R and D public expenses in the field of energy in 2016. A stronger decrease

This short publication presents and comments results of an assessment of R and D public expenses in the field of energy and of their evolution with respect with past years. It appears that this amount has been decreasing since 2011, and in a sharper way in 2016. The shares of these expenses in terms of R and D field (nuclear energy and new energy technologies, biomass and solar in these expenses, energy efficiency in road vehicles and buildings, development of energy storage solutions) are commented. Then, the French situation is compared with that of other countries. It appears that France ranks in second position after Japan within the G7, that all G7 countries, except France, invest more in new energy technologies than in nuclear energy, and that France is well positioned in some sectors (energy efficiency in transports, biomass, solar energy, and hydrogen).