Challenges and barriers for industries in clean transformation

Bożena Gajdzik, Radosław Wolniak and Rafał Nagaj

Chapter 5 in Decarbonizing European Industries, 2026, pp 73-87 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Among the most important priorities that European Union (EU) industries need to address is the transition toward clean energy and decarbonization. However, there are a number of financial, technological, infrastructural, and regulatory challenges that require to be overcome. Against the background of supportive policies—the European Green Deal (EGD) and Innovation Fund—the transition has been delayed financially, by not having enough infrastructure and due to very high clean technology costs. Renewables and electrification have penetrated strategic industries such as steel, chemistry, and energy. Carbon capture has also been initiated, but big differences remain within the Western-Central and Central-Eastern divide because of substantial economic and policy gaps. Besides infrastructure limitations, policy incoherence and preparedness of the workforce further stall the industrial transformation. In particular, large-scale investment is required in hydrogen, electrification, and renewable energy integration in fields such as metallurgy, mining, and heat—all requiring collaborative efforts from the public–private sector, financial incentives, and the harmonization of regulations.

Keywords: Clean energy transition; Decarbonization; Renewable energy; Sustainable industry; Carbon neutrality; EU climate policy; Regulatory barriers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035371914
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