by Brianna Crandall — May 7, 2014—The Europe-based Coalition for Energy Savings recently conducted an analysis of European Union Member States’ implementation of the EU’s 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The Analysis of Article 7 Member States Reports identified many weaknesses in national implementation.
The Coalition analysis of the Member States’ plans for achieving 1.5% annual end-use energy savings highlights that most countries not only show low ambition but also fail to demonstrate credibly how the mandatory energy savings target will be reached, exposing them to infringement procedures and possible fines.
According to the Coalition, implementation of the 1.5% annual energy savings target—one of the centerpieces of the Energy Efficiency Directive—should take the EU closer to its 20% energy savings target by 2020. Improving the EU energy efficiency will boost the economy, combat climate change, and reduce dependency on energy imports, notes the organization.
According to the report, almost all countries use the maximum exemptions to lower the 1.5% annual end-use energy savings, which means that the average target in the EU is actually only 0.8%. In addition, the majority of plans are weak and increase the risk for the EU to miss its 20% energy savings target for 2020.
Only three plans, from Croatia, Denmark and Ireland, out of the 27 published and included in the analysis, provide a credible and meaningful case for how savings targets will be achieved. Twelve plans, including Finland, Germany, Sweden and all central and eastern EU countries except Croatia and Latvia, are either incomplete—and thus not assessable—or of low quality, notes the report. Common problems identified include the incorrect calculation of the target, ineligibility of measures, and inclusion of energy savings that would have happened anyway.
However, the Coalition points out that the good news is the uptake of energy efficiency obligation programs for the energy sector in a large number of Member States, which should help transform the market for energy efficiency.
A lot more needs to be done rapidly to “walk the talk” and ensure that commitments to energy efficiency are honored and legal requirements are respected, concludes the report. Member States have further opportunities to improve their plans and turn them into action with their National Energy Efficiency Action Plans, which were due April 30, 2014, and when transposing the Directive into national laws, which must be completed by June 5 of this year.
The European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE) , a member of the Coalition, offers a Web site with FAQs on the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) , along with resources such as “Steering through the Maze Guide,” which explains the Directive in an easily accessible way.
The Coalition offers a Guidebook for Strong Implementation: Your Guidebook to Navigate the EU Energy Efficiency Directive , written to help stakeholders understand and meet legal requirements for a successful implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive, and to drive home the importance of energy savings in building a more sustainable and competitive Europe.
The Coalition for Energy Savings brings together business, professionals, local authorities, trade unions and civil society associations. The Coalition’s purpose is to make the case for a European energy policy that places a much greater, more meaningful emphasis on energy efficiency and savings. Coalition members represent more than 400 associations, 150 companies, 15 million supporters, more than 2 million employees, and 1,000 cities and towns in 30 countries in Europe.
