The challenge

Achieving industrial decarbonisation is a major strategic priority for the EU, yet many countries face similar obstacles: fragmented approaches, varying levels of preparedness, limited coordination between policy, industry and R&I actors, and uncertainty around how to design effective industrial technology roadmaps. To address these challenges, the European Commission launched a 12-month Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Industrial Decarbonisation in April 2023. The aim was to bring together 16 participating countries to better understand their specific needs, share experiences, and identify lessons learned for designing and updating national strategies for industrial decarbonisation.

Approach & results

Over the course of the MLE, IDEA Consult supported the management team, six independent experts, national representatives and the European Commission in a structured learning and exchange process. The work focused on four key themes:

1. National industrial technology roadmaps and decarbonisation strategies
   – mapping existing approaches, gaps and opportunities.
2. Policies, design and financing for R&I investments
   – identifying which instruments help accelerate the development, uptake and deployment of low-carbon technologies in energy-intensive industries.
3. Actors’ engagement
   – examining how to better involve industry, research organisations, clusters and public authorities in co-developing decarbonisation pathways.
4. Framework conditions
   – discussing regulatory aspects, permitting for demonstrators and first-of-a-kind pilots, IPR issues, technology infrastructures, and data/knowledge needs.

Throughout the process, participating countries shared concrete examples, success factors, bottlenecks and policy practices.

Together, the group has produced several public reports that provide guidance on how countries can mobilise public and private investments in low-carbon technologies, strengthen their industrial decarbonisation strategies, and better link R&I with industrial needs.

All published reports are available here:

Mutual Learning Exercise on Industrial decarbonisation | Research and Innovation