Large circular solar panel power plant in Spain
Photo: europarl.europa.eu
Saving energy is key to fighting climate change and reducing the EU's energy dependence. Find out what MEPs are doing to reduce consumption.
Energy efficiency means using less energy to achieve the same result. It allows you to save energy and reduce emissions from power plants.
The 2018 Energy Efficiency Laws have been revised to help the EU achieve the ambitious new climate targets set out in the European Green Deal for 2021. They will also contribute to reducing Europe's dependence on fossil fuel imports, much of which come from Russia, as outlined in the RepowerEU plan.
In parallel, the EU is working on rules to increase the share of renewable energy.
Find out more about EU measures to reduce emissions
New energy efficiency targets
Improving energy efficiency could not only reduce CO2but also the EU's annual energy import bill of EUR 330 billion.
The targets adopted by the Parliament in July 2023 set a collective reduction of at least 11.7 % in energy consumption at EU level by 2030 (compared to the 2020 Reference case projections).
EU countries need to save on average 1.5 % per year. Energy savings should start with 1.3 % per year by the end of 2025 and gradually reach 1.9 % by the end of 2030.
To achieve these goals, local, regional and national actions will cover different sectors: public administrations, buildings, businesses, data centres, etc. MEPs insisted on specific and achievable targets:
- The public sector should reduce its final energy consumption by 1.9 % annually.
- EU countries should ensure that at least 3 % of public buildings are renovated each year into nearly zero energy or zero emission buildings.
- There are new requirements for efficient district heating systems
A robust monitoring and enforcement mechanism will ensure that EU countries meet their targets.
Reducing energy consumption in buildings
Buildings in the EU are responsible for 40 % of energy consumption and 36 % of greenhouse gas emissions.
One important area for improvement is heating and cooling of buildings and hot water heating, which account for 80 % of household energy consumption.
In March 2024, Parliament adopted an update of the rules on energy performance of buildings, aiming to create a climate-neutral building sector by 2050.
All new buildings should be zero-emission from 2030; from 2028 this should apply to new buildings occupied or owned by public authorities.
EU countries will have to reduce average annual consumption in the buildings sector by at least 16 % by 2030 and by 2035 by 20 to 22 %.
The rules also foresee that from 2025, stand-alone fossil fuel boilers cannot be subsidised. However, hybrid systems that combine a boiler with another greener solution, such as a solar installation or a heat pump, can still receive financial support. All fossil fuel heating and cooling should be phased out by 2040.
Building renovation in the EU
EU countries will have to renovate 16 % of the worst performing non-residential buildings by 2030 and 26 % of the worst performing non-residential buildings by 2033.
The energy performance certificate for buildings should be valid for up to 10 years. For buildings with a certificate below level C, owners should be invited to provide refurbishment advice.
The report should also include recommendations for cost-effective improvements in energy performance and reduction of operational greenhouse gas emissions and for improving the indoor environmental quality of the building or building unit.
Buildings for the production of own solar energy
The updated rules on the energy performance of buildings encourage the gradual introduction of solar installations in public and non-residential buildings where technically and economically feasible. By 2030, all new residential buildings should be equipped with solar installations.
In November 2023, a revised version of the Renewable Energy Directive came into force, requiring EU countries to ensure that permits for the installation of solar installations on buildings are issued within one month.
Measures that help reduce energy bills
Inefficient buildings are often associated with energy poverty and social problems. Vulnerable households tend to spend proportionally more on energy, making them more exposed to rising prices.
Renovations can help reduce energy bills and help lift people out of fuel poverty. Given that building work is expensive, Parliament wants to ensure that the impact of these costs on vulnerable households is limited.
Under the new rules on the energy performance of buildings, countries will have to ensure access to finance for vulnerable households through their national renovation plans.
These measures should be supported by several instruments, including the Social Climate Fund, the RePowerEU package to help the EU move away from dependence on Russian fossil fuels, and the new Strategic Technology Platform for Europe (STEP) to promote clean technologies.
Liberated buildings
EU countries can exempt certain types of buildings from the energy performance rules:
- Buildings protected for their special architectural or historic interest
- agricultural and technical buildings
- churches
- temporary buildings
- Buildings owned by the armed forces or the central government that are used for national defence purposes
Financing national efforts to tackle energy dependence
In February 2023, the RePowerEU legislation came into force. It requires countries receiving additional funding through updated recovery and resilience plans to include measures for energy saving, clean energy generation and diversification of supply.
These national recovery plans aim to promote independence from Russian fossil fuels and a green transition. Other measures include:
- Investing in energy poverty solutions for vulnerable households, SMEs and micro-enterprises
- more funding for cross-border energy projects and projects in more than one country.
Energy efficiency of household appliances
In 2017, Parliament approved simplified energy labels for household appliances such as lamps, TVs and vacuum cleaners to make it easier for consumers to compare their energy efficiency.
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