Duration:

June 2009 – June 2011

Target Countries:

Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, UK.

Description:

Modern district heating and cooling (DHC) systems can significantly contribute to the achievement of national and European Union energy policy objectives. Amongst many other benefits, they stand for the efficiency use of energy and allow for a large-scale integration of renewable sources.

One of the crucial preconditions for maximising the benefits of district heating and cooling, is that a consistent and effective legislative framework is in place. Given the difficulties associated with the cross-cutting nature of the technology. This, however, is now always the case.

Consequently, the Ecoheat4EU project was devised with the aim to support the creation of well-balanced and effective legislative mechanisms to foster the development of modern district heating and cooling throughout Europe, especially in the fourteen countries targeted by the project.

Outcome:

The Ecoheat4EU project produced a series of detailed reports which analysed the existing legislative market and examined individual target countries. These are listed below:

As a result of the in-depth analysis of existing mechanisms, the Ecoheat4EU project produced a detailed report outlining Feedback for Policymakers.

The Ecoheat4EU project is summarised in a Project Information Sheet, in association with the Executive Summary and Presentation.

Policy Recommendations:

In conclusion, Ecoheat4EU found that the adoption and implementation of the ‘2020 Package of Directives’ has had positive effects on the way Member States value and promote DHC schemes. However, European Commission Directives and their national implementation partly provide contradictory signals and insufficiently reflect the need for their synergetic application at local level.

To achieve maximum effects in terms of reducing the EU’s demands for fossil primary energy and its environmental impact, policies and their implementation should follow the energy hierarchy and target; reducing high-grade energy use where possible, recycling low-grade energy that would otherwise be wasted and replacing remaining fossil fuels with renewable sources.

Ecoheat4EU - Legislative mechanisms developing DHC in Europe