Cogeneration can help to improve energy efficiency across the European Union. But many member states and the EU as a whole are not reaping the full potential of the primary energy they are consuming, shows new data released by the European Commission.
The EU is aiming to improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020 via the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Following the EED’s entry into force in 2012, each country had to set its own indicative energy efficiency target, expressed in both final and primary energy savings. Cogeneration – also known as combined heat and power (CHP) – was identified as an important principle for achieving the 20% goal, and the EED contains CHP-specific provisions requiring member states to assess and realise their cost-effective CHP potential.
However, the Commission’s latest analysis shows that the EU is on course to miss its primary energy savings goal for 2020 by a substantial 2.5% (46.4 Mtoe). Furthermore, the latest data released by EU statistical office Eurostat (reference year: 2013) reveals that the CHP market in Europe is stagnating, with CHP’s share in gross electricity production remaining unchanged at 11.7% (113 GW electrical capacity) .
As the deadline for implementing CHP-specific provisions of the EED is fast approaching, by 31 December member states must put in place measures to trigger investment in new CHP plants or to refurbish existing installations. “High-efficiency cogeneration is the most efficient way for societies to capitalise on their primary fuel resources. European and national policies must converge towards putting in place a system-wide approach that rewards energy efficiency solutions like cogeneration,” said COGEN Europe Managing Director Fiona Riddoch.
