Let’s talk about industrial insulation

While it may not be on everyone’s lips as the solution to our energy consumption concerns, industrial insulation has an important role to play in Europe’s energy efficiency strategy.  On November 28^th, the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EIIF) organised a roundtable discussion in Brussels to solicit the views of a wide group of interested parties from policymakers, industry, non-governmental organisations and academia.  What was most encouraging was to see about 40 people talking about industrial energy efficiency and what it means for implementing the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), Europe’s competitiveness strategy and 2030 objectives for energy and climate change.  Only a few years ago, no one was discussing industrial energy efficiency.

Claude Turmes, MEP, opened the discussion by providing the context for the discussion, referring to the Council meetings coming up for competitiveness and energy in 2014.  Further he said that the Commission will be finalising its views on 2030 targets and member states will soon have to transpose the EED, meaning they will need to know what they want to do in industrial energy efficiency (i.e. audits and energy management systems).

An ECOFYS report commissioned by EIIF showed the cost-effective potential and provided a good foundation for discussion.  The study showed that the total cost-effective potential amounts to about 480 PJ and 37 CO2 per year for industry, representing about 4% of total industry fuel consumption and emissions.  This was furthered when EIIF presented its TIPCHECK thermal energy audit programme (Technical Insulation Performance Check).  Yes, the discussion was lively, with much revolving around the need for creating awareness, the urgency of setting ambitious 2030 energy savings targets, for improving energy audits, for going for more than low-hanging fruit, etc.

What was really important was that this event happened. It was understood that there is great urgency – meaning over the next 4-8 weeks – to really affect what is going on at the EU and member state levels.  It is a fluid policy context but those immediate windows of influence will close all too soon.

For more information on the European Industrial Insulation Foundation, visit its website.