COGEN Europe calls on the new European Commission to boost competitiveness and cut emissions by putting energy efficiency first

 

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PRESS RELEASE

2 December 2024

COGEN Europe (the European Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration) looks forward to engaging with the new European Commission, which officially starts work today (2 December 2024), following positive votes in the European Parliament and European Council last week.

Commenting on the first working day of the new European Commission, COGEN Europe’s Managing Director, Hans Korteweg, made the following remarks:

“COGEN Europe, as the voice of Europe’s cogeneration sector, is ready to engage with the incoming European Commission and provide constructive input to important discussions, including those on the Clean Industrial Deal and on how to decarbonise Europe’s energy sector in the context of the EU’s climate and energy targets for 2030 and 2040.”

“We are asking the new Commission to support the ambitious implementation of existing energy and climate policies and accelerate the uptake of clean energy solutions. Putting energy efficiency first will reduce Europe’s energy costs and our CO2 emissions. It therefore represents a win-win for the climate and competitiveness.”

“The EU must recognise that cogeneration is the most efficient way to deliver reliable and affordable energy across district heating networks, industry and buildings. With cogeneration, consumers can benefit from reliable supplies of heat and electricity as part of increasingly integrated energy systems that make the best use of clean and renewable sources of energy. It therefore has a central role to play in the framework of a more decentralised and decarbonised energy system, as Europe advances towards the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions.”

COGEN Europe looks forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with the new European Commission, notably with a view to contributing to the ‘Clean Industrial Deal’ initiative. In the coming weeks, the association will ask for meetings with key members and officials of the Commission, in order to present COGEN Europe’s Policy Priorities for the 2024-2029 period, as set out in in the document: The Role of Cogeneration in Europe’s Energy Transition – Enabling an Efficient Pathway to Net Zero.