Revolutionize European Cleantech with a Powerful Investment Strategy

In a new op-ed published on Tech.eu, Sofia Karagianni, Senior Policy Officer at Cleantech for Europe, argues that Europe needs a comprehensive cleantech investment plan to bridge the funding gap in the industry. Karagianni highlights that although European cleantech companies have developed innovative technologies in areas such as batteries, steel, and cement, they face significant challenges in accessing funding for scale-up. The European Commission estimates that manufacturing six key technologies under the Net Zero Industry Act will require €92 billion in investment by 2030, creating a funding gap of €50+ billion. In contrast, countries like the United States, China, and Japan are investing heavily in cleantech. Karagianni proposes several measures to address this gap, including mobilizing capital from institutional investors, deploying public guarantees to de-risk cleantech investments, and earmarking revenues from the European Emissions Trading System for cleantech.