Participants, gathered at the 2012 COGEN Europe Annual Conference, call for a European legislation that reward energy efficient appliances like CHP.

Paul Hodson, DG Energy, estimated today that only a third of the originally envisaged CHP primary energy savings would be captured if the Council’s proposed Energy Efficiency Directive text were implemented. Speaking at the COGEN Europe Annual Conference in Brussels he confirmed the strong support of the European Commission for CHP, and the need for Europe to deliver on its energy efficiency commitment.

Mr Hodson spoke in response to a challenge from Pieter Verberne, General Energy Manager AkzoNobel, who expressed the real concern of the sector on the direction of the negotiations around the Commission’s Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). As it stands now, based on the Council proposals, the industry believes that the EED is not going to bring about the changes needed to reduce the energy savings gap through CHP.

Fiona Riddoch Managing Director of COGEN Europe said “to be effective the EED must stimulate people and organisations to convert their electricity or heat only plant to a combined heat and power supply. This means that the EED must make a significant step to correct the market failures and policy structure around CHP.”

During the Q&A session, CHP operators and manufacturers restated that an ambitious EED is very much needed in the current economical and financial context if we are to get out of those turbulent times quicker, with healthier industries and paving the way for a sustainable future.

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For more information please contact: 

Dr Fiona Riddoch, Managing Director

Tel: +32 2 772 8290

Email: fiona.riddoch@cogeneurope.eu

Stefan Craenen, Communications Manager

Tel: +32 2 772 8290

Email: stefan.craenen@cogeneurope.eu

About cogeneration: 

Cogeneration (also known as CHP or Combined Heat and Power) is the simultaneous production of heat and electricity. 11% of Europe’s electricity and associated heat requirements today are produced using this proven energy efficiency principle. The estimated growth potential for cogeneration is a further 110-120 GWe which will lead to an improved environment and greater economic competitiveness in Europe. 

Cogeneration units can be found in different sizes and applications: industry, households and tertiary sector and spans applications with capacities ranging from below 1kw to hundreds of Megawatts.

It is a highly efficient energy solution that delivers energy savings and substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. When seriously supported, as in Denmark, CHP has the potential to increase the energy production and transformation system overall efficiency from a bare 33% (EU average) up to 65%.

Realising the potential of cogeneration in Europe will contribute significantly to reaching the strategic climate and energy goals, such as security of supply, energy efficiency and reduction of emissions. 

About COGEN Europe:

COGEN Europe is the European association for the promotion of cogeneration. We represent 70 organisations which are National COGEN Associations, manufacturers, users, utilities and service companies. Currently around 100,000 Europeans are employed in the cogeneration sector. More info on www.cogeneurope.eu