Cogeneration at the foundation of Europe’s energy policy

24 March 2011

COGEN Europe welcomed experts from around Europe in today’s Annual Conference “Cogeneration at the foundation of Europe’s energy policy”. They came to take the temperature of the sector and to hear how the European Commission plans to encourage the wider use of cogeneration as it outlined in its recent Energy Efficiency Plan. The Conference, the largest European event on cogeneration in 2011, demanded a central role for the integrated energy thinking embodied in cogeneration at the heart of Europe’s energy and climate strategy.

On current progress Europe will achieve only half of its 2020 energy savings target. The European cogeneration sector holds the source of a clear 20% of the missing 200 mtoe savings. These have already been identified by the Member States in their responses to the Cogeneration Directive. The expansion would save a minimum of 35 mtoe of energy, save 19 billion Euros a year at today’s oil prices in avoided imports plus generate much needed new jobs in Europe’s engineering sector (green sustainable technology and innovation).

MEP Vidal Quadras, addressing the conference, highlighted the need to improve the energy efficiency of Europe’s energy delivery systems. “In the 21st century Europe must consider energy efficiency as fundamental. Efficient use of primary energy means a higher security of supply as well as money saved to be released elsewhere in the European economy.”

Fiona Riddoch, Managing Director of COGEN Europe, said “The opportunity is clear: Europe must now move beyond the “Why cogeneration?” to the “How cogeneration?” stage. The EU has a huge amount to gain by incorporating the principles of integrated energy thinking and cogeneration at the foundation of its energy planning.”
The COGEN Europe’s Annual Conference highlighted the significant role which cogeneration already plays in Europe’s energy mix. Today 11% of all of Europe’s delivered electricity is generated in cogeneration mode in plants ranging from industry to private homes. Cogeneration simultaneously is providing the industrial heat and the space heating to those users. The cogeneration sector wants Europe to give more priority to cogeneration in meeting the 2020 energy and climate targets and to make cogeneration a fundamental element of energy strategy to 2050.

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For more information please contact:
Dr Fiona Riddoch, Managing Director
Tel: +32 2 772 8290 Fax: + 32 2 772 5044
Email: fiona.riddoch@cogeneurope.eu

Stefan Craenen, Communications Manager Tel: +32 2 772 8290 Fax: + 32 2 772 5044
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 heat requirements today are produced using this proven energy efficiency technology. The estimated growth potential is for a further 120 GWe of cogeneration 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 substantial reductions in CO2 emissions and can be a large contributor to delivering the targets of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change for Europe. In EU Member States where cogeneration has been seriously supported as in Denmark their electricity supply system operates at 65% efficiency overall compared to the current EU average of an unacceptable 33% efficiency overall. Cogeneration substantially contributes to reaching strategic climate and energy goals, such as security of supply, energy efficiency and reduction of emissions.

More info on www.cogeneurope.eu

About CODE:
The Cogeneration Observatory and Dissemination Europe Project (CODE) is a 30month project to monitor the implementation of the CHP Directive across the European Union. The project is led by COGEN Europe and is partly funded by the European Commission