CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-02: OPEN TOPIC

Project Status: Proposal under preparation / Coordination by URCA

The project aims to analyse and enhances European competitiveness within the critical shifts of the modern era, focusing on strategic autonomy, socio-economic resilience, and policy design.

A central axis of our research evaluates the macroeconomic and geopolitical positioning of Europe regarding sustainable infrastructure. Specifically, the project will analyse the competitiveness of the European renewable energy sector to formulate high-level, actionable policy recommendations for the European Commission. These outputs will directly feed into monitoring frameworks designed to optimize strategic investment choices and safeguard the EU’s industrial leadership.

We are looking for a University, Research Institute, Think Tank, or Industry Expert specializing in renewable electricity generation, grid infrastructure, and energy economics.

The selected partner will be a key contributor to our research design, taking on significant responsibilities.

• Role: Task Leader or Work Package (WP) Leader.

• Key Contributions:

  • Mapping and analysing the competitiveness and sustainability of the European industrial sector against global competitors.

  • Assessing constraints for an ecological industrial revival in Europe

  • Co-drafting strategic policy briefs and monitoring indicators for the European Commission to guide future regulatory and funding choices.

The ideal partner should possess deep expertise in:

·        Decarbonisation of the industry.

·        The various interpretations of the circular economy in the industry (going well beyond waste recycling).

·        Indicators of the circular economy in the industry.

·        Exergy and entropy.

·        Barriers and obstacles to the ecological transition of the industry through decarbonisation and the circular economy.

·        Drivers and levers for the ecological transition of the industry through decarbonisation and the circular economy.