By Paola Mazzucchelli, EUREC

1. Title
Paola Mazzucchelli, EUREC
UNIMED week, 10 April 2018
5TOI and the innovative Nexus
approach towards living labs in the
Mediterranean
This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation
Programme under Grant Agreement No 692523

2. Renewable energy R&D community in Europe
1
EUREC is the voice of renewable energy
research in Europe, representing
European Research Centres active in
renewable energy
EUREC is a European Association
supporting
Development of Innovation and human
Resources for renewable energies

3. EUREC’s activities in renewable energy
1
Networking: facilitating exchange of information to improve scientific
knowledge and expertise on the latest technologies as well as policy
developments
Fostering project development amongst its members
Policy inputs: defining common positions related to policy dossiers of
interest
Education and Training:

4. AIMS
To support the Science and Innovation Policy Dialogue Platform for a more strategic
priority setting for international cooperation on water, energy and food targeted
specific following NEXUS approach with co-design and co-ownership.
To audit the existing international cooperation between EU-MPC focused on targeted
open innovation in the energy, water and food sectors following a NEXUS approach to
increase the coordination and synergies between policies and programmes among
both regions.
To promote and achieve a deeper international R&I cooperation between EU-MPC in
the water, energy and food sectors and contribute to the establishment of Common
Knowledge and Innovation Space of specialization (RIS) in the Southern
Mediterranean Neighborhood.
To raise awareness concerning targeted open innovation in water, agriculture and
energy sectors among policy, business community and civil society to spread the
concept of international cooperation between EU-MPC actors.

5. MAIN OUTPUTS
Joint Action Plan
• To support the improvement of research-policy coordination in the project domains to face societal challenges; and
• To explain how the work plan might be amended to better align with the inventory of cooperation.
Nexus Think Tank in the MPC area
• Creating an experienced network to allow think tank operate about relevant topics – in relation to the selected social needs that can be solved by
research, also in relation to potential political and policies paths
Thematic committees for societal challenges
• To present the state of the art of existing policies in the target countries on each thematic committee related topic, and to place a proposal for the
renewal of existing policies to societal challenges
Common Knowledge and Innovation Space
• Bridging the gap between research and innovation by creating opportunities for exchanging researchers and maximizing the value of research
outputs, with the final goal to contribute to regional growth and capacity building.
Research & Innovation Vouchers
•To ensure close synergies with the international dimension of the H2020 calls and to increase the capacity of MPC individuals (researchers and
innovators) to get access to scientific excellence
Research and Innovation H2020 Champions (training and capacity building)
•Future pivotal person that will have the objective to increase the Research and Innovation capacity of its institution and of its network

6. NEXUS THINK TANK IN THE MPC AREA
New approaches and solutions
to climate change and
development challenges
Common Knowledge and
Innovation Space
PRIMA (Partnership on
Research and Innovation in the
Mediterranean Area)

7. LIVING LABS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (1)
Co-creation
Open exploration
Experimentation
Evaluation

8. a NEXUS Living Lab
Who
End user (farmers, agroindustry)
Water and Energy utility companies
Policy makers (Central and Regional Authorities)
Research organizations, Innovation support organizations
Technology providers, equipment manufacturers
Academia, trainers
What
Co-create, Co-test, Co-develop, Co-apply innovation (new products, services,
businesses, technologies, practices)
Where
In real life environments
In regions with special characteristics and attributes, in farms (crops, greenhouses,
livestock installation), in food industry, in consumers
When
In all phases (Product Idea, Product Concept, Product Development, and Market
Launch)
Expected
Outputs
- Develop and test new equipment (i.e. agricultural machineries)
- Change old and apply new agriculture practices (i.e. pumping, agricultural and
livestock works)
- Develop smart and sustainable farming systems
- Context-tailored water-saving solutions
- Application of new technologies (automation, energy saving), also in agriculture and
livestock, but also in food industry.
- Shift to more energy-efficient and sustainable technologies
- Context-adapted solutions to increase food and water chain efficiency, and reduce
losses and wastes
- Shift to less water and energy consuming crops/products, etc.
- Adaptation of old/traditional customs (agriculture, eating habits), to the challenges
- Change/Adapt crops
- Develop new production of new food products
- Enable utilities to suitable and efficient develop of new infrastructure (electricity,
water networks)
- Improve land and water sustainability
- Eco-innovation and Eco-innovative business models
- Promote Circular Economy
LIVING LABS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (2)

9. CONCLUSIONS

10. Thank you for your attention
Paola Mazzucchelli
EUREC Secretary General
Email: mazzucchelli.p@eurec.be
Tel: +32 2 318 40 50