The objective of this third symposium was to discuss publically the need to bridge the gap between expectations and realities regarding energy efficiency in the 2030 framework. All the participants agreed on the numerous benefits of energy efficiency, i.e. reducing dependency from foreign gas, fostering growth and competitiveness, creating jobs and decreasing CO2 emissions.

However, despite the fact that people and Member States are increasingly aware of these benefits, the development of energy efficiency measures remains too slow and insufficient. This energy efficiency gap can be explained by various barriers such as access to finance, the lack of guarantees for investors, the long payback period, the lack of awareness about what can be done, and the lack of implementation of the EU legislation by Member States.

The European Commission proposed an energy efficiency target of 30% by 2030 but the jury is still out regarding whether this target should be binding or not. Most of the speakers shared the view that this target will leave a great share of Europe’s cost effective energy saving potential untapped. They thus wish for a more ambitious and binding target. It is now into the hands of the European Council to discuss energy efficiency as a major component of the new 2030 climate and energy framework, which ought to be adopted by the end of October 2014.

Please find the report of this symposium here.

SPEAKERS’ MATERIALS and AGENDA (click here for the agenda)

09:00 – 09:15        Welcome address

Etienne DAVIGNON, Chairman, Egmont Institute, and Claudia HERING, Head of Public Affairs, Development Group

09:15 – 09:30       Keynote address

Peter VAN KEMSEKE, Special Advisor in the Cabinet of Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council

09:30 – 11:00        1^st Session: How can we explain the ‘energy efficiency gap’ in the EU? – Lessons from the (difficult) 2020-implementation

Speakers:

• Frank DONKERS, Managing Director Benelux, Kingspan Insulated Panels
• Harry VERHAAR, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs, Philips Lighting
• Martin BORNHOLDT, Managing Director, DENEFF – German business initiative for energy efficiency

Discussant: Monica FRASSONI, President of the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE)

Moderator: Clémentine d’OULTREMONT, Research Fellow, Egmont Institute

11:00 – 11:30        Coffee break

11:30 – 13:00        Session Two: How can the EU bridge the ‘energy efficiency gap’ in the 2030 Energy and Climate framework?

Speakers:

• Robert DURDILLY, President, French Union of Electricity (UFE)
• Dr Amal LOTFI, Director Basics, Products Department, ista International
• Ingrid HOLMES, Associate Director, E3G – Third Generation Environmentalism

Discussant: Paul HODSON, Head of Unit on Energy Efficiency, DG Energy, European Commission

                                        Moderator: Sami Andoura, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont Institute &   Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute

13:00 – 14:00        Lunch

MANY THANKS TO OUR

Gold Sponors

Silver Sponsors

Lunch Sponsor