Our top 10 ways to make energy efficient in all areas from lightbulbs to insulation, education and invenstments

16 September 2007 - Issue : 747
New Europe -- The European Weekly

The Action Plan for Energy efficiency is a policy paper, published in October 2006 by the commission aimed at outlining the European Union’s new policy for Energy. The action plan presents a framework of actions to promote the energy efficiency in all sectors, based on the Green Paper on Energy Efficiency published earlier in 2006 and pointing to the fact that the EU could save at least 20 percent of its present energy consumption until 2020 in a cost- effective manner.

It proposes certain measures and sets a work plan with certain actions and timetable. The action plan was created as a reaction to the environmental, self-sufficient and cost problems of the 21st century. The energy landscape is one of great upheavals, great import dependency and rising energy demands. Reserves are concentrated in Russia, Norway and Algeria while the EU’s imports are expected to rise to 80 percent over the next 25 years. Prices are rising and have nearly doubled over the past two years.

In addition to climate changes which came as a consequence to inappropriate and insufficient use of natural sources and industry activity, changes are coming to people’s lives, and, of course, the whole economic and technical approach to energy and environmental issues. The Commission is seeking solutions to these problems to a sustainable energy policy with energy-efficiency measures, investments in new technologies and in the development of renewable sources of energy. These are the baseline of commission’s new energy policy. Am Energy efficiency policy means realising the over 20 percent estimated saving potential in EU annual primary energy consumption by 2020.

This will contribute to the security of supplies but also help the EU meet its Kyoto commitments. According to the Kyoto protocol which is an international agreement negotiated in November 1997, the EU is committed (along with other industrialised countries) to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases until 2012. Energy efficiency will also contribute to competitiveness, creating new high-quality jobs in Europe. It has been proved that “negajoules” (or avoided energy consumption through savings) have become the single most important energy source. This fact is very apparent if taking a look at the above table, while the demand of negajoules has risen almost dramatically from 1973 to 2005, while a small rise in the demand of other more friendly energy sources such as gas, biomass and nuclear has also been noted.

It is obvious that there is a growing need for new renewable and more environmentally- friendly energy sources. New conditions define a new energy field where new very important players substitute for the older, exhausted ones. Indeed, coal stocks are being slowly exhausted in a slow but steady pace. The action plan includes measures and polices in 10 priority areas to be implemented over a six-year period. It proposes measures in the manufacturing and functioning of energy using products, in the transformation, in the transport sector along with the building sector.

Other instruments such as financial tools, and a coherent use of taxation and education campaigns are also included. The application of the measures and the amendment of the framework directives, combined with the strengthening of the existing policy make the best recipe for EU to reach the goal of 20 percent savings by 2020.

Priority area 1: energy-using products
As far as energy-using products and household appliances are concerned, the commission sets as a priority action the development of appliance and equipment labeling and the development of energy performance standards on the basis of the labeling and ecodesign directives. The commission has already adopted requirements for 14 priority product groups with a view to have them all approved by 2008. The table below is drafting a timetable showing in which phase is every product. The existing labeling classifications will also be upgraded and rescaled every five years, or when technological developments justify it. Products that do not meet the agreed minimum agreements may not be put on the market. The labeling directive on product indication by labeling and standard product information introduced in 1992 is also to be revised by commission to become more effective.

Priority area 2: building sector
In the building sector, the commission will propose to amend the energy performance of the buildings directive substantially in 2009. The objective of the directive introduced in 2002 is to promote the improvement of energy performance of buildings within the EU. This is to be achieved through two main actions which are the creation of a general methodology to calculate energy efficiency of buildings and the application of minimum requirements to all new residential and tertiary buildings based on the measurements from the methodology above. The directive also included inspection on boilers, heating & air condition systems. In order to maximise the benefit of the building directive commission it is also enlarging the scope of the directive to include the large stock of smaller buildings. The commission is also planning to develop a strategy to promote the low energy or passive houses with a view to moving towards to this type of houses in the near future.

