Overview
European industry leading the way
The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) aims to increase, coordinate and focus EU support on key low-carbon energy technologies.
Implementation of the SET-Plan began with the establishment of the European Industrial Initiatives (EIIs), which bring together industry, the research community, Member States and the Commission in risk-sharing, public-private partnerships aimed at the rapid development of key energy technologies at European level.
The six EIIs focus on data exchange on low-carbon energy technologies. They focus on technologies for which the barriers, scale of investment and risk can best be tackled collectively.
The European Industrial Initiatives include:
- European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative
- European CO2 Capture, Transport and Storage Initiative
- European Electricity Grid Initiative
- Sustainable Nuclear Initiative
- Solar Europe Initiative
- European Wind Initiative
European Technology Platforms
In addition to the European Industrial Initiatives, SETIS works with the European Technology Platforms (ETPs), which examine how to reach Europe's energy targets through major technological advances. The ETPs, led by industry, help define research and technological development objectives and lay down concrete goals for achieving them.
The ETPs in fields covered by the SET-Plan include:
Joint Technology and other initiatives
In some sectors of strategic importance to Europe, European Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) are established, funded by the European Commission, along with Member States and industry. These are public - private partnerships implemented under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for large-scale initiatives.
One has been set up in a SET-Plan energy field:
Aims to deliver 'fit-for-use' hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies developed to the point of commercial take-off
European Energy Research Alliance
In parallel with the EIIs, the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) has been working since 2008 to align individual research organisation R&D activities to the needs of the SET-Plan priorities, and to establish a joint programming framework at EU level.
EERA helps to optimise EU energy research capabilities through the sharing of national facilities and the joint realisation of Member State and European programmes. It also intends to accelerate the development of new low-carbon technologies.
The high-level objectives of the Alliance are:
- To accelerate the development of new energy technologies by conceiving and implementing Joint Programmes of research in support of the SET-Plan priorities
- Work towards a long-term integration of pan-European energy research infrastructures
- Strengthen Europe’s capacity to initiate and execute large precompetitive high-risk high-gain research and development programmes
- Develop links and sustained partnerships with industry
- Develop training, education and outreach activities for new researchers and professionals in strategic energy sectors
