Brussels, 27/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 28 February, the Energy Council is expected to adopt conclusions on the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan proposed by the Commission end 2007 (“SET Plan”, EUROPE 9549). The “SET Plan” aims to establish a new R&D programme in the field of energy to ensure the rapid development of low carbon intensity technology within the EU, which must be accompanied by better use and increase of financial and human resources. In its conclusions, the Council places emphasis on the fundamental principles on which European policy for energy technology is based: increased and regular financing for R&D demonstration and deployment (RDD), further progress in a broad range of areas linked to energy technologies and full participation of the private sector. The Council calls for six European priority industrial initiatives to be set up for wind power, solar power, bioenergy, carbon capture and storage, the electricity network and sustainable nuclear fission sectors. Austria has expressed reservation about this last initiative. Finally, the Council agrees to set up by summer 2008 a high level group of national administrations with a view to exchanging information and proposing solutions to optimise global RDDD efforts in the field of energy and establishing dialogue between research centres, which results in a European research alliance on energy. (E.H.)