The priority is to set the energy-efficiency-first
objective at the local and regional level as the basis
to deliver an optimal transition towards a more
integrated energy system
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has
presented an
opinion
on the EU Strategy for Energy System Integration,
published by the European Commission in
July 2020
.
Today, the EU's energy system is technically and
economically inefficient, and leads to substantial
losses in the form of waste heat and low energy
efficiency. Energy production and consumption
account for 75% of the EU's greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. An integrated energy system is therefore
crucial to delivering on the European Green Deal's
objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Energy system integration refers to the planning and
operating of the energy system “as a whole” and across
multiple energy carriers- electricity, heat, cold, gas,
solid and liquid fuels - infrastructures and end-use
sectors, such as buildings, transport or industry.
The CoR opinion
Powering a climate-neutral economy: An EU
Strategy for Energy System Integration
focuses on energy-efficiency-first, increasing
renewable energy production, integrating and empowering
local and regional authorities, consumers and
businesses in the energy transition and ensuring that
the path towards climate neutrality is based on
cohesion principles and does not lead to increased
energy tariffs for citizens nor businesses.
The CoR rapporteur
Gunārs ANSIŅŠ (LV/Renew Europe)
,
Deputy Mayor of Liepāja, said: "
The EU Strategy for Energy System Integration has a
role to play in the economic recovery of local and
regional authorities, particularly in the wake of
the COVID-19 crisis. It is important to set the
energy-efficiency-first objective at the local and
regional level. Likewise, energy system integration
can help local and regional authorities achieve
greater energy efficiency as the available
resources would be used for the transition to more
efficient energy technologies."
The EU's assembly of local and regional representatives
calls on to the European Commission and Members States
to put into place a systematic approach to involve
local and regional authorities in the energy
transition, in particular within the development of
national energy and climate plans. The CoR reiterates
its demand to set up multilevel climate and energy
dialogues as well as multi-level platforms to promote
the active involvement of local and regional
authorities, civil society organisations, businesses
and other key stakeholders in the governance of the
energy transition.
The CoR points out that Europe's regions vary greatly
in terms of their electricity demand, generation
potential and available infrastructure, even within
country borders. Therefore, in addition to
international connections between systems, further
effort must be made to develop intranational and
interregional infrastructure while also increasing the
capacity of transnational connections.
The CoR stresses the key role local energy production
and storage capacity play to ensure that critical
infrastructure can operate continuously in all regions.
The CoR additionally highlights the necessity to remove
physical barriers for the development of high quality
interconnections between all EU regions to guarantee a
genuine integration of the electricity system.
The CoR reiterates the need to keep increasing the
production of energy from renewable sources and agrees
with the European Commission on the potential of
offshore renewable energy and the necessity to support
new offshore renewable technologies (e.g. tidal, wave
and floating offshore wind and solar technologies).
Members also agree that it is essential to ensure the
reskilling and upskilling of the workforce in line with
the specific needs of the offshore renewable energy
sector.
Considering that the EU accounts for only 5% of global
methane emissions, the EU's assembly of cities and
regions points out that even the most
ambitious EU plans to reduce them will have little
impact on reducing the planet’s overall GHG emissions.
Local and regional leaders strongly defend that imports
of goods into the EU's single market should only be
allowed from countries (or parts thereof) that provide
the same standards for GHG reduction as the EU. Only in
this way will it be possible to ensure that the EU
climate targets do not adversely affect the
competitiveness of the EU and its businesses at global
level.
As the European Union still imports 58% of its energy,
mostly through oil and gas, the integration of the EU's
energy system will improve security of supply while
reducing dependence and use of fossil fuels. Better
integration of energy systems will also increase energy
savings and diversify and localise energy production,
thus making Europe's economy more resilient - a key
aspect in crisis scenarios.
The draft opinion was presented during the CoR's
plenary session
on 5, 6 and 7 May 2021.
Background:
The European Commission's Energy System Integration
Strategy sets out a vision on how to accelerate the
transition towards a more integrated energy system, in
support of clean energy and a climate neutral economy
while strengthening energy security, protecting health
and the environment, and promoting growth and global
industrial leadership. For more information
click here
.
The opinion
Powering a climate-neutral economy: An EU
Strategy for Energy System Integration
falls under the remits of the CoR's
Green Deal Going Local
(GDGL) working group. Launched in
June 2020
and
composed of 13 local and regional elected
representatives
, the GDGL working group has the objective to guarantee
that EU cities and regions are directly involved in the
definition, implementation and assessment of the
numerous initiatives that fall under the European Green
Deal, the EU's sustainable growth strategy to reach
climate-neutrality by 2050.
Contact:
David Crous
Tel. +32 (0)470 88 10 37
david.crous@cor.europa.eu