European Council Supports Plan to Accelerate New Energy Technologies

December 7, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

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The European Union (EU) Council of Ministers voiced strong support for the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan, which was recently developed by the European Commission (EC) as part of the total energy package it proposed in January 2007.

The Nov. 22 SET Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to establish a new energy research agenda for Europe.

It seeks to increase the resources, both financial and human, needed to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies in the future.

"The challenges of climate change, security of supply and competitiveness will only be met if the right technologies are available in good time," said Andris Piebalgs, EC energy commissioner.

"The commission will substantially increase its financial support for research in new energy technologies. I encourage member states and industry to follow this path."

The EC's new approach focuses on more joint planning, making better use of European research and innovation, and fully exploiting the possibilities opened up by the European internal market.

In particular, the plan includes the commitment to set up a series of new, high-priority European industrial initiatives that focus on the development of technologies that work effectively at the European Community level.

The plan proposes to align EU, national and industrial activities in energy research and innovation. It also proposes to create an European Energy Research Alliance to ensure much greater cooperation among energy research organisations, as well as improved planning and foresight at the European level for energy infrastructure and systems.

The EC underlined the need for increased funding in this field and plans to present its ideas on financing low-carbon technologies during 2008. It will set up an information system to ensure a clear picture of energy technologies across Europe and establish a process with member states so that energy technology research can be planned together. It also plans to call a European Energy Technology Summit in 2009 to review progress.

For more information, see:

• Towards a low carbon future: European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (MEMO/07/493)
• Questions and Answers on the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) (MEMO/07/494)
• The SET Plan document, which is available on the EU web page on Innovation and technological development in energy

Source: European Commission.