Heating and Cooling Strategy: a Promise of Transformation and Decarbonisation

During the 2016 edition of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), Euroheat & Power co-organised a policy session on Wednesday 15 June together with the CELSIUS project, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) district energy initiative, GCP Europe and the European Heating Industry Association (EHI).

The starting point of the session was the EU Heating and Cooling Strategy published earlier this year. Eva Hoos, policy officer in the Directorate General for Energy of the European Commission, gave the keynote speech highlighting the significant transformation needed in the heating and cooling sector in order to reach the EU climate and energy ambitions. She emphasised that the Heating and Cooling Strategy is based on an integrated approach of the entire energy system and on the need to link energy efficiency and sustainable heat supply together.

The session, moderated by Oliver Rapf, Executive Director of the Buildings Performance Institute Europe, offered an active panel debate with speakers from different levels of governance and stakeholders:

• Elisabeth Undén, Assistant Deputy Mayor of the City of Gothenburg and Chair of Göteborg Energi
• Roger Webb, former Director of the UK Heating and Hot Water Industry Council
• Tim Rook, Technical Director, UK Building Engineering Services Association
• Lily Riahi, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Energy in Cities, United Nations Environment Programme
• Patrick Labat, Senior Executive Vice President Northern Europe Zone , Veolia
• Paul Voss, Managing Director, Euroheat & Power

Panellists discussed the opportunities and challenges in achieving a transition to sustainable heating and cooling systems and explored the best ways in which the EU can accelerate the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector, and increase security of supply.

“A radical transformation of the heating and cooling sector is by far not the easy option, but it is the only way forward. We cannot keep burning oil and gas in our cellars across Europe while talking about meeting ambitious climate goals. District energy must be part of this sustainable future vision as it provides the path to the decarbonisation of heat supply in our cities.” said Paul Voss, Euroheat & Power Managing Director.