CECED believes that, in order to "realise the potential", as the Commission's proposed Action Plan on Energy Efficiency puts it, focussing on the provision of reliable information on energy use and developing highly energy efficient technology is not enough. To achieve real energy savings the new high-end energy efficient products need to be bought and used in homes across Europe.
Figure: Evolution energy classes 1992-2005
We want to raise awareness of the need to make better use of existing state-of-the-art technology to turn energy efficiency into real energy savings. In other words, it is time for all those energy inefficient machines, primarily more than ten year old refrigerators and freezers, still in use today to go!
Studies conducted by the German Öko-Institut have found that there are around 188 million large appliances in homes across Europe that are more than ten years old. The energy and water consumption of these appliances is unnecessarily high. Today's state of the art fridge for example needs 70% less energy than an average one ten years ago. From an environmental point of view, even taking production and recycling into account, it makes sense to replace the old gear by new appliances.
CECED supports an ambitious energy efficiency policy at European level with clear targets. In order to achieve the desired change in our sector we propose the introduction of a system of tax credits to manufacturers at national level for every supplementary highly energy efficient appliance produced and sold in a given year as compared to a prior baseline period. This, we believe, would be a real incentive for companies to try to increase the sales of their high-end products. In addition, a recent report concludes that tax credits are fiscally-neutral.
Other policy measures, such as tax credits to the consumer for the purchase of highly energy efficient products, can also be an option. Rebate schemes, if properly designed, are another option.
Ahead of the Council meeting on 23 November 2006, we called on Ministers to adapt the Conclusions to take account of the considerations we have raised, and support the idea that a discussion is started at EU level on tax credits or any other equally effective measure, aiming at supporting energy efficiency development, innovation and competitiveness.
