The SET Plan is the technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy
The SET Plan, adopted by the European Union in 2008, is a first step to establish an energy technology policy for Europe. It is the principal decision-making support tool for European energy policy, with a goal of:
- Accelerating knowledge development, technology transfer and up-take;
- Maintaining EU industrial leadership on low-carbon energy technologies;
- Fostering science for transforming energy technologies to achieve the 2020 Energy and Climate Change goals;
- Contributing to the worldwide transition to a low carbon economy by 2050.
What is SETIS?
The Strategic Energy Technology Information System (SETIS) website is the open-access information, knowledge management and dissemination system for the European strategic energy technology plan (SET Plan). It is managed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission.
SETIS helps implement the SET Plan and accounts for its progress and achievements through the monitoring progress report - released yearly during the SET Plan Conference.
A set of communications in 2006, 2007, and 2009, respectively:
- introduced the SET Plan concept
- launched the plan
- determined its financial requirements and how it would be implemented.
A fourth Communication, in 2013, reinforced the implementation structure of the SET Plan, strengthening its position as the overarching umbrella for energy research and innovation within the Horizon 2020 framework programme.
The 2015 Communication on the integrated SET Plan linked the SET Plan to the 5th dimension of Europe’s energy system – research, innovation and competitiveness. The initial 10 key actions of the SET Plan addressed the energy R&I priorities of the EU in order to accelerate the energy system’s transformation, as stipulated in the 2015 Energy Union Communication. The progress achieved on these actions formed part of the annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on the ‘State of the Energy Union’.
Declaration of Intents adopted.
The initial 14 implementation plans, were drafted as a tool to cover all the 2015 Energy Union’s R&I priority areas according to the 10 key actions. They contain a set of activities and actions – identified in cooperation with the SET Plan countries and stakeholders (industry and research bodies) – to be carried out at regional, national and European level.
The 14 IWGs, formed in cooperation with the SET Plan countries, and relevant industry and research stakeholders, have to carry out the R&I activities presented in the IPs and monitor their progress.
2018 – Agenda 2018-2023
The SET Plan’s agenda for 2018-2023 proposed the tasks that are required to achieve the above objectives through implementing the SET Plan’s 10 key actions over this period. The 2018-2023 agenda builds on the 2015 Commission Communication 'Towards an Integrated Strategic Energy Technology Plan'.
First SET Plan Progress Monitoring Report published
In 2020, the working groups on Energy consumers and Energy systems were merged. This was done mainly due to some degree of organisational overlap, to increase the working efficiency in delivering on the SET Plan priorities, as well as to emphasise the key role that consumers will play in the energy system of the future.
Second SET Plan progress monitoring report published, linked with the European Green Deal.
The SET Plan High voltage direct current (HVDC) & direct current (DC) technologies working group was established in 2021 to identify the needs and pathways for the development and deployment of HVDC and DC technologies in the EU. Following the creation of this new group, the SET Plan implementation working groups became 14 again.
The SET Plan report "Contributing to the EU Green Deal and the path forward to a green recovery" was published in November 2021. It features three interconnected chapters that cover the political relevance of the SET Plan, developments in the previous 12 months, and a concise overview of the individual achievements of the working groups.
On 20/10 the European Commission adopted a Communication on the SET Plan revision. The Communication on the revision of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan aims to harmonise the original SET Plan strategic objectives with the European Green Deal, REPowerEU and the Green Deal Industrial Plan, notably the Net-Zero Industry Act. It ensures a unified approach towards achieving Europe’s decarbonisation goals, supporting European strategic net-zero energy technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient energy future.
Link of the EC press release: Updated Strategic Energy Technology Plan for Europe (europa.eu)