With the Energy Union framework strategy now released by the European Commission, Glass For Europe says it’s now … “Time to mobilize resources and enact much-needed EU legislations”.
With the Energy Union framework strategy now released by the European Commission, energy efficiency finally has the focus it deserves to contribute fully to a secure, sustainable, competitive and affordable energy system for Europe. ‘Energy efficiency first’ should not be just a motto, it is the core principle of the trias energetica: all actions to reduce energy use must be undertaken first.
Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe declared: “What is most encouraging to our industry is the clear signal given by the European Commission that buildings and transports are the priority sectors in which most energy efficiency gains must be reaped”. Buildings and transport are two sectors, which can deliver huge energy savings while providing a boost to economic growth and employment. “With targeted and robust actions, both the EU energy efficiency and decarbonisation objectives can easily be surpassed and our industry has energy efficient glass solutions ready for use in these two sectors.”
Glass for Europe welcomes the fact that the European Commission highlights that the European Fund for Strategic Investment provides an opportunity to leverage major investments in building renovation. According to Bertrand Cazes: “As a matter of policy coherence and to achieve the desired goals, the EFSI regulation should be improved to guarantee that a substantial part of the EFSI funds are ring-fenced for building renovation projects.”
Regulatory interventions at EU level are also needed to make tangible progress. For instance, an EU energy labelling scheme for windows is still not finalised and some of the considered options are weak. Similarly in the transport sector, the long awaited test procedure to quantify energy used by Mobile Air Conditioning systems in vehicles is finally ready. Without further delay, it must be included in official energy consumption data of cars to reward energy saving glass and air-conditioning technologies. The flat glass industry also looks forward the planned review, and hopefully revision, of the Energy Performance of Buildings directive.