SET-Plan Conference 2011:the future of energy depends on research and financing

‘Today we are sending an important message from Warsaw to Durban,’ said Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament. ‘Climate protection is possible provided that we base the production of energy on advanced technological solutions,’ he added.

‘I’m glad that science has such a significant place in the discussion. All the more so because we really want energy to be one the most important elements of the 8th EU Framework Programme, which is being compiled,’ said Maria Elżbieta Orłowska, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Waldemar Pawlak, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, emphasised the economic significance of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan. ‘The government promotes the guidelines of the SET-plan. It is the field of energy where it is best visible that working out solutions of stable development prospects is crucial’ - said Mr. Pawlak.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that it is necessary to change over from a 'low-carbon' economy to a 'low-emission' economy. ‘We shouldn’t eliminate fossil fuels,’ said Pawlak. ‘Poland serves as a good example of this direction as we have managed to lower CO₂ emissions and maintain economic growth at the same time,’ he added.

Both Mr Pawlak and Prof. Orłowska emphasised the necessity to build a global agreement on the limitation of carbon dioxide emissions. ‘There is still a lot to be done on the political front. It is necessary to work out a joint international position because we will never be fully successful without cooperation,’ said Orłowska.

The Warsaw conference was the fifth annual conference on the SET-Plan. During this installment, the discussion featuring Philip Lowe, Director-General of DG Energy, as well as EU politicians, experts, scientists, researchers and representatives from industry, focused on the resources for the implementation of SET-Plan’s principles.

The Warsaw Declaration on the European financial involvement in research on energy technologies in 2014-2020 will also soon be signed. According to estimates of the European Commission, investments of about EUR 8 billion a year for a 10-year period will ensure effective implementation of the SET-Plan. The anticipated increase in investment outlays on energy technology research (from EUR 3 to 8 billion per year) can only be achieved by a simultaneous increase in capital participation from both public and private entities. ‘We don’t want to focus exclusively on the present crisis but we wish to project future solutions for the next dozen or so years which will ensure future development. Some of the objectives of new energy solutions are designed to push the whole economy forward,’ concluded Jerzy Buzek.

Deputy Prime Minister Pawlak noted that the Polish Presidency fully supports the premises of the SET-Plan and is vitally interested in the implementation of new technologies based on fossil fuels. ‘Over the past 20 years we have decreased Poland’s CO₂ emissions by 30 percent whilst doubling our economic growth. That is the proof that we can make use of our coal resources whilst simultaneously caring for the natural environment. The SET-Plan takes that into account and envisages the development of CCS technologies,’ the Deputy Prime Minister added.
 
‘The Polish Presidency has expended a great deal of effort to elaborate a strategic plan for EU energy technologies,’noted President Buzek. ‘As a result, the EU’s drive towards a low-carbon economy has been successfully re-orientated in the direction of creating low-emission technologies which are nevertheless based on coal,’ he emphasised.

For further information about the conference:

http://pl2011.eu

http://setplan2011.pl