Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SET Plan 2024 (Strategic Energy Technology Plan Conference 2024)
Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-01-31
The Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan is a European initiative launched by the European Commission in 2007. Its main goal is to accelerate the development and deployment of clean, efficient and cost-competitive energy technologies to help achieve the EU’s energy and climate goals. The SET Plan has contributed to reduce the cost of these technologies and facilitated their large-scale deployment by structuring national and EU programmes around shared objectives which has triggered substantial investment.
The 18th Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan Conference was held in Budapest, Hungary, on 14-15 November 2024, co-organised by the Hungarian Ministry of Energy and the European Commission under the Hungarian Presidency, the event brought together high-level speakers, policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and academia.
The event provided a platform for policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders in energy sector to establish connections and expand collaborations aimed at developing and demonstrating innovative cleantech energy solutions, while accelerating their deployment.
The theme of the conference was “Scaling up research, innovation and competitiveness in clean energy technologies”, emphasizing the importance of strengthening research and innovation to boost the EU's competitiveness and sovereignty in clean energy technology value chains.
The 18th Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan Conference was held in Budapest, Hungary, on 14-15 November 2024, co-organised by the Hungarian Ministry of Energy and the European Commission under the Hungarian Presidency, the event brought together high-level speakers, policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and academia.
The event provided a platform for policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders in energy sector to establish connections and expand collaborations aimed at developing and demonstrating innovative cleantech energy solutions, while accelerating their deployment.
The theme of the conference was “Scaling up research, innovation and competitiveness in clean energy technologies”, emphasizing the importance of strengthening research and innovation to boost the EU's competitiveness and sovereignty in clean energy technology value chains.
The project was done by the Hungarian Ministry of Energy in cooperation with the Hungarian Ministry of Eu Affairs, and the European Commission (mainly with DG RTD, DG ENER and JRC).
The conference hosted several key topics, which revolved around clean energy technologies and the barriers that still inhibit their spread. It was a key aim of the conference to orient several plenary and parallel sessions around finding points of intervention where the European Union or its’ member states can help with the uptake of technologies that can safely bring about net zero by 2050. The sessions were as follows:
1. From Lab to Market: How to accelerate the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of innovative technologies?
2. Inclusive and competitive skills for societal needs
3. Empowering Climate-Neutral and more Competitive Industries through Electrification and Flexibility
4. Advancing Emerging Energy Technologies: Barriers and Solutions
5. Fostering Sustainability in Onshore wind and offshore renewables: Insights on Recyclability, Circularity, and Innovation
6. Energy systems, including grids and digitalization
7. The solar energy joint research and innovation agenda
8. Driving forward the urban energy transition: decarbonising the building stock through Positive Energy Buildings and Positive Energy Districts
9. Nuclear innovation and safety
10. Innovating with Hydrogen: Research, Policy, and Market Synergies
11. Geothermal energy: time to step up
12. The SET Plan of tomorrow
The conference hosted several key topics, which revolved around clean energy technologies and the barriers that still inhibit their spread. It was a key aim of the conference to orient several plenary and parallel sessions around finding points of intervention where the European Union or its’ member states can help with the uptake of technologies that can safely bring about net zero by 2050. The sessions were as follows:
1. From Lab to Market: How to accelerate the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of innovative technologies?
2. Inclusive and competitive skills for societal needs
3. Empowering Climate-Neutral and more Competitive Industries through Electrification and Flexibility
4. Advancing Emerging Energy Technologies: Barriers and Solutions
5. Fostering Sustainability in Onshore wind and offshore renewables: Insights on Recyclability, Circularity, and Innovation
6. Energy systems, including grids and digitalization
7. The solar energy joint research and innovation agenda
8. Driving forward the urban energy transition: decarbonising the building stock through Positive Energy Buildings and Positive Energy Districts
9. Nuclear innovation and safety
10. Innovating with Hydrogen: Research, Policy, and Market Synergies
11. Geothermal energy: time to step up
12. The SET Plan of tomorrow
In terms of the energy sector, the main priorities have been and continue to be:
o Secure, resilient and flexible energy system
o Just, sustainable and clean energy transition
o Affordability for energy consumers
o Competitive energy price for European enterprises
The SET Plan has the potential to be one of the most effective tools in the EU for involving industry and innovators in addressing barriers to these objectives and paving the way for a net zero Europe. The annual conference presents the greatest opportunity for inclusive discussions and for policy makers to hear what problems their stakeholders identify and what possible ideas they may present for reaching our shared goals.
Through open dialogue during the 18th SET Plan Conference, an overarching sentiment and advice had been gleamed from the stakeholders: We need to adopt an enabling mindset based on trust that allows businesses to thrive without excessive regulation. EU and member states must implement without delay concrete proposals for cutting red tape.
o Secure, resilient and flexible energy system
o Just, sustainable and clean energy transition
o Affordability for energy consumers
o Competitive energy price for European enterprises
The SET Plan has the potential to be one of the most effective tools in the EU for involving industry and innovators in addressing barriers to these objectives and paving the way for a net zero Europe. The annual conference presents the greatest opportunity for inclusive discussions and for policy makers to hear what problems their stakeholders identify and what possible ideas they may present for reaching our shared goals.
Through open dialogue during the 18th SET Plan Conference, an overarching sentiment and advice had been gleamed from the stakeholders: We need to adopt an enabling mindset based on trust that allows businesses to thrive without excessive regulation. EU and member states must implement without delay concrete proposals for cutting red tape.