The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) adopted by the Commission in November 2007 aims to develop a European Area for Energy Research in order to overcome the fragmentation of Energy research in Europe. Although the SET-Plan reaches well beyond its scope, the Framework Programme has to pave the way for its implementation. Effort in this work programme focuses therefore on technologies identified in the SET-Plan as key challenges for the next 10 years. This means that second generation biofuels (in particular biorefineries), CO2 capture and storage, solar energy, offshore wind and smart electricity grids have an important part. Activities in these areas aim to enable the pooling of resources and skills and ensure coherence and critical mass in European efforts.
In addition one topic directly supports the implementation of a SET Plan action.

• Topic ENERGY.2009.9.1.1 European energy infrastructure networks and systems
transition planning
To continue with the objectives of the Framework Programme a topic is dedicated to geothermal research.