Monitoring progress of elements of the EU energy efficiency directive

The EU Energy Efficiency Directive requires monitoring of all the major articles. Recently, the Joint Research Centre published a report of the progress made in implementing Article 8 concerning energy audits. Survey of energy audits and energy management systems in the Member States This report, conducted by the Joint Research Centre for DG ENERGY, … Continue reading Monitoring progress of elements of the EU energy efficiency directive →

Following the Volkswagen fiasco, Brussels sets out plan to improve compliance

The European Union has many excellent policies relating to energy or climate change. But ensuring good implementation is not simple because in most cases compliance is the responsibility of individual member states. The EU can set out a policy framework but compliance is always a delicate area. Following the controversy that has arisen by Volkswagen … Continue reading Following the Volkswagen fiasco, Brussels sets out plan to improve compliance →

Energy efficiency needs to be treated as an energy source

This has been an important year for energy policy in general, but energy efficiency in particular. Hans Nilsson, expert through his company FourFact, Advisor and Honorary Chairman of the IEA DSM-Programme and a friend of EiD, has written a thought provoking column on the eceee website. While the European Commission has been promoting the need … Continue reading Energy efficiency needs to be treated as an energy source →

Regulatory concerns about minimum energy performance standards for vacuum cleaners

Ever since the news about how VW flaunted the regulatory process on emissions testing, James Dyson, inventor of his famous bag-less vacuum cleaner, has been raising concerns about vacuum cleaner tests. Michael Pooler writes in the Financial Times about latest developments. Inventor James Dyson faces challenge to clean up EU vacuum tests It took … Continue reading Regulatory concerns about minimum energy performance standards for vacuum cleaners →

The European Commission adopts a new policy package to start the transition to the circular economy

The European Commission recently adopted an ambitious new Circular Economy Package to help European businesses and consumers to make the transition to a stronger and more circular economy where resources are used in a more sustainable way. The proposed actions will contribute to "closing the loop" of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use, and … Continue reading The European Commission adopts a new policy package to start the transition to the circular economy →

EU’s Energy Union encourages complete re-think of energy policy

The Energy Union, launched earlier in 2015, ensures that Europe has secure, affordable and climate-friendly energy. To achieve that, there is a need to carefully review all elements of energy policy to see how priorities should change. A new report by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre shows the role that an ambitious energy efficiency strategy … Continue reading EU’s Energy Union encourages complete re-think of energy policy →

Emissions standards in Europe

It was interesting that the current controversy over Volkswagen cheating on diesel emissions tests was identified in the United States and not Europe. Europe is very proud of its standards for vehicles, appliances and buildings, but there has often been a concern that enforcement is either poor or unevenly done throughout the European Union. Member … Continue reading Emissions standards in Europe →

An awkward time for the European Union’s energy industry

With the global climate conference coming soon in Paris, Europe is still contending with many issues at once that only add to the complexity that all countries face. Pilita Clark provides a good article in the Financial Times about how the EU is trying to ensure energy supplies are secure, affordable and do not raise … Continue reading An awkward time for the European Union’s energy industry →

Reflecting on the struggles for Europe to create its energy union

Sometimes one finds the most thought-provoking posts on European energy policy come from sources outside Europe. Well, this is true about this New York Times article, written by David Buchan, research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Outside Forces Shape European Energy The European Union is struggling to create what it calls … Continue reading Reflecting on the struggles for Europe to create its energy union →

Taking energy efficiency ‘to the next level’ in Europe

The Investor Confidence Project Europe (ICP Europe) has written a very good article on the BusinessGreen website about how to take the European energy efficiency sector to the next level. You should enjoy this. EiD looks forward to your comments. ICP Europe is a project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. The project … Continue reading Taking energy efficiency ‘to the next level’ in Europe →