The European Commission has published an online catalogue of national measures it says can help EU countries cut gas and oil use and reduce energy costs after the energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
The catalogue brings together “national practices” that are already being used in some EU countries and could be replicated elsewhere, the Commission said in a release on Wednesday.
EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen presented the catalogue to EU energy ministers at the Informal Energy Council meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The Commission noted the measures are intended to deliver “immediate savings” for households, businesses and public authorities, while also supporting longer-term changes in the energy system.
Targets for cutting gas and oil use
The catalogue follows the Commission’s AccelerateEU communication published last month, it said.
It groups actions into three priority areas: protecting consumers and industry while promoting long-term “clean transition” goals; supporting immediate energy savings and faster roll-out of clean and energy-efficient solutions, including scaling up European manufacturing capacity; and fostering investment in energy efficiency, clean energy production and “demand response.”
Demand response refers to shifting electricity use to different times to reduce strain on the energy system, often by encouraging consumers and businesses to use less power during peak periods.
The Commission said that faster implementation of existing EU energy rules could cut natural gas demand by 10 to 15 billion cubic metres per year and reduce oil use by 15 to 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent annually.
The online catalogue will be updated periodically to include additional measures.
