Energy Efficiency: B – Heating and cooling

Specific challenge: Action is needed to remove non-technological (including legislation) barriers to exploit the full potential of efficient heating and cooling solutions. This involves integrated planning and integration of heating/cooling into the territorial context; active participation of local administrations; adaptation and compatibility/connectivity with low energy building standards; inclusion of heating/cooling in building renovation strategies; and empowerment and involvement of consumers through innovative metering, billing and complaint handling processes.

Scope: Project proposals should focus on one or more of the following areas:

·         Individual heating and cooling: Innovative measures to accelerate the replacement of old, inefficient space heaters and packaged cooling systems with products having A+++ to A+ energy labels. The replacement should not lock out energy savings from other energy measures in the rest of the building/system.

·         Inspection of heating and cooling systems: support for the implementation of inspection in heating and cooling systems as indicated in Articles 14 and 15 of the EPBD. This includes actions using monitoring and ICT as ways to reduce the need for physical inspections. Actions could also support the provision of advice to users as well as monitoring the results of advice.

·         For industrial heating/cooling:

o   deploy effective heating/cooling solutions in industry that integrate demand and supply;

o   deploy renewable heating and cooling solutions in relevant industrial sectors (e.g. food and drink industries);

o   contribute to identifying, developing, and promoting new markets for the recovery of heat from industry by putting stakeholders together, including activities aiming at supporting public acceptance of waste heat recovery projects;

o   exchange of information and knowledge.

·         Energy supply systems43: Proposals should lead to the opening up of new markets for the most efficient large, medium or small scale systems, potentially including solar cooling systems. They should build on experience from existing best practice examples. Proposals could address the development and implementation of: a) support and incentive schemes, b) organisational, managerial and business innovative models and c) new regulatory frameworks and codes that lead to substantial growth and improved transparency. Proposals could include activities aimed at improving the performance of existing systems as an example to encourage further use of these technologies.

·         For district heating/cooling industry: develop good practice, licensing criteria, efficiency benchmarks and consumer protection codes to improve the transparency of the market and increase consumer trust. Ensure exchange of information, knowledge of using best practice examples and knowledge of consumer practices, motivations and barriers.

·         Develop and demonstrate the tools and methodologies required to conduct the heating and cooling planning procedures necessary at the member state and EU level, such as energy system analysis using CHP and energy storage, geographical information systems (GIS) for matching heat supply and demand, as well as measures to overcome implementation challenges. These should make it possible for local communities and member states to develop strategies for the achievement of the overall EU targets.

Consortia should include or engage with the relevant market actors such as industry (equipment and fuel suppliers), installers, real estate developers, public authorities, energy services companies, designers and end user groups / consumer associations. Due consideration should be given to costs and reliability. Furthermore, where appropriate, proposals should devise mechanisms to secure funding for energy efficiency investments.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1.5 and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact: More favourable market conditions for efficient heating and cooling solutions and opening up of new markets.

Every million Euro of EU support should in the short term lead to the reduction of at least 25 GWh/yr of fossil fuels for heating and cooling. Significant impacts should also be measured in terms of investment made by stakeholders in sustainable energy; number of policy makers influenced; number of people with increased skills; or number of people changing their behaviour.

Type of action: Coordination and Support Actions

The conditions related to this topic are provided at the end of this call and in the General Annexes.

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43 Energy supply system: high efficiency co-generation (large, small and micro) and efficient district heating and cooling. Such systems may use waste heat or renewable energy sources. Conventional fuels should not be excluded, but waste heat and RES should be encouraged.

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For updated call's content please consult: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/h2020-sections