The Industry, Research and Energy Committee will adopt its positions on two draft bills that are part of the “Fit for 55” package to fight climate change. MEPs will vote on new EU targets to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency. The measures would also support the EU’s energy sovereignty and security in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following the vote, Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), rapporteur, will hold a press conference on the revision of the energy efficiency.

Press conference by Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), rapporteur on the revision of the energy efficiency

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SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&amp;D, DK), Rapporteur, Yes, we made an agreement and we voted on an agreement through today and the ITRA committee, and I am very satisfied with the result. I think the deal shows that this Parliament is ready to increase ambitions when it comes to energy efficiency and for good reasons and we know that this directive, the Energy Efficiency Directive, will likely deliver at least one third of the Fit for 55 reductions in gas consumption.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, We also know that in this time of too much energy dependency on Russia, we can actually increase our independence by increasing energy efficiency. Every time we increase energy efficiency by one percent, we reduce gas imports by two point six percent. And finally, of course, the energy efficiency effort will contribute very much to the overall reduction target, the target of common climate neutral in 2050.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, According to the International Energy Organisation, 40 percent of the reductions are to be delivered by energy efficiency. So I'm happy that a broad coalition of groups agreed that we should increase the ambition level of the European Commission in the the original proposal. We've come together, the S&D, my own group, the EPP, the Renew group and the Greens, are all backing this compromise where we say that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, What the Commission proposed in the RepowerEU is is good, but it's not enough. And the Commission proposed to reduce 13 percent or to increase energy efficiency by 13 percent in 2030 compared to the 2020 baseline scenario, where we say we want to increase those 13 percent to 14 and a half percent. We then go back to looking at to 2007 as the baseline year because we want to take into account the member states that have done a great effort since then, that their effort is actually being counted in, so they don't have to be they should not be punished for making an effort. They should be rewarded for making this effort.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, We have two milestones, in 2025 and 2027. So the goal in 2030 is our goal, but on the way to get there, we have two milestones so we can measure whether member states are on track and the targets that we have decided they should be binding both on EU level and on a national level so that each member state has a national binding target. That's the best way to make sure that this actually happens, that each member states is responsible for the effort.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, We have increased the energy savings obligations from one and a half to two percent so that each member state needs to take initiatives that will save two percent of the energy consumption each year. We then say that the last fourth, one fourth of the two percent, that is half a percent and in total one fourth of two percent, half a percent, can be achieved in the fossil sector. These energy savings can be achieved in the fossil sector until mid 2020.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, After that point, one hundred percent of the income of the energy savings have to be achieved  with renewable means, by renewables solutions, and that is to give some flexibility to its member states. But we also have a clear deadline for when fossil fuel solutions cannot be taken into account anymore. And then we are sticking to the three percent for innovation that the European Commission proposed originally, of public buildings, so that three percent of public buildings have to be renovated each year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, We increase the scope of which buildings that are being taken into account, for example, to social housing and social housing should be part of the three percent. But if they are for results in rent increases that are higher than the money you save from a lower energy bill, then you can exempt social housing. Furthermore, we have, strong, strong definition of energy poverty. And we see that, you know, if they're eight percent energy poor in a country, eight percent of the effort, a proportional part of the effort has to be directed at the energy poor. So we prioritise those who are energy poor.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, That means that they cannot actually pay their energy bills. They are behind when it comes to paying the energy bill. They we have a number of criteria for when one can be counted as energy poor. Then we also have mandatory energy audits and a mandatory energy management system for companies of a certain size. And if the energy audit shows that and if that an energy innovation can be made, one energy efficiency increase can be made by investing and that investment will pay itself back in three years or less, the implementation is mandatory. That's what we have agreed, the implementation of the energy audit.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, Then finally, I would mention here we have a new article on data centres. We have more and more data centres popping up in our society, Google, Apple, Facebook, other kinds of data centres that we see. They consume a lot of electricity. And that's why we propose that there should be work on making some standards for how energy efficient these data centres should be.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, And furthermore, they should, as a general principle, they should be connected to the district heating system. If there is a district heating system, unless they can show that it's not technically or economically feasible, but then they have to show that in an analysis. So we want to exploit the excess heat from data centres. And that's what we do in this regulation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), Rapporteur, Then finally, I could mention, we have a provision saying that municipalities of more than 35000 people, they need to make a heating and/or cooling plan to consider how will they make sure to provide heating for their citizens. And in this heating plan or cooling plan, it is a possibility to consider district heating. It is something that I think many municipalities would have a benefit in rolling out. So we aim to push for more district heating by these heating plants. Thank you.

Q&A regarding the possibility of phasing out fossil fuel boilers.

Press conference by Niels FUGLSANG (S&D, DK), rapporteur on the revision of the energy efficiency

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