On 8 June 2026, EERA, the European Energy Research Alliance, EASAC, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council, and SINTEF, one of Europe's largest independent research organisations headquartered in Norway, jointly organised an Energy Day event as part of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), bringing together representatives from research, policymaking and industry to discuss how resilience and preparedness can be strengthened across Europe's energy transition through a science-for-policy lens. 

The event, entitled "Resilience and Preparedness in Europe's Energy Transition: From Scientific Insights to Policy Action", featured contributions from Professor Paulo Ferrão (EASAC and Instituto Superior Técnico, ), Knut Samdal (SINTEF, Norway), Mark van Stiphout (European Commission, DG ENER), Thomas Garabetian (SolarPower Europe) and Layla Sawyer (CurrENT), and was moderated by Rosita Zilli, EERA's Policy Director. 

A key message emerging from the discussion was that resilience, preparedness, competitiveness, and decarbonisation can no longer be considered separately. As Europe advances its clean energy transition and pursues increasingly integrated energy systems, these objectives are becoming ever more intertwined. 

Several speakers highlighted the growing complexity of modern energy systems. As links between energy, transport, digital infrastructure, industry and critical supply chains deepen, disruptions are increasingly capable of generating cascading effects well beyond the energy sector itself. Against this backdrop, participants stressed that assumptions which have shaped energy planning for decades can no longer be taken for granted. In particular, the expectation of a stable geopolitical environment is increasingly at odds with the realities shaping Europe's energy future. Resilience and preparedness are therefore becoming increasingly important considerations for policymakers, industry, and the research community alike. 

The discussion also highlighted that resilience cannot be delivered by individual technologies alone. Rather, it requires a systemic approach encompassing infrastructure, flexibility, storage, digitalisation, supply chains, governance, and societal dimensions. Particular attention was given to the role of grid infrastructure, sector integration, and flexibility solutions in strengthening resilience, alongside energy efficiency, consumer engagement, and preparedness for emerging risks. 

Participants further stressed that resilience should not be understood solely as the ability to withstand shocks. It is equally about the capacity of energy systems to adapt, recover, and continue delivering essential services under increasingly complex and uncertain conditions. Achieving this will require stronger cooperation across disciplines and research communities to better understand the vulnerabilities, dependencies and opportunities shaping Europe's future energy system. 

These discussions closely relate to EERA's recent work on energy security and resilience. Following the publication of the position paper Resilience and Preparedness in Europe's Energy Transition: the role of low-carbon energy R&I in December 2025, EERA recently established its new transversal Joint Programme on Energy Security and Resilience (tJP-ESR). The programme will provide a dedicated framework for coordinating research on energy security and resilience across the EERA community, strengthening the science-policy interface, and supporting the identification of emerging research priorities. 

As Europe seeks to strengthen its competitiveness, accelerate decarbonisation and enhance its security, the discussion highlighted that resilience is increasingly becoming a defining dimension of the clean energy transition.