FAQ: Miscellaneous

Transport is not included in the EED but what role is the transport sector to play in meeting 2020 targets?

The 2011 Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP), which led to the EED, stated that transport would be dealt with in a White Paper on Transport.  The White Paper, Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system, was published in March 2011, the same month as the EEP.  Readers are encouraged to go to the White Paper and its Impact Assessment.

For Article 8 on energy audits, the Coalition’s Guidebook states: “Where they constitute a share of the energy consumed in overall operations, transportation systems within or related to an enterprise shall also be included in the energy audit of the enterprise, according to Annex VI of the EED.”

What are the biggest risks in not achieving the EED objectives?

The reader should refer to Annex 3 of the eceee’s Steering Through The Maze #6 on the EED on the EED which provides a table on the obligations on member states.  In the table, there are comments on how difficult it will be to implement.  While there are some challenges, for the most part, there are few major concerns.

The biggest risk is in not effectively closing the gap to achieve the 2020 energy savings target.  If this gap is not closed, then there will be need for more policies and programmes.  The first indication will be by the end of June 2014 when the Commission will assess whether the EU’s 2020 target is likely to be met (Article 3.2). If the Commission concludes that this is not the case, it will make further proposals to ensure the gap is closed (Article 24.7).

How will the EED complement and work together with the EPBD, Ecodesign, appliance labelling and other EU energy efficiency directives?

The EU’s energy efficiency directives provide a comprehensive legislative framework that will complement each other more and more.  Today Ecodesign and appliance labelling are generally seen together to provide a framework for products.  The EPBD, taking a more holistic approach, makes reference to products seen in a systems approach.  The EPBD is a strong directive for the energy performance of buildings but one of its weaknesses is on renovation. The EED tries to remedy that by having governments renovate a certain share of their central government buildings annually.  The EPBD is also weak on financing and the EED provides support through energy efficiency obligations and promoting energy service companies.

Readers are encouraged to watch the video from the presentation by Claudia Canevari of DG Energy at the 2012 Summer Study.  This provides an excellent overview of the Commission’s views on its energy efficiency approach.

One assumes that over time these directives will be seen to be working much closer together.

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