Page 6 - European Energy Innovation - Winter 2016 publication
P. 6
Winter 2016 European Energy Innovation
6 ENERGY SAVINGS
Energy savings
and the market economy
By Paloma López Bermejo (pictured), Member of the European Parliament
There is little doubt that one of renovation alone if the 20% target buildings, planifying for a significant
the major obstacles in creating was achieved. But they also create reduction in energy demand. Better
a sovereign, sustainable and a growing gap between the energy isolation, improved heating and
democratic energy system and climate policy of the EU and its cooling systems and a shift away from
for Europe lies in the colossal import ability to create a credible roadmap for private transport to better integrated
dependency of the continent, which energy savings -which, as the European production and residential urban
consumes as much as twice the energy Parliament has repeatedly emphasized, systems require a fundamental shift
it produces. While the EU has engaged should be not lower than 40% in the in the market-led developments that
in aggressive trade and neighbourhood 2030 horizon. have so far dictated developments in
policies to guarantee its future imports, this area -and not unsurprisingly, led to
thus perpetuating geopolitical tensions While we insist on the necessity of the boom-and-bust cycles in real estate
and economic dependency for the binding action in this sense, it is not and infrastructure development that we
coming decades, energy savings (along only goals -but instruments, that we are still suffering from.
with the development of renewables must focus on. Up to now, the EU has
and traditional resources such as concentrated in creating “markets” for Equally, it is clear that we must adjust
European coal) seem an alternative energy efficiency, hoping that prices our trade systems to reward energy-
and ultimately more promising avenue will lead the way towards meaningful efficient production and short value-
to adjust the energy needs of the reduction in energy consumption. chains. Currently, environmental
European economy to its production In doing so, it has once more led dumping threatens European plants
capacity and climate commitments. neoliberal theory trumps reality in sectors, such as steel or ceramics,
-for indeed, many households are where the EU is the most efficient
There is, however, legitimate concern constrained in their ability to change amongst global producers. This
on the ability of the EU to deliver on its individual consumption, while industry situation is unlikely to be solved
promises. The 20% target for primary often finds it more convenient to through free ETS permits, since these
energy savings for 2020 is unlikely to relocate production than to reduce only shift the burden of adjusment
be met, and whatever progress has its environmental impact when from some industrial sectors to others.
been made seems more a result of energy prices rise. It is by now widely Border-adjustment mechanisms,
prolonged of economic stagnation and accepted that markets create (and rewarding energy-efficient production,
deindustrialization than of meaningful reward) inequality: it is no different should be part of any meaningful
public action. for environmental market solutions, reform of anti-dumping measures: we
which, as implemented, have been certainly hope that the EU considers
The relevant directives (the Energy doing more to generate energy poverty these before opening up any further to
Efficiency Directive and the Buildings and erode our industrial base than to trade overseas.
Directive) are still far from fully prepare a meaningful energy transition.
implemented by the Member States Ultimately, however, achieving durable
and legal loopholes and overall On the one hand, it is clear that a energy savings will also require a
uncertainty over the post-2020 reduction in energy consumption cultural change, from the individual
framework have further inhibited at household level requires public to society as a whole. We must not
investment. These delays are not investment and subsidies to lead the forget that consumerism is, after all,
without consequences for employment: way. With an emphasis on energy-poor the material culture of neoliberalism
conservative estimates put at at least consumers, public administrations have -both creating the needs that alienate
2.4 million the number of jobs that to intervene to design better urban workers and enforce distinction in an
could have been created in building infraestructure and renew current increasingly unequal economic system.
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