Ex-ante evaluation of publicly funded R&D projects: Searching for exploration

Ex-ante evaluation of publicly funded R&D projects is a very important part of the public funding process. The main purpose of the ex-ante evaluation process is to rate and choose which R&D projects the public program wishes to support financially. Publicly funded R&D projects in the energy sector can contribute to the further development of explorative and existing energy technologies that meet climate challenges. The aim of this paper is to investigate the ex-ante evaluation process of a Danish energy program with regard to exploration. The paper applies a qualitative approach, combining in-depth interviews with an observation study of 34 project evaluations. The findings show that there is a divergence and confusion between what the informants think constitutes the main purpose of the program, the ex-ante evaluation process, and the level of exploration. The policy implications can help to improve the ex-ante evaluation process of publicprograms.