Erec - Directiva Res-h

REEuropean Renewable Energy Council

Introduction

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urope is at the forefront of renewable energy development worldwide and has significant experience “The shortfall compared to the 12% target is caused by sluggish growth of renewable energy markets for heating and cooling (...) considerable extra action is needed in this sector to enable the full 12% target to be reached.” EuropeanCommission, Communication to the Council and Parliament, 26.5.04 [COM(2004) 366 final]

in the formulation of proactive policy measures in this area. Renewable energy sources make a major contribution to the security of energy supply, the mitigation of climate change and environmental protection. Renewables are a key element for sustainable development, including the creation of jobs and wealthoriented to the future. The renewable energy industry is one of Europe’s fastest growing sectors. Any long-term vision for European economic development must include renewables, to save finite energy sources and to build up an industry of strategic importance. In the White Paper of 1997, the EU laid down clear objectives for renewable energy by 2010: a share of 12% of renewables in gross inland energyconsumption. In the electricity and transport sectors, EU-wide legislation has been adopted to promote renewables. The Directives include specific national targets, respectively summing up to 21% for renewable electricity and 5.75% for biofuels. The implementation of these Directives in the Member States is significantly supporting the growth of renewable energy technologies. However the heatingand cooling sector is missing in the policy framework. Specific sectoral targets were included in the White Paper, but they were never included in European legislation. This policy hole is jeopardising the chances of the EU to reach its overall target for renewable energies, as recently stated by the European Commission.

In fact, almost half of the EU’s overall target for renewable energies canbe covered by renewable heating and cooling alone:
RES-Heating ~5% Directive needed
Biofuels ~1% Directive 30/2003 RES-Electricity ~6% Directive 77/2001

Introduction

Fossil Fuels & Nuclear 88%

Fact is that almost 50% of the final energy consumption in Europe is used for the heating needs of buildings, for domestic hot water production and for heating in industrial processes. Heat isthe largest consumer of energy, being greater than electricity or transport. Renewable heating sources (solar thermal, geothermal, biomass) have a huge potential for growth and can replace substantial amounts of fossil fuels and electricity currently used for heating purposes. Europe needs to develop stronger policies to promote renewable heating and cooling. Europe needs a Directive to promoteheating and cooling from renewables.

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Photo credits: Valbiom, Oliver Joswig, Reüel von der Stege, Mariano Lesser, Phil Landowski, Pascal Monster, Simon Cataudo, Wolf Friedmann, Bundesverband Solarindustrie, ÖkoFen, Jindrichovice pod Smrkem, Hostetin, Ademe, Scharoplan/Fischer , VELUX

The heating sector - a neglected giant

Over the last decade, energy policy focused very much on theliberalisation of the electricity markets. Citizens and the media often portray energy and electricity as one and the same thing. Most people, including many decision makers, underestimate the share of energy used for heating purposes. The heating sector is a neglected giant. Given these facts, it is no surprise that renewable heating (RES-H) so far received less political attention than renewableelectricity (RES-E), both at EU level and in most Member States. Another reason may be that RES-H products are sold mainly by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which have not yet a strong visibility in the EU energy market.

SUPPORTING RES-H: a special challenge that needs a focused approach
For policy makers, designing support schemes for RES-H is a more complex challenge than in the...