The draft European Parliament report on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies, produced jointly by the ENVI (environment, public health and food safety) and ITRE (industry, research and energy) committees, rightly acknowledges the future role of energy-efficiency policies in the 2030 climate and energy framework but falls short of devising any concrete path towards putting in place this framework.

Regarding cogeneration, the report states that “the European Parliament […] sees an important role for cogeneration in increasing energy efficiency in the future”. It “calls for further support for decentralised and micro-scale energy production and smart energy infrastructures in all Member States”.

It now falls to MEPs to beef up this draft report with their political vision.

Timeline:
A European Parliament resolution, after an amendment process, is expected to be adopted at the plenary sitting in February/March next year.

Reminder: this resolution will represent the views of the European Parliament on the Commission Green Paper ‘A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies’ (COM(2013)0169).

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For more information please contact:

Andrew Williams, Communication Manager
Tel: +32 2 775 9071
Email: andrew.williams@cogeneurope.eu

Follow us on Twitter: @COGENEurope
 
About cogeneration: 

Cogeneration (also known as CHP or Combined Heat and Power) involves the simultaneous production of heat and electricity from a single plant which results in massive savings to the economy of primary energy and consequential reductions of GHG emissions.

Today, a significant 11.2 % of Europe’s electricity is generated using a vast array of proven and cost effective techniques (cumulative capacity > 100 GWe). About half of the heat produced is used in district heating network while the remaining half serves industrial needs.

Cogeneration units can be found in various sectors and sizes: in industries, households and tertiary buildings and in capacities ranging from a kilowatt to hundreds of MegaWatts of electricity output. CHP plants can draw upon a wide range of energy sources, from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energies (combustion-based units with biomass, biogases or bioliquids, or steam-based plant connected to geothermal or concentrated solar panel installations) that make them ready for the future energy system.

Realising the identified economic potential for cogeneration in Europe – estimated at 110-120 GWe additional – will be instrumental to reaching the EU’s strategic climate and energy goals, while underpinning job creation and being an engine to industrial competitiveness.

About COGEN Europe:

COGEN Europe is Europe’s umbrella organisation representing the interests of the cogeneration industry, users of the technology and promoting its benefits in the EU and the wider Europe. The association is backed by the key players in the industry including gas and electricity companies, ESCOs, equipment suppliers, consultancies, national promotion organisations, financial and other service companies. More information on www.cogeneurope.eu