Brussels, 18/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - “Intelligent energy production and consumption will change the European energy landscape forever”. This is the core message of the Sustainable Energy Europe campaign that the European Commission launched on Monday, and which will last until 2008. The objectives of the campaign are to raise the awareness of decision-makers at local, regional, national and European level, spread best-practice, ensure a strong level of public awareness, understanding and support, and stimulate the necessary trends towards an increase in private investment in sustainable energy technologies. With a budget of EUR 3.7 mil, the campaign aims to meet the challenges of combatting climate change, diversifying energy supply and managing energy demand by encouraging genuine change in behaviour of those involved to make them genuinely start producing efficient, clean and sustainable energy, explained Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs at a press conference. The Commission says the campaign has been launched to help achieve the EU energy policy aims: an increase in the share of renewable energy up to 12% by 2010, together with substantial savings in energy consumption (estimated in the recently adopted Green Paper on Energy Efficiency at 20% by 2020).
The Sustainable Energy EUROPE 2005-2008 Campaign specifically supports and promotes actions in the following nine main campaigning areas: Regions, Cities, Islands and Rural Areas, Communities aiming at 100% RES Supply, Transport, Buildings, Lighting Systems and Appliances, Co-operation with Developing Countries and Promotion and Communication.
Within the campaign, achievable benchmarks for 2008 are also provided, in order to measure the progress of sustainable energy actions and serve as goals for decision-makers and planners. In the area of renewable energy sources, these benchmarks are in line with the EU 2010 targets and/or the estimates (i.e. during the period 2005-2008 the installation of 15000 MW new capacities of wind turbines and the construction of 450 new combined biomass heat and power plants). A fivefold increase is expected in the production capacity of bioethanol, and a threefold increase in biodiesel.
Amongst benchmarks of energy efficiency in buildings, around 5 million inspections and assessments of heating systems will take place, 2 million Energy Performance Certifications on smaller buildings will be carried out and 50,000 'very low' energy houses are expected to be built.
The Sustainable Energy Partnerships are the main instruments of the campaign, made up of organisations currently implementing (or planning to implement) projects and programmes intended to have a significant impact upon the related energy environment in the European Union. The partnerships represent a European network, specially designed to actively involve and promote a wide range of projects and programmes in the context of the campaign. Annual key events are scheduled within the framework of the campaign, like a conference, and Sustainable Energy Awards. A campaign website and media desk will provide information to the general public, decisions-makers and the media.