Increasing Energy Efficiency Is Reasonable, But Should Not Become Counter-Productive

The EU directive on energy efficiency is supposed to increase the energy efficiency by 20 % until 2020. However, only 7 member states fully implemented the directive so far; the Czech Republic is not one of them.

The Communication from the European Commission issued at the end of July 2014 shows the expected reduction by 2020 should be around 18–19 %. At the beginning of the year, the European Commission has prepared a draft of EU 2030 framework for climate and energy policies, of which the final form will be discussed at the European Council Summit on 23–24 October.

Jan Michal, Head of European Commission Representation to the Czech Republic, stated at the debate co-organized by CEBRE in the European House in Prague on the 2nd October 2014 that the increase of energy efficiency is crucial for sustaining the competitiveness and energy security in the Czech Republic.“Even today it is possible to observe a positive trend in the EU, with the decoupling of GDP growth and energy consumption,” said Claudia Canevari from the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission. The positive impacts of energy efficiency include, according to her, higher security of supplies, GDP growth, higher employment and a there is a positive effect on health and environment as well. “The Czech Republic will make use of alternative measures, consisting mainly of financial instruments and subsidy schemes,” Marcela Juračková from the Ministry of Industry and Trade explained, how the Czech Republic will increase its energy efficiency.

Jakub Vít from the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic pointed out different approaches of each member state; in older and richer member states the price burden caused by implementation of energy efficiency measures lies on households, while in new member states it is mainly on industry – in the Czech Republic even up to 83%. Jan Rovenský of Greenpeace supports 3 binding goals for 2030, in the case of energy efficiency it is 40% target. According to him, energy security should be prioritized especially in today’s geopolitically unstable situation on the east borders of the EU.