Fuel suppliers under Energy Efficiency Obligation schemes – suitable for energy savings in transport?

Panel: 6. Transport and mobility

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Nikolaos Liapis, IEECP – Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy, The Netherlands
Vlasis Oikonomou, IEECP – Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy, The Netherlands
Simos Efthymiadis, Greece

Abstract

In the framework of the Article 7 of the Energy Efficiency Directive, several Member States (MS) have opted for Energy Efficiency Obligation schemes (EEOs) to achieve the mandatory energy saving targets. In these EEOs, most MS focus on electricity and gas suppliers to achieve the energy saving obligations, while obligations are present to fuel suppliers (for transport and residential heating) in France, Austria, Greece, Ireland, Slovenia and Bulgaria. The obligation to the transport fuel suppliers is heavily debated as they do not have direct access to their end-users (only through gas stations), they face competitiveness issues to the electricity and gas suppliers as the latter have contractual relationships with their customers, and they have limited options in carrying out energy saving measures.

This paper examines the outcomes of EEOs on the fuel supply market chain, its effects on transport measures and assesses if, finally, EEOs are considered a suitable measure for transport. The parameters that determine the capacity to carry out savings in the transport sector are mainly the possibility to aggregate actions, the structure of the fuel supply market and the flexibility provided by the EEO scheme administrator. Departing from Greece as an example, the key outcome of the paper is that in order to address the end-users in the transport sector, financial tools and incentives are more important and they can facilitate and ensure the achievement of the obligation. Regarding technical measures which are mainly low consumption fuels with additives and premium lubricants, flexibility must be provided and the awareness raising/behavioral measures should not be limited.

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