About: heating
European cities share heating decarbonisation tips
Cities with decades-old combined heat and power systems are emitting less carbon than others, and EU policymakers are looking at how to emulate this across the bloc.
Newer forces are altering the HVAC market
The residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) market could pick up the pace with advances in regulations, technology and a push for carbon fuel efficiency, writes Neil Strother.
Solar CEO: ‘Heating electrification is one of the biggest mistakes of the energy transition’
Wind and solar photovoltaic are way too small to cope with Europe's massive demand for heating, especially in winter, says Christian Holter who calls for allocating scarce renewable energy resources to economic sectors where they can bring the most in terms of carbon reduction.
Feeling the heat: Why EU climate targets depend on ditching fossil fuel boilers
The European Union has set a target of increasing renewables in heating and cooling by 1.3% every year starting in 2021. Given the pervasiveness of gas heat, it may be a struggle.
Academic: Oil and gas boilers should be banned across Europe by 2030
Emissions from residential heating can be drastically reduced if Europe agrees a ban on new oil and gas boiler installations by 2030 at the latest, according to a Danish researcher who led an EU-wide study to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector.
Making electricity rules fit for the integrated energy system of the future
When adopting new rules for Europe’s electricity market, EU policymakers shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture which involves an increasingly integrated energy system with multiple links between electricity, heat and gas, writes Hans Korteweg.
Breaking down the barriers to renewable heating in the UK
Europe is the global leader in renewable heat, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. Being bottom of the class, the UK is a case in point, writes Marcus Franck.
Heating and cooling
The heating and cooling of buildings and industry is responsible for half of the EU’s energy consumption, and “much of it is wasted” according to the European Commission.
Inaction on building renovation is ‘costing lives’
Energy efficiency renovation can alleviate fuel poverty and bring a raft of health and societal benefits. While the EU could do more to boost renovation, several governments have shown that effective answers can be found at a national level.
Energy poverty: A blight on the EU
For something that blights the lives of between 50 and 125 million European citizens it is strange to discover that there is no EU-wide definition of 'energy poverty', writes Adrian Joyce.
Buildings: The forgotten dimension of energy efficiency
Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings is an area where EU action can make a big difference for citizens, while their digitalisation and integration into the energy system are indispensable for creating jobs and growth, and driving innovation, writes Lars Tveen.
Energy Union: Heating and cooling should take centre stage
EU energy policy is missing its biggest opportunity: the current narrative is all about using fossil fuels, in fact, renewable heating and cooling technology already exists, argues Nigel Cotton.
Five reasons why the European Union must invest in thermal renovation of homes for households in energy poverty
Energy poverty is a stark reminder of the inequality in Europe, writes FEANTSA and a series of other European associations. Families in poor quality housing suffer because they cannot afford to heat their homes.
IEA: Treat energy efficiency as ‘world’s first fuel’
Global energy saving investments - and their effects on energy demand - are now equal to the net contribution of other fuel sources, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on 16 October, as it launched its inaugural Energy Efficiency Market Report.
Commission ‘buckled under pressure’ for soft energy labels
The European Commission has succumbed to heavy lobbying from the electric heating industry and is set to approve an energy labelling scheme that misrepresents its appliances' true efficiency performance, according to environmental and consumers groups.
Energy Efficiency Directive: Completing an energy policy puzzle
The European Union put down the last piece of the bloc's 2020 climate and energy policy puzzle by adopting an Energy Efficiency Directive. The directive is a game-changer for energy companies, which are now required to achieve 1.5% energy savings every year among their final clients. The EU law is also expected to trigger the largest revamp of Europe's existing building stock to date and set new standards for public procurement and energy audits.
Oettinger feels the heat on boiler labelling rules
The meaningful energy labelling of household heating boilers is being gutted behind the scenes, green campaigners have warned, saying this could undermine the EU's 2020 target to cut energy consumption by 20%.
Villagers scramble for fuel as Europe’s big chill bites
Hungarian villagers were scavenging for coal with their bare hands on Thursday (2 February) as a blast of Siberian air killed scores in Eastern Europe and looked set to keep its icy grip on the continent for days to come.