Innovation-driven or challenge-driven participation in international energy innovation networks? Empirical evidences from the H2020 programme

The European Union (EU) Framework Programmes represent the ideal platform for exchanging knowledge potentially leading to innovation outcomes, in addition to providing vital research funds for various types of organisations (firms, universities, agencies, etc.) The present paper aims to assess whether innovativeness (‘innovation-driven’ participation) or energy demand/vulnerability (‘challenge-driven’ participation) determine a different degree of participation in the context of the energy programme funded under Horizon 2020 (2014–2020 period). By combining social network analysis and econometrics, our empirical analysis clearly shows that the more innovative EU regions hold a central or key position, while the regions characterised by higher energy demand or vulnerability play a marginal role in the EU energy network. These findings are not dissimilar to what other scholars have observed in relation to different EU programmes and funding schemes. Based on this, we argue that EU policymakers and evaluators should aim at encouraging challenge-driven participation and, more generally, a more balanced participation through appropriate and specific policy actions.