The objective of DIA-CORE was to ensure a continuous assessment of the existing policy mechanisms and to establish a fruitful stakeholder dialogue on future policy needs for renewable electricity (RES-E), heating & cooling (RES-H), and transport (RES-T). Thus, DIA-CORE facilitated convergence in RES support across the EU and enhance investments, cooperation and coordination. This project complemented the Commission’s monitoring activities of Member States (MSs) success in meeting 2020 RES targets.
Results of the project included:
• An up-to-date information platform and scientific knowledge base on RES support policy performance in EU member states.
• A database on RES policy performance regularly updated (http://diacore.eu/databases)
• Awareness on costs and benefits of RES policy and deployment to increase transparency in the policy debate, indicate impacts of future policy options and foster public acceptance.
• Intensification of policy coordination across the EU contributing to efficient resource exploitation.
• An interactive RES policy stakeholder dialogue contributing to an informed policy and decision making processes and increased acceptance of key RES policy reforms.
• More targeted policy actions focused on national and European priorities leading to a substantial improvement of policy performance.
To facilitate decision-making DIA-CORE offered detailed cross-country policy evaluations, presented in an interactive web-based RES policy assessment database. Indicators on effectiveness and cost effectiveness of existing policies for RES in all sectors were extended and updated, complemented by an analysis of costs and benefits of RES on MS level. Future consequences of policy choices were analyzed in detail using the Green-X model, highlighting possible additional policy needs for 2020 target achievement and contributing to upcoming 2030-related discussions.
The limited use of cooperation mechanisms and the benefits resulting from a more intensified use were a further subject of analysis, whereby detailed guidelines for practical implementation of the individual mechanisms were provided to encourage their future use. In general, the optimization of the design of the individual RES policies, namely feed-in tariffs, premiums, investment incentives and quota systems (certificate trading for RES-E, obligations for RES-H) as well as cooperation mechanisms, in line with future policy needs were a key focus of the project. Thus, innovative concepts and design elements were developed as well as accompanying measures aiming to remove non-economic barriers and to improve the conditions for financing RES investments. Options for coordination of national RES strategies and instruments based on best practices were also in the focus of this action.
More details can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/dia-core
