PRESS RELEASE
4 January 2022
COGEN Europe, which represents the European cogeneration sector, welcomes the ongoing debate on the widening of the European Union’s Taxonomy framework to include the production of energy from natural gas and nuclear power, and calls for the inclusion of specific criteria to prioritise investments in high-efficiency cogeneration.
On Saturday (1 January 2022), the European Commission announced the launch of consultations on a draft Complementary Delegated Act covering certain activities in the gas and nuclear energy sectors, the text of which has already been shared with the Member States Expert Group on Sustainable Finance and the Platform on Sustainable Finance. The proposed criteria aim at incentivising the most efficient use of gas combined with a switch to greener fuel sources. Subject to its approval by the European Parliament and Council, the draft text would become a new EU Regulation forming part of the so-called ‘EU Taxonomy’, which provides a framework for determining which types of economic activity may be considered as environmentally sustainable.
“COGEN Europe is pleased to see that the European Commission has started to consult the EU Member States and other stakeholders on the text of this long-anticipated Complementary Delegated Act. We believe it is vital that this important piece of EU legislation includes explicit recognition of the positive role that high-efficiency cogeneration must play in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling the transition to a climate neutral energy system,” said Hans Korteweg, Managing Director of COGEN Europe, speaking in Brussels today.
“High-efficiency cogeneration using gas significantly reduces emissions, by displacing less efficient and more polluting sources of heat and power,” he continued. “Cogeneration is also a flexible energy solution that can ensure continuity of supply during periods of high demand and at times when the supply of electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind is limited.”
“Moreover, modern cogeneration plants are future-proof, as they are compatible with low carbon and renewable fuels such as biogas, biomethane and hydrogen, and this should also be taken into account,” explained Mr Korteweg. “Therefore, investing in cogeneration makes sense – both for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the short term and also for achieving Net Zero by 2050.”
During the coming days, COGEN Europe and its members will be contacting ministers and officials in the governments of the EU Member States and asking them to support the recognition of high-efficiency cogeneration in the EU Taxonomy as a sustainability criterion for the efficient transition to a more cost-effective, resilient, low-emission and increasingly renewable energy system.
For more information, please see:
COGEN Europe’s Vision for 2050
Key findings of Artelys study for COGEN Europe
An ambitious European Green Deal with cogeneration
An ambitious Fit for 55 with cogeneration
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