Explaining Implementation of the SET-Plan

This chapter explores why implementation of the SET-Plan encountered significant challenges in strengthening, focusing and giving coherence to low-carbon energy research and innovation. Diverse member-state research and innovation interests and lack of commitment can partly explain the poor consolidation of technological priorities and lack of coherence among funding programmes. The Commission played an active role in implementation but lacked internal unity and formal authority to steer funding towards Plan priorities. The European Parliament, industry and the research community had diverging interests and lacked commitment to the Plan. Finally, uneven EU climate and energy market-pull polices can contribute to explaining the variation in demonstrating different low-carbon technologies.