PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 4 December 2019
COGEN Europe welcomes that European Union Member States will address their National Energy and Climate Plans at the Energy Council of 4 December 2019. In order to achieve our ambitious 2020 and 2030 energy and climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement, more action is needed to be more efficient with our energy resources as enshrined in the energy efficiency first principle. This holds true especially in the heating and cooling sector.
Ahead of the upcoming Energy Council, COGEN Europe calls on to the EU Member States and European Commission to implement the energy efficiency first in the entire energy system. In other terms, we need an approach which looks at all stages, from energy supply, over transmission and distribution to consumption. Energy efficiency will play a central role if we want to decarbonise our heating and cooling sector while keeping the costs down and the heating on.
Primary energy efficiencies, being more efficient when converting one energy vector into another, will reduce carbon emissions and energy bills for citizens and businesses. COGEN Europe regrets that the European Union is not on track in meeting its 2020 energy efficiency targets despite the clear benefits of energy efficiency for an ambitious climate policy. Furthermore, the draft National Energy and Climate Plans seem to lack an adequate focus on energy savings as well.
Therefore, COGEN Europe would like to make five key recommendations to be included in the final National Energy and Climate Plans, due by 31 December 2019:
1. Clarify the contribution to the 2030 Energy Efficiency target in primary and final energy savings based on clear policy measures;
2. Consider more consistently and broadly energy efficiency in heating and cooling;
3. Acknowledge and fully reflect the cogeneration potential in contributing to the NECP goals;
4. Take an integrated approach to energy systems (i.e. electricity, heat and gas) at local level;
5. Use more up-to-date stakeholder findings and ensure inclusive stakeholder consultation.
Hans Korteweg, COGEN Europe Managing Director, said: “The National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) are a key tool for EU Member States to take a holistic approach on climate and energy in line with our Paris Agreement commitments. Yet, draft plans are still stuck looking at energy systems in silo. Energy savings, in particular, can deliver significant carbon reductions, if the lowest carbon and most efficient solutions are targeted across the energy value chain, taking full account of local circumstances.”
Find more on how to improve the NECPs in our detailed recommendations.
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