The EU SET-Plan

The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), adopted by the European Union in 2008, was a first step to establish an energy technology policy for Europe.

set planThe SET-Plan was Europe’s technology response to the pressing challenges of meeting its targets on greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and energy efficiency over the coming decades. It provides a common vision, defines goals and ensures pan-European coordination. It is the principal decision-making support tool for European energy policy, with the goals to

  • Accelerate knowledge development, technology transfer and up-take;
  • Maintain EU industrial leadership on low-carbon energy technologies;
  • Foster science for transforming energy technologies to achieve the 2020 Energy and climate change goals;
  • Contribute to the worldwide transition to a low-carbon economy by 2050.

In parallel to the launch of the SET-Plan, the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) was created to align the research and development activities of individual research organisations with the needs of the SET-Plan priorities, and to establish a joint programming framework at the EU level. EERA acts as the research pillar of the SET-Plan. It was created on the principle of voluntary participation of research organisations, materialised in their contribution to one or several of the EERA Joint Programmes.

To date, EERA operates 18 distinct Joint Programmes, clustered along different technologies but also on cross-cutting issues. In a Joint Programme, participant organisations typically join forces along a common research agenda, aligned with the priorities of the EU SET-Plan.

The SET-Plan is further supported by the SET-Plan Information System (SETIS) and the European Technology and Innovation Platforms (ETIPs).