EASE welcomes the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to boost building renovation and emphasizes its support for the energy efficiency first principle to be applied in its measures. However, EASE believes that energy storage should have a stronger focus in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, considering energy systems integration and the widespread deployment of Smart Readiness Indicators are key to increasing energy efficiency.
June 2021 / Policy Papers - Responses to Public Consultations
EASE Reply to the Revision of the Hydrogen and Gas Market Decarbonisation Package
EASE has provided a reply to the European Commission’s Public Consultation on the revision of the EU gas networks rules on market access addressing the Hydrogen and Gas Market Decarbonisation Package. As the Commission points out, a fully functioning internal energy market is key to ensuring security of supply, industry competitiveness and affordable energy for all consumers. It also contributes to achieving the emissions goals of the European Green Deal.
The key proposals from this initiative foresee the review of gas rules in order to:
facilitate the market entry of renewable and low-carbon gases
remove any undue regulatory barriers.
Costs for renewable energies have decreased significantly in the last ten years. In the relevant scenarios used by the Climate Target Plan Impact Assessment, biogas, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and synthetic fuels would represent two-thirds of the gaseous fuels in the 2050 energy mix, with fossil gas used in combination with CCU/S representing the remainder. The areas where renewable and low-carbon gaseous fuels are expected to come into play include today’s industrial sectors (e.g. refineries, fertilisers, steel making, glass, ceramics) and certain heavy duty transport sectors (ships, aviation, long distance heavy vehicles). They are also expected to continue serving the needs of the electricity system as flexible power production. The role of gas in heating depends on the competition with other technologies, including heat pumps. The process to decarbonise the gas supply and to shift demand for gases to most needed uses must start already now. Achieving the 2030 renewable, energy efficiency and greenhouse-gas reduction targets in time is an important step in this process.
EASE is preparing a response to this consultation to improve the Hydrogen and Gas Market Directive and Regulation proposal in a way that is favourable to the energy storage sector.
EASE welcomes the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to boost building renovation and emphasizes its support for the energy efficiency first principle to be applied in its measures. However, EASE believes that energy storage should have a stronger focus in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, considering energy systems integration and the widespread deployment of Smart Readiness Indicators are key to increasing energy efficiency.
11 industry associations covering the entire batteries value chain express their concerns about key elements in the ongoing debates in the European Parliament and the Council on the Batteries Regulation proposal, and provide recommendations for achieving shared goals.
EASE welcomes the recast Energy Taxation Directive, which goes in the right direction by making it possible to consider energy storage facilities as redistributors so to avoid double taxation. More ambitious steps are needed however, such as basing minimum tax rates on carbon content of the energy product, setting enforceable rules to phase-out double taxation in all Member States, and ensuring system integration is incentivised through favourable rates.
