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Overview

The European Community, together with its Member States, is working intensively to improve energy efficiency in all sectors whilst at the same time increasing the use of renewable energies. This can be a key issue to solve environmental, self-sufficiency and cost problems and adequately provide for increasing energy demand without major upheavals. This is especially true when seen in the light of the Kyoto Agreement to reduce CO₂ emissions, where improved energy efficiency will play a key role in meeting the EU Kyoto target in an economic way.

The Green Paper on Energy Efficiency points to the fact that the EU could save at least 20% of its present energy consumption in a cost-effective manner, equivalent to EUR 60 billion per year, or the present combined energy consumption of Germany and Finland. This will contribute to:

• Security of supply
  By 2030, on the basis of present trends, the EU will be 90% dependent on imports for its requirements of oil and 80% dependent regarding gas. Making a real effort to at first cap EU energy demand at present levels and subsequently reduce it, would represent an important contribution in developing a coherent and balanced policy to promote the security of energy supplies for the European Union.

• Competitiveness and the Lisbon agenda
  Applying measures on energy efficiency also means the creation of many new high-quality jobs in Europe. Furthermore, a successful energy efficiency scheme means that some of the €60 billion not spent on energy translates as a net saving, resulting in increased competitiveness and better living conditions for EU citizens. In this way an average EU household could save between €200 and €1,000 per year in a cost-effective manner, depending on its energy consumption.

• Environmental protection and the EU’s Kyoto obligations
  Energy saving is without doubt the quickest, most effective and most cost-effective manner for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improving air quality, in particular in densely populated areas. It will therefore help Member States in meeting their Kyoto commitments.

In order to support better integration of energy efficiency measures into national legislation the European Commission has proposed several directives which have been adopted and are now in force. These concern broad areas where there is significant potential for energy savings, such as:

• End-use Efficiency & Energy Services

• Energy Efficiency in Buildings

• Eco-design of Energy-Using Products

• Energy Labelling of Domestic Appliances

• Combined Heat and Power (Cogeneration)

A number of voluntary instruments were also adopted to foster better cooperation with industry.

The Commission has started several initiatives that aim at promoting energy efficiency and serve as a forum for exchange of ideas of various stakeholders. An annual Conference of local actors where interested parties can meet is also organised.

The European Commission’s efforts concentrate at the same time on removing barriers to an efficiently functioning market. This is done with the help of Community technology research and demonstration programmes, such as the RTD Framework Programmes and with pro-active support programmes such as Intelligent Energy – Europe Programme. Information on databases of projects supported by the European Commission is also available.