CREATING AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT ECONOMY FOR EUROPE

Mission

In the near term, energy efficiency is the most cost-effective means for reducing Europe’s domestic CO2 emissions. The ECF Energy Efficiency Programme promotes this approach by supporting policies that shrink the amount of energy consumed in the built environment.

What We Do

The Energy Efficiency Programme pursues a number of strategic initiatives to increase energy efficiency in the European economy. By 2020, the European Commission estimates that the EU’s existing energy saving policies—plus measures in the pipeline—will only lead to 11% of the targeted 20% reduction in primary energy consumption.

We aim to ensure that effective energy policies are adopted and implemented at the EU and national levels by leveraging a network of political contacts, grantees and other experts in Brussels and Member States. Technical and policy advice is targeted at the most winnable political opportunities.

1.    Creating the regulatory and market framework for large-scale energy efficiency investments. This includes a suite of policies, such as a binding EU-wide energy saving target, public financing using EU-wide funds and power markets rules, and national energy efficiency obligations.


2.    Energy-efficiency in buildings. We support a multifaceted approach to achieve mandatory efficiency rules for buildings. We also promote regulatory measures and financial incentives that lead to the construction and retrofit of net-zero or low-energy buildings. The focus is on ensuring the implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the financing and delivery of energy efficiency retrofits to existing buildings.


3.    Energy-efficiency in products. We aim to significantly reduce the energy consumption of appliances and equipment via stringent Minimum Energy Performance Standards and associated labeling requirements’ in the Ecodesign Directive for Energy-Using Products.

Case study: The Ecodesign Directive for Energy-Using Products (EuPs)

This 2005 directive aims to reduce the amount of energy consumed by electronic products in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors by establishing a framework and process for determining Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). The Energy Efficiency team ensures that stringent MEPS and associated labeling requirements are adopted and revised at regular intervals to capture technological innovation and product development.

To achieve this objective, ECF partners with a variety of technical experts from the Best Practice Networks and advocacy groups to provide input to the EU process. Since late 2007, the ECF has supported a full-time staff at the European Environmental Citizens Organisation for Standardisation (ECOS) that is deeply engaged in the EU process and coordination of NGO outreach at the EU and national levels.

Since January 2008, MEPS have been adopted for several types of products, including domestic lighting, refrigerators, washing machines and TVs. Taken together, these measures will cut the EU’s annual CO2 emissions by 150 million metric tonnes by 2020 compared to the business-as-usual scenario, or approximately 3% of the overall EU-27 greenhouse gas emissions.