Heating and cooling represent approximately 50% of the total final energy consumption in the EU, and 80% of it is still based on burning fossil fuels – especially in case of heating. To ensure a move away from fossil fuels, it is crucial to reduce the energy consumption for heating and cooling and to further increase the share of renewables. In short, the strategy needs to address how to integrate the design of energy supply systems (supply side) with the design of energy using systems (demand side). Buildings are a key element of the energy infrastructure, and heating and cooling need to be at the core of long-term energy system planning.
Andrea Voigt, EPEE director general, said: “To decarbonise heating and cooling we need an integrated approach, where heating and cooling are considered as two sides of the same coin. Heat pumps for example offer an excellent opportunity by providing energy efficient heating and cooling with renewable energy. Waste heat recovery is another way of using energy more efficiently. Demand side management and thermal storage solutions can provide further flexibility to the grid to support the transition to renewable energies.”