Flavours of the 6th Amsterdam Forum

What is the relation between energy efficiency and security of supply? What support is needed to overcome barriers? Does financing really help? Why awareness raising is not working? Do we need more regulation? – these were the principal questions discussed jointly by hosts and contributing National Ministries, industry lobbyists and NGOs. Local authorities were represented by Energie-Cités in the debates.

Indeed, Fiona Hall, MEP summarized as the ‘hassle factor’ why energy efficiency comes at the end of priorities of any decision makers – be it a family, a municipality or the industry. High transaction costs compared to ’low’ visibility; considerable upfront costs versus long term payback feature such investments. The lack of clear responsibilities as well as missing dedicated personnel at different governmental levels only slow down progress, and thus no wonder why even the Commission remains hesitant to propose more radical measures...

...and better adapted ones to the ’users’! European regulations must be helpful and desired by those applying it - underlined Energie-Cités in the debate - considering our mission to render energy issues more ’user-friendly’ and prepare local authorities for their energy future. The Display Campaign was designed for example to prepare municipalities for the implementation of the Buildings Directive .

The Commission would propose new measures in 2008: the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is on the ‘recasting table’, green public procurement guidelines will be proposed and within the 2nd Strategic Energy Review the National Energy Efficiency Action Plans are undergoing an in-depth analysis, among others. Referring to this latter Mr. Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General at the DGTREN remarked with a slight disappointment: ’Member States have not shown an extraordinary degree of enthusiasm’...

Even so, energy efficiency should come first and must be taken seriously at all levels. The well-known analysis by the IEA proved that ‘Negawatts’ (i.e. energy saved due to more efficiency compared to a ‘business as usual’ scenario) have accounted for the same amount as petrol in the world’s final consumption since 1970.

So what is the question left – apart from ‘what time do we have left…’?

Kristina Dely
Project Manager