The revision of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan, adopted will help harmonise the original SET Plan strategic objectives with the European Green Deal, REPowerEU Plan and the Green Deal Industrial Plan – notably, the Net-Zero Industry Act. It will ensure a coordinated approach towards achieving Europe's decarbonisation goals, supporting strategic net-zero technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient energy future and industrial competitiveness.

According to the European Commission, the SET Plan, established in 2007, has been crucial in supporting the development of clean, efficient and cost-competitive energy technologies through coordination and collaboration in clean energy research and innovation among European industry, academia, and national governments. While the updated SET Plan will continue to be essential for delivering on the fifth dimension of the Energy Union – that is, Research, Innovation and Competitiveness – it will also be firmly anchored within the European Research Area (ERA) framework.

With this revision, the Commission will take action in the following areas:

- Include new priorities on cross-cutting issues, including sustainability by design, skills development, research and innovation, tailored to societal needs, digitalisation, and market accessibility. By doing so, it will foster a comprehensive approach to the development and deployment of clean and efficient energy technologies.

- Expand the current technology scope to encompass all strategic renewable energy technologies. This inclusive approach recognises the substantial developments in renewable energy technologies since the SET Plan's inception, ensuring that the EU remains at the forefront of clean energy innovation.

- Establish a dedicated workstream on hydrogen to implement the ‘ERA pilot on Green Hydrogen'. This measure highlights the EU's commitment to a joint venture towards new challenges and emerging technologies, which is a key element in Europe's journey towards a climate-neutral future.

- Forge cooperation between the European Technology and Innovation Platforms and the European industrial alliances, including the Battery Alliance, the Clean Hydrogen Alliance, and the Solar PV Industry Alliance. This will foster investment and will reinforce manufacturing capacity in clean energy technologies. It will also address market, regulatory, infrastructure, and technological challenges that currently hinder their widespread adoption.

- Provide a roadmap for progress that will continue to be monitored through the SET Plan information system (SETIS). It will feed into the annual report on the State of the Energy Union and will be disseminated at the SET Plan conferences. These new SET Plan directions, devised for each of the six priorities of the ‘Research, Innovation and Competitiveness' dimension of the Energy Union, will drive innovation and ensure accountability, propelling Europe towards a greener, more sustainable energy landscape.

The Clean Energy Transition Partnership, a multilateral and strategic partnership of national and regional research, development and innovation programmes co-funded by Horizon Europe and national governments, will continue to support the implementation of the SET Plan activities and will be instrumental to underpin its extended scope.

The Commission will work closely with the SET Plan countries (currently all EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and Turkey), the SET Plan Steering Group and other relevant stakeholders, including new actors and task forces as necessary, to develop and deliver on the new measures and targets included in the Communication.