We had eagerly anticipated the publication of the 4th State of Energy Union Communication but had expected more, faster progress on energy efficiency and renewable energy in the heating and cooling dimensions of the Energy Union.

Heating & cooling represents 51% of energy consumption in the EU, with high impact in terms of decarbonisation, energy poverty, industrial competitiveness and clean air. The heating & cooling sector should therefore receive super proportional attention if we not only want to harness its potential but also to accelerate the energy transition.

We need higher and more targeted ambition on heating and cooling. Firstly, the increase in energy consumption between 2014 – 2017 points at the necessity to invest more in energy efficiency.

Secondly, the deployment of renewable energy in heating should be accelerated, matching or better, exceeding the deployment pace of RES in electricity generation.

Third: Modernizing the heating and cooling sector will deliver for the European citizens – and industry: An increasingly efficient and renewable heating and cooling sector will be vital for local job creation, industrial competitiveness, local growth and global industrial leadership for Europe!

It will also lead to cleaner skies.

Our asks!

DecarbHeat asks the following actions to be pursued at both EU and national level via all the Energy Union mechanisms:

• Raise awareness on the importance of H&C;
• Update and strengthen the EU’s Heating and Cooling Strategy, making heating & cooling a core part of the next Commissions’ work program;
• Prioritise the implementation and enforcement of existing legislation, including market surveillance;
• Incentivise the decarbonisation of heating and cooling by establishing a level playing field across regulatory, fiscal and other policy tools;
• Establish a robust strategy towards the gradual phase out of fossil fuels.

About Decarb Heat

The Decarb Heat Initiative has been launched by Bioenergy Europe, COGEN Europe, European Heat Pump Association, Euroheat & Power, European Geothermal Energy Council, European Partnership for Energy and the Environment and Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF. We bring together major players of the H&C industry behind one clear vision: a carbon neutral, efficient European H&C sector by 2050. In order to modernise our H&C supply, we advocate for massively deploying cutting-edge local renewable and energy efficient H&C solutions across Europe’s economy.

More info at decarbheat.eu

Press Contact:

Name: Nino Aveni

Mobile: +32 (0)2 318 40 36

Email: aveni@bioenergyeurope.org