projects?
- Beneficiaries sometimes perceive dissemination and exploitation as "tick boxes", not important for the "real work" of the project
- There is confusion between communication, dissemination, exploitation activities
- Focusing on implementing and validating technical objectives instead of aligning work with the needs of users and stakeholders
- Lack of skills (or interest) in describing the value and unique benefits of the key results for outside "typical" community
- Lack of knowledge of exploitation risks and opportunities, alternative routes, financial sources, market situation
- Lack of reflection and joint discussions within the consortia
External support can give an important "push" for the impact of the project, and be useful already in early phases of the work within the projects we support.
The FCH JU stands ready to assist its project beneficiaries throughout the process of exploitation of results upon request. To this end, the FCH JU has collected information in this tab concerning several elements that can be useful for such activities, including technology dossiers and business case tools that may induce faster market uptake. This tab also provides links to literature/studies contracted by the FCH JU which develop on the business cases for different technologies and some of them even provide interactive tools to enable users to tailor it to their needs. It also provides links to several project development assistance programmes/facilities to which our beneficiaries and any business developer may apply to in view of better structure the industrialisation/ commercialisation path or even market deployment of the technologies we have been supporting since 2008. Furthermore, it provides links to EU portals where the projects and its beneficiaries may raise their profile to relevant investors.
Technology Introduction and Preliminary Business Case dossiers (FCH Regions initiative)
Download the 26 individual presentations per technology (Buses; Heavy duty trucks; Trains; Bikes; Cars; Construction mobile equipment; Delivery vans; Garbage trucks; Material handling equipment; Scooters; Sweepers; Aircraft; Aircraft ground support equipment; Boats; Ferries; Port operations equipment; Ships; Back-up power; Commercial buildings; Gen-sets; Industrial Use Cases; Off-grid power; Residential grid services; Electricity grid services; Green hydrogen; Hydrogen into gas grid) here.
In addition, download the two general presentations for all the 26 applications at the following links:
Mobility Business Case tool (FCH Regions initiative)
This tool aims at providing European cities and regions with a high level indicative analysis of costs for the deployment of different sizes of Fuel Cell (FC) vehicle fleets and installation of associated Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) and “green” hydrogen production facilities using electrolysis.
Detailed business case tool available here.
Studies on Business Cases
- PtH2 – study on early business cases for H2 in energy storage and more broadly Power to H2 applications
- Bus – Fuel Cell Electric Buses – Potential for Sustainable Public Transport in Europe
07/10/2015, available here.
If you would like to have more information on FCE buses, the FCH JU is putting the following tools at your disposal:
- Calculate the costs for your specific location with this tool
- Check your readiness level with this tool
- HRS – A roadmap for financing hydrogen refueling networks – Creating prerequisites for H2-based mobility
26/09/2014, available here.
If you are interested in estimating what a HRS network would look like in other EU countries are invited to use this tool.
Raising profile for investors
The Innovation Radar is an initiative of the European Commission focused on the identification of high potential innovations and the key innovators behind them in FP7, CIP (Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme) and Horizon 2020 projects. It supports innovators by suggesting a range of targeted actions to assist them in fulfilling their potential in the market.
It is an initiative that involves:
- Assessing the maturity of innovations developed within the FP7 and H2020 projects and identifying high potential innovators and innovations (using a model developed by JRC-IPTS)
- Providing guidance during the project duration in terms of the most appropriate steps to reach the market
- Supporting innovators through EU (and non-EU) funded entrepreneurship initiatives to cover specific needs concerning networking, access to finance, Intellectual Property Rights, etc.
In April 2018 the European Commission launched the Innovation Radar Tool: a data-driven online tool which provides easy access to innovations supported by EU funding and the innovators behind them. The Innovation Radar is designed to help broker contact between EU-funded innovators and, for example, investors or other professionals who can help them get their innovations to market, be it with additional expertise or capital.
The Innovation Radar tool can be accessed via the web (https://www.innoradar.eu/) or as a Smartphone app (download from the iOS and Android app stores).
The EIPP was developed by DG ECFIN – the meeting place for project promoters and investors
The EIPP is a central EU project promoting platform which aims to create a bridge between EU project promoters and investors. The Portal seeks to boost the visibility of existing EU investment opportunities.
For the project promoter based in the EU, it enables it to reach potential investors worldwide, boosting its visibility to a large network of international investors. For an investor looking for investment opportunities, it opens access to opportunities in areas such as energy efficiency, transport, renewable energy or in financing SMEs. The European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) will offer you a broad choice of viable projects.
EIT InnoEnergy SE is the European company for innovation, business creation and education in sustainable energy. It was designated as a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) by the European Institute of Innovations & Technology’s (EIT) Governing Board. The priority area which this KIC addresses is sustainable energy. The EIT will finance EIT InnoEnergy in a first phase with about EUR 30 million annually. The EIT InnoEnergy SE has a clear structure that allows for lean management and the measurement and evaluation of the targeted output. It is run like a business through a flexible and effective organisational structure and with a sound and monitored business plan, focused on results. About one quarter of EIT InnoEnergy's budget will be funded from other sources with substantial contribution from the EIT InnoEnergy partners.
The EIT InnoEnergy offers tailored services to the needs of each entrepreneur, turning your early stage start-up into a successful business. By joining the most important sustainable energy community in Europe, you could benefit from their Venture Capital Community, get your technology innovation financed through the Innovation projects, or find the best experts in the technology area of your interest. Further information available here.
CEB – Common Exploitation Booster
European Commission R&I services have established a Strategy for effective exploitation of H2020 research results. The Common Exploitation Booster (link here) is a common support service of the European Commission which helps former ongoing R&I projects under FP7 and H2020 programmes to bridge the gap between creating research outputs and ensuring their exploitation by providing a series of tailored services. The services are free for the projects (except for covering their own travel expenses) and the consultancy is offered under confidentiality agreement. Selection of projects and coordination of services is managed by the H2020 Common Support Center of the European Commission.