The Commission is collecting input on 2 key initiatives: the EU Electrification Action Plan and the EU Heating and Cooling Strategy.
EU Action Plan for Electrification
The challenge of cost-effective electrification and its flexible integration into the energy system cannot be addressed solely at national level. The EU electricity market is highly interconnected, which means that decisions in one Member State have a direct impact on others. Moreover, this market interconnection is time-sensitive – clean electricity generation at certain hours in one country can help reduce prices in other markets. In this way, investments in clean energy increasingly depend not only on national, but also on EU-wide levels of electricity consumption.
Economies of scale in electrification technologies can only be achieved through a common EU approach and the introduction of harmonised rules. Electrification is a key element of EU policies to increase the share of renewable energy through the Renewable Energy Directive, as well as to improve energy efficiency through the Energy Efficiency Directive. The main task of the action plan is to propose measures for different sectors according to their potential for electrification, the available incentives and the existing barriers. A central feature of cost-effective electrification is flexibility, which should be ensured through digitalisation and market mechanisms, with energy storage playing a leading role.
EU Strategy for Heating and Cooling
The strategy aims to ensure a cost-effective transition to clean heating and cooling by improving energy efficiency and better integrating systems, while at the same time guaranteeing affordable supplies in a sector that remains heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels. It will support the implementation of the recently adopted policy framework by combining action at national and local level, in view of the complexity of the issues and the strong interlinkages between policy instruments.
Accelerating the decarbonisation of heating and cooling and integrating solutions for energy efficiency and digitalisation may require further clarification, simplification of provisions, and stronger coordination across policy areas and levels of governance. The strategy also seeks to address remaining obstacles that are not solved directly by legislation. These include financial constraints and infrastructure-related challenges, as well as the need to stimulate consumer demand and facilitate access to efficient and affordable solutions. Particular attention is given to tackling energy poverty in both summer and winter, as well as ensuring the availability of adequately trained professionals by enhancing the attractiveness of the sector.
Source: European Commission
