Energy Doing More with Less - Green Paper on Energy Efficiency

Website: ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/index_en.htm




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Doing More with Less - 2005, ISBN 92-894-9819-6, European Communities, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg:

Download a copy in English PDF
- the publication can be obtained in other languages from the Europa website.

Although this new Green Paper is focussed on energy efficiency, it outlines a two-pronged approach to reducing conventional energy consumption in Europe. It tackles conventional energy efficiency, but also highlights the role to be played by developing technologies based on renewable fuels, particularly biofuels. It draws attention to one of the EU's main energy policy targets, that is to boost the share of renewable energy sources in gross domestic energy consumption, from 5.4% in 1997 up to 12% by 2010.

It indicates various initiatives that have been undertaken to try to achieve this target. These include increasing renewable electricity generation from 14% of total output in 1997 to 21% by 2010. In the transport sector alternative fules, based on biological raw materials, are being promoted.

As widely illustrated throughout this website, the EU has invested in hundreds of projects and studies covering new renewable sources of energy based on plants as raw material. But, the magnitude of the energy challenge facing Europe calls for increased efforts and a long-term commitment, making this a priority for the forthcoming Seventh Framework Programme.

Of the six strategic priority areas noted in this publication, two relate to renewable energy sources with a number of sustainable energy sources or technologies mentioned. These including hydrogen, photovoltaics, green electricity and bio-fuels. Indicating that green electricity and bio-fuels are both derived from biomass, it indicates that further research is required covering ways of improving the efficiency of plants as energy converters.

In this context, the Green Paper draws on the Biomass Action Plan which indicates ways of bringing the EU closer to its renewable energy targets through the use of biomass-based energy sources, such as bio-ethanol and bio-diesel.

ThisGreen Paper aims to launch a much-needed debate on the EU's energy policy. The Commission plans to synthesise the ideas generated by discussion of the document into a specific action plan to be presented later in 2006. The aim of this action plan is to accelerate the development of promising energy technologies and help to create the conditions to bring such technologies efficiently and effectively to the EU and the world markets.

Contents

Introduction

A - Identifying the obstacles
1. The need to adopt specific measures to improve energy efficiency
1.1. Financial obstacles in the way of proper market reaction
1.2. The need for energy services
2. The need for action by public authorities
3. The external costs and the transparency of prices
4. Information and education: two under-used tools

B - A European Initiative
1. Action at Community level
1.1. Integrating energy in other Community policies
1.1.1. Research and Technological Development
1.1.2. Promoting best practices and technology
1.1.3. Establishing and promoting best practice at all levels through national action plans
1.1.4. Better use of taxation
1.1.5. Better targeted State aid
1.1.6. Opening up public purchasing
1.1.7. Finding European financing
1.2. Specific energy policy measures
1.2.1. Buildings
1.2.2. Domestic appliances
1.2.3. Limiting the fuel consumption of vehicles
1.2.4. Informing and protecting the consumer
2. National level
2.1. Regulation of network activities
2.2. Regulation of supply activities
2.3. Electricity generation
2.4. White certificates, a market-based instrument
3. Industry
4. Transport
4.1. Organising air traffic management
4.2. Optimising traffic management
4.3. Developing a market for clean vehicles
4.4. Charging of infrastructure to induce changes in behaviour
4.5. Tyres
4.6. Aviation
5. Regional and local level
5.1. Specific financing instruments
6. A strategy open to the world
6.1. Integrating energy efficiency in international cooperation
6.2. Integrating energy efficiency in the neighbourhood policy and EU-Russia co-operation
6.3. Integrating energy efficiency into development policy
6.4. Reinforcing the role of international financing institutions
Conclusion

Annex 1 Energy Efficiency: The Need for Action
Annex 2 Electricity consumption savings and trends in the residential sector EU-15
Annex 3 Long-term development of GDP, energy demand and energy intensity (baseline) for EU-25 (Year 2000 = 100)
Annex 4 Final energy demand
Annex 5 The employment effects of energy-efficiency improvements