APPLiA Director General elected Steering Committee member of the Coalition for Energy Savings

Brussels, 14 June 2023 -  The General Assembly of the Coalition of Energy Savings elected APPLiA Director General Paolo Falcioni as a Steering Committee member for a one year term mandate. The Coalition is a European non-for profit association that  advocates energy efficiency as the driving force towards a secure, competitive, sustainable and  climate neutral European Union. It unites businesses, local authorities, energy agencies, energy communities and civil society organisations in pursuit of this goal.

“Energy efficiency is the frontrunner to fight climate change and decarbonise our economy, in Europe and globally,” said Falcioni. The demand for energy is increasing around the world and energy prices are rising accordingly, outweighing the available supply. The stock of appliances is also rising due to the increasing number of households, which continues to grow as the global population also continues to increase. All these upward activity pressures are driving up energy consumption and emissions. Energy efficiency is the most important element in counter-balancing those upward pressures.

Political agreement was reached this March on the recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), to set a stronger legal framework to meet the objectives of the Fit for 55 package and REPowerEU plan. On the topic, the Coalition just released a dedicated report New 2023 Energy Efficiency Directive highlighting the importance for the Directive to provide a long term answer to volatile energy prices and address possible future supply shortages in a way that is climate compatible and socially fair. However, according to the analysis, the new EED requirements are the “absolute minimum” to achieve the EU’s climate and energy objectives, but much more is feasible given the existing energy savings potential and the current available technologies. For a more sustainable, fair and resilient energy system, “energy savings must be maximised without any delay,” underlined Falcioni. Energy efficiency tactics have proven to be a cost effective manner to prevent further disasters while also reducing energy waste and lowering electricity bills. Of this untapped potential, “modern home appliances remain a bright spot for efficiency gains and climate action,” he continued. Yet, to get on track with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, most products and equipment being sold in 2030 need to match today’s best available technology. Heat pump technologies, for instance, can save electricity usage by up to 50% compared to conventional solutions while reducing GHG emissions. 

Importantly, more efficient and lower energy demand supports faster progress towards universal access to modern and affordable energy in emerging and developing economies. While Europe is working to set the standard, it only accounts for 8% of global emissions. Which requires countries across the globe to take prompt action to ensure shared benefits across populations and the Planet.