The European Commission is on a drive to make European Union member states consume 20% less energy by 2020, and as part of its target, the European Commission presented its proposal for an Energy Efficiency Directive this week. The Commission has said that it wants to urge EU nations to execute energy-saving plans. However, it said that it would not be implementing binding goals for the time being.
“The commission will propose binding national targets if in 2014 we come to the conclusion that the EU is not likely to achieve the 20% target,” the Commission said.
EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said that he believed such a “two-phased strategy” was a “fair offer.” With existing energy dealings, the bloc is likely to achieve only 9% savings. The Commission now anticipates to further promote conservation by, among other things, requiring the public sector to acquire energy-efficient buildings or carry out related renovations. It also wants member states to compel gas, heating oil and electricity companies to fund energy efficient measures such as double-glazed windows and better heating systems for their customers. “Energy service companies would pay for the initial investments and get their money back from the savings on the energy bills,” the commission said.
Member states could also come up with choices to company requirements, as long as the end result is the same. The commission, for instance, pointed to tradable energy-savings systems that have been implemented by some member states. “Only if everyone participates do we have a chance of success,” Oettinger said.
If member states do not comply with the new energy directive, they could face violation processes, including court-ordered fines. The measures would need to be supported by EU governments and the European Parliament to become law, and may be amended significantly during the process.
Later in the day, environmentalists criticized the Commission for failing to demonstrate leadership on energy efficiency. “Unfortunately the Commission suggested no binding targets but only very few additional measures to the existing framework, which – if adopted in current form – will make it unlikely for Member States to reach a beneficial level of energy savings, said Arianna Vitali Roscini, Policy Officer for Energy Conservation at WWF’s European Policy Office.
“For months the European Commission has been saying that the Energy Efficiency Directive would be the crucial piece of legislation to achieve energy security and cost savings and help the fight against climate change – but now they are setting up measures that are no better than place holders. Today the Commission can tick a box in its to-do list, but has failed to demonstrate the leadership and commitment on energy efficiency that President Barroso and his Commissioners have repeatedly been promising,” she said.
Brook Riley, Climate Justice and Energy Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, commented: “Frankly, the European Commission is fooling itself if it believes the energy efficiency directive will deliver the 20% savings target. Its own internal analyses show that only a binding target will suffice. Instead of showing leadership the European Commission is giving in to industry scaremongering and pandering to the lack of understanding among national governments. This directive is set up to fail.”
