The European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition was launched in Brussels on Monday 22 April, bringing together EU countries, financial institutions and the European Commission to create a viable, long-term financing framework for energy efficiency investments.
This launch follows the signing, in the margins of the Energy Council on 19 December 2023 (see EUROPE 13317/2), of a joint declaration by the 27 Member States on the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition.
“There has never been so much global momentum for progress in energy efficiency. Europe will play its part. The launch of the coalition today is just the beginning”, said the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson.
She officially presented the new coalition at a launch event attended by Philippe Henry, Vice-President of the Walloon Government and Minister for Climate and Energy, and Thomas Östros, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The emphasis was on mobilising private investment and market uptake of energy efficiency, and on strengthening cooperation between the various players to achieve this.
The coalition aims to provide a framework at both European and national level, building on the results of the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group (EEFIG) set up by the Commission and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) in 2013.
“At European level, experts work together to develop solutions for the market on energy efficiency; at national level, new national ‘hubs’ will be created to identify national needs for investments on energy efficiency”, explained Ms Simson.
These national centres will be set up by each Member State, which will appoint a specific person to chair them and will be primarily responsible for their operation.
The European Commission Secretariat will support the work of the coalition by providing administrative and professional support to the structure and will contribute to the maintenance and expansion of the ‘de-risking energy efficiency platform’ (DEEP) database, which is an integral part of the coalition.
The call for applications from financial institutions will shortly be available on the coalition’s website. The various meetings, expert platforms and national hubs are due to get under way later this year.
To see the website: https://aeur.eu/f/bwi (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)