Priority area 3: transformation sector
Provided that the energy transformation sector uses the one-third of all primary energy there is no question why energy efficiency is such an issue for this area too. the implementation of certain proposals could improve, in commission’s estimations, the efficiency for electricity generation from 40 percent to 60 percent and reduce the transmission and distribution losses that now reach up to 10 percent. The Commission will propose amendments to the EU emissions trading system which is an economic policy instrument used to limit CO2 from large industrial point sources emissions by providing economic incentives and has been operating successfully since 2005. It will, by 2008, develop minimum binding efficiency requirements for new electricity, heating and cooling capacity lower than 20 MW28 and consider, if necessary, such requirements for larger production units. It will also develop with the energy supply industry guidelines on good operating practices for existing capacity to raise average generation efficiency for all plants and agree guidelines on good regulatory practices to reduce transmission and distribution losses.

Priority area 4: transport sector
The transport sector accounts for the 20 percent of total energy consumption and is highly dependent on fossil fuel. However, a savings potential of 26 percent is estimated in this sector. In order to realize this potential commission is determined to propose legislation to ensure that the 120g CO2 target is achieved by 2012 unless car industry reaches its voluntary commitments to reduce emissions to140 CO2/km by 2008/2009.In parallel the Commission will make amendments to the car fuel efficiency labelling directive in order to promote the most energy efficient cars. “A” label status will be reserved for the 10-20 percent best-performing cars and the labeling scheme will be updated after three years. The Commission will also take actions to improve tires and tire pressure by proposing a labeling scheme for tires and setting maximum rolling resistance limits, as it is proven that they can improve energy efficiency by more than five percent. A suggestion to improve efficiency of urban transport will be put forward in a new green paper due in 2007. Possible measures their include making broader use of congestion charges, new approaches to encourage the public transport and car-sharing.

Financing energy efficiency

Not all investments have short pay back periods especially as SME’s are concerned. Indeed, some SME’s need facilitation. Through specific initiatives in 2007 and 2008 the Commission will call upon the banking sector to offer finance packages aimed specifically at SME’s and liberalise the use of energy service companies, shared and guaranteed savings, third party financing and performance contracting.

Spurring energy efficiency

Spurring energy efficiency in the new member states is the priority action number six referred in the action plan. This action means that the commission will encourage European Regional policy to deploy its national and regional programmes to promote investments and improve energy efficiency especially in new member states.

Taxation can be for good

Another instrument for boosting energy efficiency is the application of coherent taxation. The Commission will have a green paper on indirect taxation prepared by the end of 2007 and it will review the energy tax directive in 2008 which was formally adopted on October 27, 2003 after five years of discussion and its aim was to create an EU-wide system for the taxation of all energy products.

Raising awareness

Energy efficiency awareness and proper education in the management levels are considered by the Commission to be essential to the industry and utilities in order to adopt energy efficiency practises and an environmentally-friendly policy. The action plan includes education and training plans and programmes for energy managers. Good examples are very important to the education process; therefore, the Commission, along with the other EU institutions is going to set the best example by demonstrating new energy efficiency technologies to all of her facilities.

The “Covenant of Mayors”

To promote energy efficiency in urban areas the Commission will create a “Covenant of mayors” in 2007 bringing together in a permanent network the mayors of 20- 30 of Europe’s largest cities. The ultimate goal of this action is energy efficiency practises to penetrate to the urban environment where legislation is best applied.

Europe tells the world to work together

As the matter of climate changes and energy dependency are not only European issues, agreements in international level are very important to the establishment of energy efficiency worldwide. The Commission will propose an international framework agreement involving both developing and developed countries concerning energy efficiency in end use sectors and in energy transformation. This will be done in collaboration with the United Nations, the international energy agency, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the EBRD, EIB and other institutions. No matter how ambitious this action plan may seems it is however made to be the core of EU’s policy for energy efficiency and the best armour to fight tomorrow’s insecurity. Apart from the proposed measures and practises, The Commission will revise and amend several of the directives which are already in force to support better integration of energy efficiency into national legislation. This effort though needs consistent support and determination at the very highest political level throughout Europe. From industry to ordinary people, not a few will have to reluctantly change their ways. It definitely won’t be easy. Energy efficiency though is the only way to the future and Europe is only looking ahead.

Presentation and rewriting by Helen Spyridakis
http://www.neurope.eu/articles/77835.php