COGEN Europe contributed to the European Commission Targeted Consultation for the Evaluation of the Guidelines on State aid for Environmental protection and Energy 2014-2020 (EEAG). While cogeneration is recognised and rewarded at national level as a key energy efficiency and decarbonisation solution, some principles in the EEAG do not fully account for the benefits of cogeneration and are not adapted to the business case and specific characteristics of the technology. Therefore, we highlighted key principles for effective state aid rules on energy efficiency and cogeneration in our contribution.

Any overhaul of EEAG should include:

  1. Auctioning rules that are adapted to cogeneration
  2. Ensuring that support can cover efficiency gains from both cogenerated heat and electricity
  3. Introducing safeguards for stable support schemes for both high efficiency cogeneration and renewable energy
  4. Ensuring that investment aid is better tailored to real life cogeneration projects, rather than just based on theoretical cases
  5. Accounting for the emerging developments in innovative solutions, including efficient use of hydrogen, renewable gases, biomass with cogeneration

To ensure these principles are captured in the updated European Union (EU) state aid rules, COGEN Europe will engage in this key debate at EU level.

Read COGEN Europe position on the European Commission Targeted Consultation for the Evaluation of the Guidelines on State aid for Environmental protection and Energy