The SET-Plan is Europe’s strategy to accelerate the development anddeployment of a world-class portfolio of low-carbon technologies. Itsets out a long-term energy research, demonstration and innovationagenda for Europe and a new model of focused cooperation in the energytechnology area between all research institutes, companies andgovernments of the European Member States and regions.
At the two-day conference, high-level speakers presented an overviewof the progress of the implementation of the SET-Plan, especially therealisation so far with regard to the set-up of the European IndustrialInitiatives (EIIs) and the European Energy Research Alliance(EERA).
The EIIs aim to strengthen industrial energy research,demonstration and innovation in key energy technology sectors viainnovative public-private cooperation implementing a technologyspecific Research, Development and Demonstration Programme. The firstfour EIIs in the sectors of Wind, Solar, Electricity Grids, CO2Capture, Transport and Storage were launched in June 2010.
On the first day of the conference, the next two Initiativeswere launched in the areas of bioenergy and sustainable nuclearenergy.
The objective of the European Industrial Initiative onBioenergy is to cover at least 14% of the European energy mix and10% of EU transportation by 2020. Thirty demonstration andflagship initiatives in promising innovative bioenergy value chains arenecessary to accelerate its commercial deployment.
The European Industrial Initiative on Sustainable Nuclear Energyaims for the commercial deployment of the next generation of nuclearenergy systems “Generation IV reactors” by 2040. The research,development and construction of prototypes will be conducted in thenext ten years. The Belgian research infrastructure MYRRHA from SCK•CEN(Belgian Nuclear Research Centre) supports the European NuclearInitiative. This infrastructure is unique in the world for studies ontreating nuclear waste, on materials and fuels for fission systems andon materials for fusion.
Furthermore, the conference offered a state of play with regard tothe Industrial Initiative Smart Cities. The Joint Technology Initiativeon Hydrogen and Fuel Cells presented the progress and state of play ofits activities.
The European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) also launched three newjoint energy research programmes on the occasion of the SET-Plan event.The new joint programmes cover Carbon Capture and Storage, NewMaterials for Nuclear and Bioenergy. Following the launch of the firstfour JPs in June this year, EERA continues its objectives tostrengthen, expand and optimise EU energy research capabilities throughthe joint realisation of Pan-European research programmes, as conceivedin the SET-Plan. Finally, the European University Association (EUA)launched the ‘European Platform of Universities engaged in EnergyResearch’ (EPUE).
International approach is vital
The second day of the conference focused specifically on the need todevelop a coherent European approach for the international cooperationdimension within the SET-Plan. The major challenges of society neitherstop at national borders nor at European, but are global. Theobjective of the second day was to learn how membership ofinternational organisations can benefit the SET-Plan, both in terms offacilitating international cooperation in the SET-Plan and improvingcoordination of EU actions with international organisations.Furthermore, best practices of international cooperation on EU, MemberState and industry level were presented.
The fourth SET-Plan conference stressed the sense of urgency tostart with the concrete implementation of joint actions and projects inthe SET-plan via a stronger cooperation and coordination of thescience, technology and innovation efforts of all Member States andregions in Europe and the need to develop an international Science& Technology cooperation dimension as an integral part of theSET-Plan.
The SET-Plan conference 2010 builds on earlier editions. This fourthedition was organised as a Belgian EU Presidency event by the FlemishDepartment of Economy, Science and Innovation in close cooperation withthe European Commission.
Please visit the conference website www.setplan2010.be for the JointStatement on the launch of the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiativeand European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative, and for allpresentations at the conference.